The treatment
Clip-on veneers from instasmile.
What you need to know
You can ‘clip on’ a smile?
Apparently so…
Think of it like a more aesthetic version of those fangs you can get for Halloween.
Made bespoke to your individual measurements, instasmile claims their clip-on veneers are comfortable and can be worn all day, every day, including when you’re eating, drinking, and snogging.
As an alternative to permanent dental treatments, like veneers, it promises to disguise a variety of teeth-related insecurities, like discolouration, misalignment, and missing teeth.
Reviewer
Jason Arthur
My teeth history
Since the dawn of time, I’ve been conscious of my teeth. I’m the classic tale where I got braces in my teens and didn’t keep up with my retainer usage – to put it bluntly, my teeth are all over the place.
And don’t get me started on the coffee stains.
What’s the goal?
I have raging dental anxiety and can’t bear the thought of forking out all that cash on a procedure that might not actually look that great.
With a clip-on veneer, I’m hoping for a straighter, whiter smile I can wear all the time, or just when I want my teeth to look extra pearly.
I don’t necessarily want anything too dramatic, just a natural-looking smile I can afford.
Will instasmile’s clip-on veneers pass the test?
Getting started
Before anything you have to complete a short smile assessment.
It’s pretty quick to do and asks you about the condition of your teeth – if you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment or have any loose teeth, you won’t be deemed suitable for clip-on veneers.
I opted for top and bottom veneers, because…why not? Go hard, or go home, right?
You then let them know if you have any missing teeth, before choosing the clip-on veneer type and shade.
I really like that there are four shades available – Hollywood White, Pure Natural White, Light Ivory, or Medium Ivory – as I was a bit scared they’ll only have glow-in-the-dark Turkey teeth available.
For a subtle colour boost, I went for Pure Natural White in the instasmile classic style.
Then I went through to checkout!
I had an email not long after telling me I’d been approved for clip-on veneers and my impression kit was on the way.
Is at-home better than visiting a dentist?
As I’ve mentioned, I can’t stand going to the dentist. But, instasmile send an impression kit right to your door – perfect for people like me.
It’s pretty easy to do and means you don’t have to approach the dreaded dentist’s chair. After you’ve made the impression, you send a picture to instasmile and they’ll let you know if you’ve done it right. Then, once you’ve got the go-ahead, you can send it back to the team.
They then use digital scanners to create your new smile, hand-finishing the result to make sure it’s perfect.
The first day
Don’t get me wrong, I was apprehensive at first. But I didn’t know what to expect.
In just 10 days my new and improved smile was in my hands.
Initial thoughts?
Much comfier than I thought they’d be. They don’t dig into my gums or make me want to gag. A win in my opinion.
It took a few hours to get used to I won’t lie, but I kind of expected this. Eating felt a bit weird too, but nothing moved out of place like I thought it would.
I wore them from 11am-8pm and forgot I even had them in at one point.
My first week with clip-in veneers
After one full week of wearing clip-on veneers full time, I really got used to life with a new smile.
I had a few comments asking if I’d had them whitened, and when I showed them the veneer, they were shocked they weren’t my natural teeth.
I found eating really tough and crunchy foods pretty difficult, but this is highlighted on the website, so it didn’t bother me too much.
Cleaning them was easy too. All I needed to do was brush over them at the end of the day and disinfect them with a denture tablet twice a week and I was all set.
What’s the verdict?
Honestly… no complaints.
I always viewed dental enhancements as permanent option that people with tighter wallets can’t access, but this alternative makes a straight white smile accessible to a wider audience.
Shade wise, I think I made the right choice – no Turkey teeth for me.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
