Are noprep, non-prep and prepless veneers the same as no-prep veneers?

Yes. Noprep, non-prep, no-prep and prepless all describe the same thing: veneers bonded over your natural teeth with little to no enamel removed.

Are no-prep veneers reversible?

Often, depending on the material and your bite. True no-prep veneers can frequently be removed with your natural teeth still underneath. Minimal-prep veneers are not fully reversible.

How much do no-prep veneers cost?

At George Carr DDS & Associates (Live to Smile) in Tempe, Arizona, composite bonding is $450 per tooth, composite/porcelain hybrids $650 to $900, porcelain e.max or LiSi $900 to $1,500, and feldspathic $1,200 to $1,700. Opening vertical dimension is $2,000 per tooth.

What is a dental mockup, wax-up, test drive or the moment?

They are mostly different names for previewing your new smile before it is permanent. A wax-up is the design built in wax on a model. A mockup or test drive transfers that design temporarily onto your actual teeth. The moment is another way of saying the try-in of that mockup, a snap-on version we can easily put in and take out.

SmileShape is a package at George Carr DDS & Associates in Tempe, Arizona that combines in-office bleaching, gum lift and enamel recontouring across the front 6 to 10 upper teeth, with no veneers bonded on. It runs $1,500 to $2,000 depending on the complexity of the case.

What are LiSi veneers?

LiSi is a pressed ceramic very similar to e.max, with the same strength and light behavior.

Do no-prep veneers cover the whole front of the tooth, like traditional veneers?

Sometimes yes, sometimes not quite, depending on the shape of your tooth. On some teeth a small area near the gumline between the teeth stays uncovered. Most people never notice it, and it is typically a small trade for keeping your own enamel. Traditional veneers typically cover the entire front of the tooth, but only because the tooth was significantly modified all the way around the front first.

Do I floss the same way with veneers?

Same or close to it. A veneer adds surface area to keep clean, so good habits matter a little more. A sonic toothbrush such as a Sonicare, regular flossing and a water flosser could help your teeth and your veneers last a very long time.

How long do no-prep veneers last?

Porcelain options commonly last a decade or longer with good care. Composite bonding has a shorter lifespan but is easier and less expensive to repair or replace.

Can Your Antidepressant Make You Grind Your Teeth?

georgecarrdds

Sep 2

3 min read

Let me start with the sentence that matters most, because I do not want it buried at the bottom:

Do not stop or change an antidepressant on your own. Not after reading this. Not after reading anything.

Good. Now we can talk.

The thing a lot of patients do not know

Certain medications, including some SSRI and SNRI antidepressants, have been associated with increased clenching or grinding in some people.

Sertraline is one example reported in the dental and medical literature. It is not the only one.

This is not fringe. It shows up in the literature, and it comes up in dental offices more than you would guess — usually by accident, when a patient mentions in passing that the grinding started "sometime last spring," and last spring happens to be when their prescription changed.

What this does NOT mean

It does not mean everyone taking sertraline or another antidepressant will develop bruxism. Most people will not.

It does not mean these medications are bad. For a lot of people they are genuinely life-changing, and untreated depression and anxiety carry consequences that dwarf a worn molar.

It does not mean you should white-knuckle it and stop taking something that is helping you.

I want to be extremely clear about that, because health articles have a talent for making people do impulsive things.

What it does mean

Timing is information.

If your clenching or grinding started — or noticeably worsened — after beginning a medication or after a dose change, that timing is worth mentioning. To both your dentist and the healthcare professional who prescribed it.

Not as an accusation. As a data point.

Prescribers generally want to know about side effects. It is difficult for them to weigh something they were never told about.

Why saying something actually helps

Sometimes simply recognizing a possible connection changes what your healthcare team considers next.

There may be options. There may not be — sometimes the medication is clearly worth it and the answer is to protect the teeth and move on. That is a legitimate outcome too.

But that decision belongs to you and your prescriber, made with complete information. Not to you alone at 11 p.m. with a search bar.

Meanwhile, protect the teeth

Whatever the cause turns out to be, grinding does the same thing to enamel. If you are grinding, the protection conversation is worth having in parallel — not instead of talking to your prescriber, but alongside it.

Common Questions

Can antidepressants cause teeth grinding?

Some SSRI and SNRI medications have been associated with increased clenching or grinding in some people. Sertraline is one example reported in the literature. Most people taking these medications do not develop bruxism.

Should I stop my antidepressant if I think it is causing grinding?

No. Never stop or adjust an antidepressant on your own. Bring it to your prescriber, who can weigh the full picture with you.

How do I know if my medication is the cause?

You often cannot know for certain, but timing is a useful clue. If grinding began or worsened after starting a medication or changing a dose, mention that to both your dentist and prescriber.

More in this series

In Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, or the Phoenix area? If you are grinding and not sure why, we can look at the wear patterns and help you figure out what to bring to your physician. George Carr DDS & Associates PLLC — 2072 E Southern Ave, Suite A103, Tempe, AZ 85282 · LiveToSmile.com

George Carr, DDS · Licensed in Arizona

This article is for general educational purposes only and is written for adults 18 and over. It consists of generalizations, and although it may appear to fit your situation, your situation could be different. Nothing here is medical advice about any specific medication, and I am not your prescribing clinician. Never start, stop, or change a prescription without talking to the healthcare professional who prescribed it. This is not a substitute for professional medical or dental advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you think you may have a dental emergency, call your dentist or dial 911.