Dental Veneers are a Durable Solution for Improving Your Teeth

If you’re considering dental veneers, you must also consider the vast impact they have had on the overall concept of dentistry repairing cracked, chipped, and discolored teeth. In the past, these teeth would have to be replaced, capped with a dental crown, or go through extensive teeth whitening processes, sometimes all three. Dental veneers can achieve the same results without the intrusion of crowns or the need to replace teeth, making them one of the most innovative advancements in dental science.

Naturally for many people, this seems too good to be true, and we get many questions about dental veneers, how they are created, what they do, and how long they last. First, it is important to remember that dental veneers are the perfect blend of scientific advancement, dental innovation, aesthetics, and function. They are more affordable than most other treatments, and therefore, far from being too good to be true, they are the perfect solution for many patients who have been searching for a way to fix discolored or damaged enamel. Secondly, we know that dental veneers can, and usually do, last for a very long time. Naturally, there are other factors that come into play with the longevity of a dental veneer. The most important of these is the human element. The better you take care of your teeth, and thus your dental veneers by proxy, the longer your dental veneers will last. We have found that among people who do take care of their teeth, their veneers typically last upwards of 10 years, which is far more than most people expect from a super-thin piece of porcelain placed over their enamel. Remembering that dental veneers are a semi-permanent solution that cannot be removed without replacing them, it is important to know what the scientific data says about their longevity.

Dental veneers and their ability to withstand the test of time have been the subject of numerous studies since they first came out. When you are having veneers placed, it is always best to know that this is a product that can and will last a very long time. One of the most well-known studies took incremental steps to determine how well dental veneers succeed over time. Success was measured by the veneers not needing to be replaced or repaired. What was found was that between years five and six, the success ratio of the veneers was 96 percent, meaning that they only failed 4 percent of the time. When the timeline was advanced to between 10 and 11 years, the success rate remained high at 93 percent. This is very consistent with what we see on a daily basis in the clinic. At the 12- to 13 year mark, the veneers were still performing at a high rate and had a success ratio of 91 percent. The only significant drop came when the time was advanced all the way to between 15 and 16 years, at which point people with dental veneers were experiencing a slightly higher need for repairs and replacements. At this point, the success rate of veneers was 71 percent.