Dental veneers are a relatively new invention when viewed in the entire timeline of dental care history. The earliest forms of cosmetic dentistry appear in 700 BCE in the form of dentures made of ivory and bone. Created by the Etruscans, they evolved in 200 CE to use gold to create what we would consider dental crowns and dental bridges.
Dental veneers were created in the 1930s by a dentist in California named Charles Pincus. During this golden age of Hollywood, ordinary men and women rose to super-stardom and were groomed to look glamorous and polished from head to toe. Unfortunately, these same stars had chipped, rotting, crooked or missing teeth, spoiling their perfect facades.
Dr. Pincus invented the idea of dental veneers, and created a thin piece of tooth-shaped and curved porcelain that he then glued onto the surface of the actor’s natural teeth, creating the illusion of straight, very white, healthy teeth. This is the origin of the famed “Hollywood Smile.”
These early dental veneers weren’t durable and were generally glued on with denture adhesive or other bonding agents that didn’t bond well with the actor’s natural teeth. In general, the desire was for the veneers to stay attached for the duration of completing one film, and then they would need to be reapplied. However, it became clear to Dr. Pincus and to dentists everywhere that there was a demand for veneers that lasted longer and were more functional.
Porcelain quickly rose to the top of preferred materials that had superior appearance and durability, but bonding and longevity remained the greatest issues facing dental veneer pioneers. In the early 1980s, it was discovered that porcelain veneers etched with hydrofluoric acid would roughen the porcelain enough to allow permanent (or long-term) placement of the veneers on the natural tooth. Improvements in bonding materials allow an expectation of ten to thirty years of wear for dental veneers.
With the ongoing popularity of dental veneers, it is reasonable to expect continued advancements in technology, design and materials. Talk to your cosmetic dentist in Newport Beach today to see what dental veneers can do for you!
