watch: we cringe our way through the fake #veneer trend on tiktok

in a video that could make viewers with even the strongest stomach cringe, a young woman smiles in a dental chair, showing off teeth that have been filed down to stubs. after a quick transition, her smile reveals a set of perfectly straight, pearly whites.

in the continued quest for that perfect smile , some tiktokers are signing up for what they say are cheap veneers, but dentists warn these videos are actually showing a much more invasive preparation usually used for crowns.

veneers are a thin shell, made out of porcelain or resin, that give the appearance of a white, perfectly shaped tooth. placement of veneers does require a dental professional to shave off a thin layer of the tooth enamel, according to the canadian dental association, however, the procedure should not risk the structure of the tooth itself — the opposite of what we’re seeing in some tiktok videos.

for huzefa kapadia , dds, a dentist in michigan, putting crowns on an otherwise healthy smile is a tragedy, as the procedure causes irreparable damage to the tooth, and could lead to the complete loss of at least some of the teeth in the future.

a dental crown is used to cover and protect a damaged or decayed tooth. the hollow cap typically covers the entire tooth — front and back — and requires a significant amount of the tooth to be filed down to make enough room. crowns need to be replaced throughout the wearer’s lifetime, only lasting approximately 10 to 15 years. for a 20-year-old, that likely means the entire procedure will have to be re-done multiple times.

depending on how much of the tooth is shaved off for the crown placement, the nerve inside the tooth may become compromised, increasing the risk of complications down the road such as infection and the need for a root canal. teeth with crowns are also not immune to cavities, which can be concerning given how little protective enamel is left on the tooth.

the cost of a smile

in canada, veneers don’t come cheap. depending on the dentist, the state of the tooth getting the veneer, and the material chosen for the veneer itself you could be looking at $250 to $1,800 per tooth .

the cost of a crown can range from $900-$1500 per tooth , according to colgate, meaning replacing a full smile can cost tens of thousands of dollars. this also doesn’t account for any potential dental emergencies that may pop up from complications of such an invasive procedure. root canals cost roughly $1,000, based on a quick google search, and in a worst-case scenario, the process of replacing a tooth can come with a price tag of around $900 to $6,000.