Snap-on veneers have been making waves for several years. And it is pretty easy to understand why. They cover a wide variety of imperfections, restore a small amount of function where teeth have been lost, and do it all for less than the cost of a single porcelain veneer.
The one issue with most snap-on veneer products? They are administered remotely from start to finish. You even take your own dental impressions — and that isn’t always a simple task.
Snap-On Smile takes everything people love about these veneers and combines it with direct doctor supervision. The result? A reliable and highly customizable way to cover up your smile.
Table of Contents
Snap-On Smile at a Glance
For decades, dentists have worked to find ways to make cosmetic treatments more affordable for patients. In most cases, this has resulted in cheaper versions of existing procedures. For example, composite veneers instead of porcelain. It saves money, but it doesn’t last as long. On top of this, these solutions usually only address a single concern.
But many people have multiple cosmetic concerns they need to address in order to reclaim their confidence while still working with a tight budget. This is why Dr. Marc Liechtung developed Snap-On Smile.
With just one product, dental patients can mask a wide variety of cosmetic concerns, including:
- Slightly crooked teeth
- Gaps between teeth
- Missing teeth
- Stained teeth
- Irregularities in the enamel
- Chipped teeth
- Small teeth
- Teeth with silver caps and fillings
The downside is that Snap-On Smile only hides problems; it doesn’t make any actual corrections. However, for many people, this is all they need. Whether or not this is an issue depends on your unique needs and goals.
How Does Snap-On Smile Work?
With mail-order snap-on veneers, most customers get the same experience — more or less, at least. But with Snap-On Smile, your experience is unique. This is because it’s administered by individual doctors and tailored to your needs.
The process starts with finding a dentist near you offering this treatment. While the official Snap-On Smile website has a “Find a Dentist” tab, at the time of writing, it was not functional. So, we’d suggest you first ask your regular dentist if they offer it, and if they don’t, head to Google. Type in “Snap-On Smile near me” and you should get results for dentists in your area who mention Snap-On Smile on their websites.
Once you select a doctor, you just schedule your initial consultation. At this appointment, your doctor will complete a full exam of your teeth to ensure there are no underlying conditions that need to be treated before using Snap-On Smile. If there are, you will need to complete treatment before getting your veneers.
Assuming all is well, the doctor will complete a smile design consultation, which is essentially a discussion about the aspects of your teeth that bother you and how you’d like to see them changed. Aspects covered here include hiding gaps or crowding, covering missing teeth, lengthening stubby teeth, and more. You’ll also select the ideal shade for your smile.
Once you’ve planned the look of your veneers, you’ll have your impressions taken. These can be physical or digital. Most patients prefer digital due to comfort, but either will result in quality veneers. The doctor will also complete a bite impression, which helps the dental lab understand how the teeth come together — a step that at-home veneers do not take. As soon as these are finished, your appointment will wrap up and you’ll be on your way.
The doctor sends the impressions to DenMat, the dental laboratory company that makes Snap-On Smile. They then use them to create the veneers, and once ready, ship them back to your doctor. They will then contact you to schedule your second appointment, which should also be your last.
At this appointment, you will try on your veneers and see how you feel about the way they look. You will also complete a bite test to ensure the teeth come together properly, allowing you to close your mouth, speak, and chew. If there are minor fit issues, the doctor can make some adjustments. They can also shave down the veneers on the backside to help prevent lisping and alter the ridge along the gum line if needed.
If there are significant issues with your veneers, they will be sent back to DenMat and corrected or remade. However, most patients are able to take theirs home after this appointment. And that’s it! From then on, you wear them when you wish and follow their care instructions to enjoy an attractive smile.
Pros and Cons of Snap-On Smile
Snap-On Smile is the only major prescription-only snap-on veneer company in the United States. It is known for being high quality and its ability to hide a wide variety of cosmetic dental concerns. However, it isn’t perfect. Just like other companies, it has its upsides and its downsides. Here are the ones that stood out most to us.
Pros
- You get direct supervision and in-person customization, making it more likely that you will love your new smile.
- DenMat is a highly experienced dental laboratory known for making incredible products, such as Lumineers.
- They can make their veneers in partials, so you only cover some of the teeth.
Cons
- Snap-On Smile tends to be more expensive than other snap-on veneer companies.
- It might be a little difficult to find a doctor near you who offers it.
Which Wins Out: The Pros or the Cons?
The right cosmetic dental solution for you comes down to many different factors. However, if you want an affordable alternative to multiple cosmetic procedures that is doctor-directed, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option than Snap-On Smile.
Quality
Whenever you make a major purchase, you want to feel assured that you’re getting a quality product that is worth parting with your money for. This is doubly true when it is an appliance you wear in your mouth. So what kind of quality does Snap-On Smile offer?
Materials
The material used in snap-on veneers makes or breaks the product — sometimes quite literally. You need your veneers to stand up to frequent use and biting pressure, so it cannot be weak. Snap-On Smile uses a proprietary high-tech dental resin that is thin enough to be unobtrusive while still maintaining excellent strength.
Durability
Not all snap-on veneers are designed to offer excellent durability. In fact, many companies offer two models, with one only being durable enough for occasional wear. Snap-On Smile does not do this. They have one model, and it is meant to be worn as little or as much as you’d like. According to the company, even with daily wear, Snap-On Smile veneers should last several years if they are cared for correctly.
Comfort
All oral appliances feel a bit strange when first worn. However, this is typically minimal with Snap-On Smile. Because your dentist will be trained in how to customize the veneers, they will be able to trim and file down parts of the veneers to minimize discomfort and even eliminate the presence of a lisp.
Slippage
It’s something most of us have seen happen with dentures — the dreaded slippage. And unfortunately, it can happen with snap-on veneers too. But how likely is it with Snap-On Smile?
Not very. Because your doctor will check the fit before you take your veneers home, if they are loose enough to slip, they will be sent back rather than sent home with you. Over time, they could loosen up with a lot of wear, but it is still unlikely that they will reach the point of slippage.
Affordability
The major appeal of snap-on veneers is their price when compared to traditional cosmetic dentistry. With a single traditional porcelain veneer costing as much as $2,500, being able to transform all your teeth for about the same price or less is very appealing. However, when compared to most remote snap-on veneers, Snap-On Smile is pretty pricey.
Sticker Price
Because it is a doctor-administered product, there is no set price for Snap-On Smile. While DenMat may charge your doctor set prices based on the number of arches and features, your doctor will add in their own fees. However, your dentist should make it clear what your final price will be before you order your product.
In most cases, a single arch with Snap-On Smile will cost at least $1,000 though it can be as high as $3,500. This means a full smile makeover might cost as much as $7,000.
Financing
Snap-On Smile as a company does not have any financing options. However, your provider might. Many dental offices work with financing companies or offer their own payment plans to their patients. If this is a major concern for you, be sure to screen practices based on their financing.
Insurance Coverage
Most dental insurance policies either exclude cosmetic treatments from coverage or only cover a very small portion of them. It is possible that you could get partial coverage for Snap-On Smile. Bring your insurance information with you to your consultation so the billing department can investigate this for you. And whether or not your insurance provider will help, you should be able to apply a limited amount of your HSA funds to Snap-On Smile.
Convenience
You are an adult on a tight schedule. You don’t want a product that is going to require a major time commitment to use. Unfortunately, with Snap-On Smile, you will need to invest more time at the start than you would with mail-order options. However, once you have your veneers, it all evens out.
The Start-Up Process
With Snap-On Smile, you have to start out your journey with two office visits spaced a few weeks to a month apart (depending on how quickly your veneers are made and shipped to your doctor). This means setting aside a few hours just to get going with your veneers. When compared to at-home options, this is more of a time investment and requires more from your schedule.
Shipping and Production Turnaround
Snap-On Smile states that they have a 10-day in-lab working time for their veneers. All their veneers are made in California. Most people will receive their veneers 15-30 days after getting their impressions taken. Factors that can impact how fast your turnaround is include how quickly your doctor sends in the impressions and how fast shipping is in your area.
Daily Wear Experience
Once you have your Snap-On Smile veneers, things get pretty easy. You need to clean them at least twice a day but should clean them and your teeth after every meal as well. While these veneers are designed for eating in, sticky and chewy foods need to be avoided. You also cannot have hot beverages with them in since they can warp the plastic.
Removal is pretty easy once you learn how to disengage the veneers on the molars. You might feel a little pain at first, but this is just due to the pressure of the appliance on the teeth and will go away in time. However, given these are temporary concerns, they don’t make a mark on Snap-On Smile’s convenience.
Appearance
The whole reason to get snap-on veneers is to improve your smile and overall look. So, the appearance of your veneers is paramount. Snap-On Smile certainly avoids the curse of Halloween teeth. But how do their veneers really look?
Materials
The resin used by Snap-On Smile is thin. In fact, it is as little as .5mm thick. This means that it does not enlarge the teeth by much — unless you are looking to lengthen the appearance of your teeth. As a result, it avoids the “horse teeth” look a lot of people fear when getting any type of veneer.
Colors
Most snap-on veneer companies have anywhere from 1-4 shades to choose from. This is where Snap-On Smile blows the competition out of the water. If you go with them for your veneers, you’ll have 13 different shades to choose from, with some dentists claiming that, due to their relationship with DenMat, they can get access to even more.
Natural Appearance
More so than with other veneer companies, Snap-On Smile consistently offers veneers that are quite natural in appearance. The company works to mimic the texture of natural teeth in their products, meaning they aren’t perfectly smooth and shiny. While they cannot perfectly match the natural visual definition between teeth, they do get close. Plus, your doctor can even enhance this with their customization tools.
Missing Teeth
One of the most appealing aspects of snap-on veneers is that they can cover missing teeth without forcing you to use dentures or invest in expensive implants. With Snap-On Smile, your dentist can order the veneers so they come with a false tooth shell in the empty spots. This ensures that the color remains uniform no matter how the light hits your veneers.
Customer Satisfaction
Everything above plays into how you will feel about your experience with Snap-On Smile. However, there are less glamorous aspects that don’t play into your day-to-day wear that are still very important. Here’s what you need to look at in terms of Snap-On Smile’s customer satisfaction.
Guarantees
Snap-On Smile does not offer any guarantees to patients. Their contracts are with individual dentists. It is possible that your provider will offer additional guarantees and warranties on top of this. If you are uncertain what your dentist offers, take the time to ask them during the initial consultation.
Refund Policy
There is no explicit refund policy offered by Snap-On Smile, and any that they might have would be between them and your doctor. Your provider should have their own refund policy that applies to you. Most dental practices won’t offer a refund on Snap-On Smile.
Customer Education
Because Snap-On Smile is not a customer-facing company, they don’t have much in the way of educational resources for patients. DenMat does have a Snap-On Smile playlist on their YouTube channel, and this has some information, but it is geared more towards catching the attention of doctors rather than that of their patients.
However, that doesn’t mean you cannot learn a lot about the system from individual providers. For example, Dr. Terri Alani, known as The Texas Tooth Lady, has a lot of Snap-On Smile content on her YouTube channel. So, if you are looking to learn more about the system, check out providers rather than the company itself.
Customer Service Responsiveness
When you need help with your Snap-On Smile veneers, you won’t go to the company; you’ll turn to your provider. This means that customer service responsiveness is not the same across the board. In general, count on a pretty fast response during office hours. However, in the evenings and on the weekends, it will likely be harder to get an answer.
Snap-On Smile vs. Other Snap-On Veneers
Snap-On Smile is an excellent company that has established itself as the top choice for removable veneers administered in person. However, you aren’t lacking choices with snap-on veneers. Below are the mail-order snap-on veneer companies that might make for a good alternative to Snap-On Smile.
Shiny Smile
If you want a popular and well-reviewed remote option, it’s hard to beat Shiny Smile. There are lots of independent reviews from real-life customers, and the vast majority of them are thrilled with their veneers. On top of this, their price tag is low and their veneers are durable.
We tried Shiny Smile for ourselves, and their veneers were an excellent match for our real teeth. They fit snugly and, despite some little initial tightness, felt fairly comfortable.
For more details, check out our Shiny Smile review.
Removable Veneers USA
Snap-on veneers don’t last forever, so if you want to wear them long-term, you’ll need to consider the replacement costs — and Removable Veneers USA helps you keep them to a minimum. They say their Superior Veneers can last up to ten years, so even though they cost more than other remote veneer companies initially, you might save money over time.
We ordered veneers from Removable Veneers USA and found them highly realistic looking. Despite their relatively high prices, we think their products are reliable and of high quality, and their customer service representatives are prompt and helpful.
For more details, check out our Removable Veneers USA review.
TruSmile
Mail-order snap-on veneers are already much more affordable than traditional cosmetic dentistry, but TruSmile goes above and beyond to deliver some of the most budget-friendly options on the market. However, like Shiny Smile, TruSmile only has one model to choose from.
In our personal experience, TruSmile delivers quality products, especially for the price. We found their veneers slightly less comfortable and realistic than some of their competitors, but they still did a good job mimicking our real teeth.
For more details, check out our TruSmile review.
Alternatives to Snap-On Veneers
Right now, you know a lot about Snap-On Smile and quite a bit about some of its remote alternatives. But what about other in-office treatments?
While it is pretty much the only in-office removable veneer option, Snap-On Smile does have competition from other forms of cosmetic dentistry. Here’s a quick rundown of the most notable options.
Traditional Veneers
- What They Do: Cover the front of the teeth, concealing problems such as misshapen, cracked, or chipped teeth.
- Benefits: They can last more than a decade and look very natural.
- Drawbacks: They cost a significant amount of money, especially if you need to cover multiple teeth.
Dentures
- What They Do: Replace teeth that are missing due to decay, injury, or genetics.
- Benefits: They replace the look and some function of missing teeth.
- Drawbacks: They tend to slip out of place too easily.
Dental Implants
- What They Do: Replace teeth that are missing due to decay, injury, or genetics.
- Benefits: They fully replace the appearance and function of missing teeth.
- Drawbacks: They are expensive and require months of recovery.
Dental Bonding
- What It Does: Covers the teeth with resin, hiding imperfections and strengthening the teeth.
- Benefits: It is an affordable way to mask imperfections like discoloration and chips in the teeth.
- Drawbacks: It is weaker than traditional veneers and requires more frequent replacement.
Whitening Kits
- What They Do: Open the pores of the teeth so whitening agents can penetrate them, lifting out set-in stains.
- Benefits: They can lighten your teeth multiple shades and most kits are available without a prescription.
- Drawbacks: You need to redo your whitening treatments every 6 months to 2 years.
Final Thoughts
Snap-On Smile offers a way to hide those features of your teeth that bother you, boosting your confidence and helping you dress for success. So long as you understand that they do not correct problems, only mask them, you should be happy with the results they deliver. Just know that you have other options, including at-home snap-on veneers and traditional cosmetic dentistry.
In the end, the option you choose should come down to what is the best fit for your smile, budget, and expectations. Only you can know which is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do snap-on veneers look real?
There is no one answer to this. What looks natural to one person might look odd to another. Additionally, every company is different, and some have multiple models of veneers. Before you buy, research the appearance of the company and model you are considering.
Is it possible to eat and drink with snap-on veneers in?
Yes, though not with all models. Some are only meant for drinking in, not eating with. Read the product information carefully prior to placing an order.
Are snap-on veneers expensive?
Their appeal centers on the fact that they are more affordable than traditional cosmetic dentistry. However, they can still feel like a significant expense to most people. With the cheapest being $299 for a single arch and Snap-On Smile running as high as $3,500 for the same, you won’t be spending pocket change to get them.
Will I be comfortable while wearing snap-on veneers?
If you wear them daily, you will acclimate to their presence. If not, they might feel strange each time you wear them. They are a foreign object on your teeth, after all.
Can I alter my alignment with snap-on veneers?
No. They can hide alignment issues but they will not move your teeth into better alignment. If yours are tight enough to cause tooth shifts, you need to get the veneers remade.
Will I have a lisp with my snap-on veneers?
Most people do for a few days. However, this is not a given. Just know that if you only wear yours on occasion, your lisp could return with each wearing.
What can I do to make my snap-on veneers last longer?
We suggest the following:
- Remove them when eating whenever possible.
- If eating with them in, stick to softer foods.
- Avoid hot beverages.
- Always place them in the case when not wearing them.
- Brush them gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- Do not use abrasive cleaning agents on them.
What is the typical lifespan of snap-on veneers?
Somewhere in the range of 1-2 years.
Are there other in-office snap-on veneers besides Snap-On Smile?
While we aren’t aware of one, there likely is at least a small producer that offers Snap-On Smile some competition. However, it is the most widely available doctor-direct snap-on veneer option.
Join The Discussion: