Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are used by cosmetic dentists in for many reasons. They originally were developed as a cosmetic dental treatment to change the shape or color of teeth and also to close spaces and align the teeth to appear straighter. They are also used as a restorative material to preserve tooth structure. When we look at restoration of a persons teeth we consider what would be the most conservative restoration possible.

Cosmetic porcelain veneers are very thin porcelain "shells" that are bonded to the teeth, the bond of the porcelain to the enamel is the second strongest bond there is in dentistry, the veneer nearly becomes part of the tooth it is bonded to. They can be made to be very very thin, almost like a contact lens or larger to restore a broken or part of a tooth. They can also be made of all types of porcelain but most importantly they can be used for very conservative treatment and can be just beautiful. 

For a veneer to be most successful all of it's edges must be bonded to enamel. A veneer partially covers a tooth and relies primarily on the bond to hold it in while crowns cover the whole tooth. 

There are numerous types of veneers that are fabricated many different ways and are indicated for numerous different uses. We primarily use four different types of materials depending upon conditions and the goals of the patient. 

Because veneers are bonded to enamel, a well-done and exquisitely prepared veneer can improve the health of surrounding tissue as opposed to a crown. Once again, the final appearance of your veneers relies not only on the technical skill of your Cosmetic Dentist and his laboratory technician, but also on their artistic eye and natural abilities for the esthetic.

Without first visiting with you, we do not know which type of veneer or how many veneers you may need, but we do know that if you want to smile with confidence without covering your teeth in pictures and when you speak, ours is the right office for you. 

We take our time because your appearance and the exceptional naturally beautiful esthetics of your porcelain veneers is as important to us as it is to you. We take the time to develop the style of your smile including the golden proportion balance and symmetry as it relates to your lips, gums and face. This golden proportion creates what you desire in your smile and meets all of your requirements for beauty. 

We will review with you all the things about your smile including tooth length, width, size, color, translucency, texture, shape, and form. We will listen to you and work to be sure you know all of your options before we ever start. The most important thing to us is that we have a connection and are giving you exactly what you came in for. Your best interest is our best interest!

First a diagnosis and then models and photographs of your teeth are taken. A significant amount of time is spent discussing your goals and how many veneers it might take to achieve them. You and the doctor will "design" your veneers on paper and then the lab techs will make them in wax on models made of your teeth. Those models will be evaluated by you and the doctor privately and modifications made to achieve the appearance you desire and communicate to the doctor. Once you come in for treatment you will leave with temporary veneers made from this wax model which are prototypes of your future permanent veneers.