I was scared out of my mind, Chanel, whos in her late 20s, tells SELF.
I was like, What the heck is going on?
I just spent all this money, andcrap, I grind my teeth.
Getty Images/Amanda K Bailey
At that point, it was too late to turn back.
She has a good relationship with her dentist.
Like clockwork, I would wake up and my tooth would be chipped.
When applied and taken care of properly, veneers can last for more than a decade.
But are these augmented smiles too good to be true?
It depends on who you trust with your mouth.
When did fake teeth become so trendy?
Rumorhas it,Taylor Swiftmight have them.
So I was like, Fuck this.
Im just gonna get my teeth done.
And why stop at two or four teeth?
Im just gonna get themalldone.
Oh, rightveneers tend to be pricey.
Meanwhile, Dr. Davis charges $20,000 for a set of ten veneers, or a full smile.
But the possible alternatives are even less pretty than dropping a downpayments worth of dough on dental work.
According to the agency, traveling abroad for a cosmetic procedure can compound initial costs.
Search the term Turkey teeth on TikTok for a taste of whats at stake here.
Veneers can come with major health risks.
But according to Dr. Davis, its all too easy for things to go too far.
There are really good aesthetic dentists who attempt to prep the teeth minimally, he says.
He adds that social media has raised awareness of how extreme that preparation process can be.
Another issue to be aware of?Veneer breath.
Chipped teeth aside, Chanel says she hasnt had any other major medical issues with her veneers.
I wish that I would have understood the eating aspect of it, she says.
Just like, not really being able to bite directly into things like apples, or other crunchy foods.
I love crunchy tacos.
Theyre dead to me nowI can only eat them, or I should only eat them from the side.
Her teeth are super sensitive to cold now, too, which she didnt anticipate.
You might never look likeyouagain, which can lead to a lot of regret.
(SELF reached out to Wilkey for comment and did not receive a response.)
Its unfortunate that thats the case.
But it seems to happen, right?
People just have this different perception.
Oftentimes, these arent patients with unhealthy teeth, Dr. Davis says.
They come in and theyre just sad.
We hear it all the time: I actually preferred my smile before.
Bottom line: You have one (precious) set of teeth.
BBLsand other surgical procedures are an apt comparison to veneers, up to a point.
Dont assume this is a reversible procedure, Dr. Patel says.
How long have they been doing this?
How often do they do this?
What do their results look like, and do they have consistent results?
Despite the cost and side effects, I probably still would have gotten my teeth done, Chanel says.
