The Glamourous Origins of Dental Veneers
Dental Veneers
Who doesn’t want a brighter, whiter and straighter smile? Dental veneers are the shortcut to an A-list smile – no braces required. They are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-coloured materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth. Think of dental veneers like gel nails. The same way gel nails are an overlay placed on the nail for enhancement and reshaping, dental veneers can transform the appearance of teeth. Not only can they provide the appearance of straighter teeth, but they can be made in a shade of your choice, meaning that a brilliant white smile can be achieved too!
The origins of dental veneers
Dental veneers originated in Hollywood (no surprise there!)
They were created for Hollywood actors who desired the right smile to make the cut for the glitzy world of film. This “Hollywood smile” described straight, long, proportionate teeth that are bright white. Naturally, aspiring actors yearned for this beautiful smile to meet the aesthetic demands of the film industry.
Very few are born with a perfect smile and thus Hollywood needed to provide a solution that came in the form of the brainchild of Max Factor and Charles L. Pincus – the first dental veneers.
In 1928 Max Factor, who had invented Hollywood glamour with his makeup, invited cosmetic dentist Charles L. Pincus to correct what his makeup could not. Pincus invented temporary prosthetics that could be stuck temporarily to the teeth using denture powder.
These dental fittings soon gained popularity by the public and their design was tweaked and improved as time marched on. In 1959, Dr Michael Buonocore experimented with bonding porcelain veneers to etched enamel – this was a big part of developing the aesthetic side of veneers, ensuring that they did not protrude over the patient’s existing teeth.
Dental veneers have come a long way. In the early years, you were lucky if dental veneers lasted a single movie shoot, whereas today, they are made to last over a decade!
The development of dental veneers
These dental fittings soon gained popularity by the public and their design was tweaked and improved as time marched on. In 1959, Dr Michael Buonocore experimented with bonding porcelain veneers to etched enamel – this was a big part of developing the aesthetic side of veneers, ensuring that they did not protrude over the patient’s existing teeth.
Dental veneers have come a long way. In the early years, you were lucky if dental veneers lasted a single movie shoot, whereas today, they are made to last over a decade!
In today’s times, you do not have to be a Hollywood star to smile like one!
If you would like to learn more about how dental veneers can help you, or to request an appointment, please contact us today.