Hundreds of Americans use veneer technicians to get the smile of their dreams – only to be left with rotten teeth and a hefty dental bill.
For veneers, dentists must clean and file the teeth before attaching pearly white caps to the front—at a cost of up to $4,000 per tooth or $40,000 per smile.
The high price makes them out of reach for most.
But now a group of “technicians” have emerged offering to install 20 veneers for as little as $1,500, often operating in the back of salons and with nothing more than a certificate and three days of training to their name.
The result? Many patients have seen their veneers fall off days later, while others have suffered from swollen mouths and are at risk of getting bacteria behind their veneer – which can lead to tooth decay.
Shown above are two patients who had a problem with the veneer. One person had their teeth rotted after getting veneers while another had a veneer come off just before graduation. It was unclear whether either had visited illegal technical veneer
“Veneer technicians” have sprung up in the US and offer veneer placement for a fraction of the cost of a dentist. They include the above who goes by the name theluckysevennn online
It is illegal for anyone without a license from their state to practice dentistry, including placing veneers.
The license can only be obtained after attending dental school — which lasts at least four years — and then passing several exams to earn a degree.
But veneers technicians operate on people’s mouths with nothing more than a certificate after attending schools in Atlanta, Georgia, often for as little as a week. The schools include the Academy of Dental Veneers run by Colombian businessman Mauricio Soto.
Among the so-called veneer techniques is a person calling himself theluckysevennn who boasts online that he received a certificate after being trained by ‘Seven Figure Smiles’.
The second, named Tyreka Taylor — also known as Princess Kutz — and a salon operator, got certified after only a week and a half of training before going on a “tour” of cities hitting the US, including Austin and Biloxi, Mississippi.
Dr. Huzefa Kapadia, a dentist in Michigan who has made several videos warning people to avoid veneer technicians, said In connection: “These are complex aspects, extremely sensitive to technique. Check out this accuracy!
“Only a certified dentist can do that, believe it or not.
He added: “I know you like to go to illegal veneer technicians that are popping up all over the US and in everyone’s basement. But this is illegal, you should not see an illegal veneer technology.
Among those who visited an illegal technical veneer was 36-year-old Tyrisha Ragin from Texas.
said Mrs. Ragin The cut had to pay $1,500 through a cash app to get 20 veneers from Princess Kutz, well below the $80,000 cost from a dentist.
He had them in for two days before one fell out, and then had to have the rest quickly removed by a dentist — which cost another $1,300.
These women also posted online saying that their veneers fell off unexpectedly
In another case, shown here, the teeth have also started to rot under the veneers – likely leading to further complications. It was unclear whether the above patients had used veneer technology
Princess Kutz later returned the money, but Ms Ragin’s dentist said she had a lucky escape – saying the veneers could lead to permanent damage to her teeth if something got caught under them.
Several people have also posted online complaining of rotten teeth after veneers, where bacteria have eaten away at the enamel beneath the pearly white surface.
In one case, a patient also posted a picture saying his teeth had rotted and turned into stumps after spending $50,000 on veneers over the years.
In another case, a woman revealed that a veneer technician – dubbed the “Veneer Fairy” – left her with a swollen and sore mouth after placing veneers.
On the internet, many veneer technicians now have comments on their posts warning that it is not legal to offer veneers.
On theluckysevennn’s main post, one user commented: “Can we see the degree and what school you graduated from since you’re obviously a dentist right?”
And a second said: “The fact that you even picked it up and are trying to go to jail for it is crazy.”
And for Princess Kutz, several videos have surfaced online saying that she would also have to “fumble” to deliver the cures.
Veneers have become more popular in recent years amid a drive to achieve a pearly white smile – with nearly 600,000 people getting them every year.
That’s partly because celebrities have gotten them or are rumored to have gotten them, including Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and Taylor Swift.
Crowns are usually made of porcelain or resin and can last 10 to 15 years — according to some sources.
Another procedure that has become more popular is crowns, where the teeth are actually filed down before a new tooth is placed on top.
This has become more popular in locations such as Turkey.
