3 beautiful upgrades to your smile

Do you have chips or cracks in your teeth? Are you bothered by gaps or minor misalignment but want to forego expensive, and time consuming, orthodontic treatment? Now, people can pursue more elegant cosmetic options, including porcelain veneers, straightening, or professional teeth whitening. These are some of the most trusted and popular cosmetic dentistry procedures, and now dentistry can radically change someone’s appearance in a few short days.

What are porcelain veneers?

Porcelain veneers are beautiful hand crafted pieces of ceramic that are placed on teeth in order to improve the natural shape, color, length, and position of the tooth. When a veneer is custom made for a patient by the right dentist, it can be virtually undetectable. Veneers often look more lifelike than crowns (which completely cover the tooth and are much thicker). Although crowns are much easier to technically design, porcelain veneers retain more of the natural tooth structure and require sophisticated customization. Most dentists can do crowns, but a porcelain veneer requires a high degree of expertise.

One feature that makes porcelain veneers such an attractive option is their ability to reflect light, like your own dental enamel does, creating a natural look. Another advantage to choosing porcelain veneers is they are more stain resistant than natural teeth. The material used is nonporous and will stay brighter than enamel. With proper care, veneers can last from 15-20 years to a life time. The lifespan of a porcelain veneer is dependent on the amount of healthy tooth structure, and how well patients care for their teeth.

Choosing veneers is not only an investment in good oral health and appearance, but in increased confidence and happiness.  Studies have shown that when a patient feels good about the appearance of his or her teeth, he or she is more likely to smile.  Smiling may promote a sense of well-being and self-assurance and improve mood.

What does the application process include?

Patients who beautify their smiles with veneers usually schedule three appointments.  The first appointment is the most important.  This is where an individual smile analysis and the design work occur.  Necessary radiographs, photographs, and diagnostic impressions are taken.  A thorough examination is done to evaluate the TMJ, bite and function, aesthetics, the gums, and all aspects of the patient’s dental health. A hand crafted individualized mock up is done creating the desired smile, which results in beautiful life like temporaries. Temporary veneers are worn while the final porcelain veneers are being designed. They are used as a blueprint to try out your smile. We can tell what color may look best on you as well as discussing the shape of the teeth while you wear temporaries. They are designed with your feedback so we can make sure your final veneers will be customized just for you. The key to any smile design is to start with the end result in mind.

The second appointment is to prepare the teeth and shape the gums. At this appointment the patient is anesthetized with computerized anesthetic delivery, which eliminates any discomfort.  The customized mock up determines if any tooth preparation is even needed. Then, impressions are taken and temporaries are placed. This allows the patient to evaluate how the final porcelain veneer design will look and function as well as get a sense of the shape, position, and color of the porcelain veneers.

The third appointment is the most exciting, where the patient’s smile is delivered.  Each hand crafted veneer is tried on for fit and accuracy. Patients are then given an opportunity to evaluate the smile and give their final approval prior to bonding.

Straightening teeth without braces

If a patient needs minor adjustments, dentists can use clear braces such as Invisalign to straighten teeth. This is much less invasive than braces and barely shows. An experienced dentist will work closely with the patient to achieve an extremely custom result.

Teeth Whitening

For people with straight teeth, professional teeth whitening can enhance a smile. To achieve a natural look, a dentist will try to match the color of whitened enamel with the whites of a patient’s eyes.

A comprehensive Smile Makeover plan

Porcelain veneer placement in conjunction with teeth whitening, crowns, Invisalign, or other cosmetic procedures can truly optimize and enhance your smile. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, veneers are technique sensitive and “results are closely tied to the skill and expertise of the dentist and dental laboratory used to create the veneer.”  A well-qualified dental professional will find the right dental procedure to achieve your individual goal. In Austin, a prosthodontist has earned a reputation for quality and has 16 years of experience as a prosthodontist. A prosthodontist uses the best laboratories and equipment in the United States.  Prosthodontist complete over 100 hours of continued education each year (while only 20 hours is required), keeping them on the cutting edge.

The results are life changing: actual photos from clients