Living with Veneers: 10 weeks later

I have had my new veneers for about 10 weeks now. The process has gone remarkably smoothly and I am more than happy with the results.

The temporary veneers were a shock to the system; I wasn’t expecting anything quite so brutal or invasive for some reason; it just hadn’t really occurred to me. I think the lack of genuine information about the process and what to expect afterwards simply translated to me that it obviously wasn’t bad or anything to worry about or worthy enough to write about. I would say this definitely isn’t the case, but each day does get more bearable and in the long run is definitely worth it. People having just 2 or 3 veneers will not be so affected I shouldn’t imagine, I had 16 in one day and it was pretty traumatic for me. After about 3 days it was just the feeling of continual discomfort and pressure rather than pain but it is very distracting and 2 weeks feels like 2 months. See it as a kind of short term punishment for your future perfect teeth.

In the first week or so after I got the real veneers, I had some minor issues with my bite, where I needed some filing down in order to fit properly. This is to be expected and may take 2 or 3 appointments to get everything just right for you. These appointments were done at my convenience and no extra cost. This process is carried out without anaesthetic and generally does not hurt; it might just touch a bit of your real tooth every now and again and make you jump a little bit, depending on how sensitive your teeth are.

I have been able to sleep, eat and brush my teeth with no problems. Sometimes, if I lean on my hand for long periods of time – while watching TV or leaning on my desk at work – I find that the pressure from pushing my jaw/ bite in an awkward angle can give me mild jaw ache. This abates after a while or I take some nurofen and it goes away.

About 3 weeks after my final veneers, I was able to floss my teeth again. My bottom teeth are still quite sensitive in-between each tooth when I do this so I have now invested in a ‘WaterPik’ from Boots. This is like the water jet tool that the dentist uses and performs the same process as flossing. It cost about £40 and has been well worth the investment. I use it in the shower, because if you use it standing in the bathroom it pisses water everywhere! If you are talented enough to use this outside of the shower, you have good skills!

I now have the teeth I have always wanted. I made sure when I discussed the look of my teeth with my dentist to include the shape of many of my original teeth. I now have perfect but realistic-looking teeth, unlike celebrity perfect teeth which look obviously fake – this has made a big difference. People who I don’t know have commented that I have such beautiful teeth, rather than asking if I have ‘had my teeth done?’. Had I had the bog standard rectangle celebrity teeth of Cheryl Cole et al, it would have been far more obvious to the eye that they are fake. By keeping the shapes of my canines and some of the other top teeth, they have retained their individualism and look much more natural. This was important to me; after years of avoiding talking about my teeth I didn’t want it to be overly noticeable that they are not my own teeth, as this only prompts the question “What was wrong with your teeth before?”  a question I would always rather avoid.

I now see people on TV, at work, in magazines and can say – I have better teeth than them. It feels quite marvellous!

Despite living with the temporaries, the temporary pain and the expense – the things I feel are the major factors – getting my veneers done has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Now, when I see my ‘before’ pictures, taken at the dentist, I can barely look at them without cringing. I can’t believe I lived with such hideous teeth for so long. I wish I had had the money and guts to have them done sooner. Despite waking up on the morning after I got the temporaries, in tears, delirious and full of regret, this has far been outweighed by the final result. If anyone asks me if it was worth it, I can honestly say yes.

If you are planning on getting veneers, make sure you fully research your dentist, see as many before and after pictures as you can, talk at length about the look, feel and style of teeth you want. Go on dental/ cosmetic web forums, see what other people have written about your chosen dentist. Don’t sign up to anything on your fist consultation, go home and think about it first. Do the mirror test to see how many teeth you actually need doing, before assuming you need 20 veneers. Sit in front of a mirror for 5 minutes, talk, smile, laugh and see how many teeth you actually expose – it may be far less than you think.

I researched my ass off before choosing my dentist, hours and hours spent on the internet reading reviews and articles. My dentist was the one who filled me with the most confidence and the one I felt comfortable with. Despite me being a very inhospitable and hypercritical patient, he was considerate of my demeanour and my concerns and ultimately did a fantastic job. It is important to choose a dentist who can provide this level of service for you and make you feel at ease. It is a big decision and a costly one, don’t go in to it lightly or rush the process.

Final pics of my veneers

 

Click here to read: Living with veneers – 6 months later