Whitening the teeth and aligning the bite are the first steps toward creating a beautiful long lasting healthy smile. After these steps are completed, shape, color, and contour can be enhanced with either porcelain or composite resin. Porcelain veneers are thin laminates made of porcelain glass by our master cosmetic ceramist. Resin veneers are made of composite resin, which is a plastic material filled with glass particles, and are hand sculpted by myself directly on the tooth surface. In both cases, the final natural-looking enhancement is a direct result of the artistic training and expertise of both the master cosmetic ceramist and the dentist.
Porcelain veneers, often considered the gold standard of cosmetic dentistry, were once thought to require grinding of tooth structure. One brand name of veneers, called Lumineers, popularized no-preparation or no-grinding style veneers. The problem with the brand Lumineers is that they are not life-like and look more like chiclets. Our master cosmetic ceramist makes porcelain veneers as thin as a contact lens which are incredibly life-like and natural looking. We focus on responsible esthetics, which means performing the least amount of contouring possible to achieve the best esthetic result. Our porcelain veneers can be made as thin as 0.3mm and are bonded directly onto the enamel. Porcelain veneers will not change color. The lifespan of porcelain veneers can range from ten years to life.
Composite resin veneers are shaped and created from scratch by myself on the patient’s teeth. Composite resin veneers are usually less expensive to the patient since the dentist does not incur a laboratory fee as he does with porcelain veneers. The chair-side procedure usually takes more time than porcelain veneers since layers of different color composites are placed and then contoured and polished for symmetry. This is truly an artistic endeavor and the composite materials available can mimic the color and nature of real enamel. The smaller the glass particles in the plastic, the longer the veneers will hold their polish. Composite resin veneers may need more upkeep compared to porcelain since they are more likely to discolor with time. Composite veneers can last for eight years or longer. Since they are a less expensive option than porcelain, they can be upgraded to porcelain when the patient is ready.
Happy patient with a new smile!
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