Veneers – West Lake Hills, TX
Designed and Personalized for Your Unique Smile
When a tooth develops stains that no teeth whitening can resolve or becomes chipped, it can stand out in your otherwise perfectly attractive smile. With dental veneers, crafted from high-quality, natural-looking dental ceramic, we can make your smile look exactly the way you want and hide multiple imperfections at a time. Not only do veneers from our Westlake Hills Dental Arts cosmetic dentist help you save on future treatments, but they also expedite your smile makeover!
Although you may be excited to finally achieve your dream smile with veneers in Lake Hills, it’s normal to have a few questions or concerns before going through with the procedure. Rest assured that during your initial consultation, Dr. Long will sit down with you and answer any questions you may have regarding veneers. Until then, we encourage you to read through this list of questions about veneers that our team members get asked most often.
Why Choose Westlake Hills Dental Arts for Veneers?
- Created with Natural-Looking Ceramics
- Highly Personalized Treatment for Your Needs
- Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
What are Dental Veneers?
Dental veneers are strong, thin ceramic shells that bond directly to the front surfaces of teeth. They may be an ideal choice for improving your smile and have become increasingly popular due to their natural look, beauty, simplicity, and versatility. Why put up with gaps between your teeth or teeth that are stained, badly shaped, or crooked? Veneers placed on your teeth can often correct these imperfections quickly, and they are available right here in Lake Hills.
Veneers are also sometimes called “instant orthodontics” since crooked teeth can, in many cases, be made straight immediately at the initial prepping (tooth contouring) visit when the temporary veneers are placed. A ceramic specialty dental lab then creates the custom veneers specifically for you. The beautiful veneers are then bonded to the teeth a few weeks later. From start to finish, the process can take as little as two to three weeks!
What Types of Patients Are Candidates for Veneers?
Veneers can solve a variety of dental problems that you may be researching. See below if you’re looking for an answer to a particular problem.
Chipped Tooth
Here are examples of things you may be searching for about a chipped tooth:
- Slightly chipped tooth
- Back of bottom front tooth chipped off
- Tooth chipped while flossing
- How to fix a chipped tooth at home
- Chipped tooth no pain
- Why are my teeth chipping easily
- Tiny chip in tooth
- Chipped tooth repair cost
Chipped teeth are a common problem. If your teeth keep chipping in the same place, if you have large chips, or if the edges of your teeth are very thin, dental veneers may be a great solution.
Cracked Tooth
Here are examples of things you may be searching for about a cracked tooth:
- How to fix a cracked tooth naturally
- Horizontal crack in tooth
- Cracked tooth syndrome symptoms
- Vertical crack in tooth
- Cracked tooth repair
- Hairline cracks in teeth
Chewing and grinding put a lot of force on our teeth, which can lead to cracks. While not all cracks are problematic, they do provide a place where bacteria can enter the teeth and cause cavities. Cracks can also propagate over time, like a crack in your windshield, and this can lead to pain or out-and-out fractures. Fractures down the root of the teeth are not treatable, and teeth with these types of fractures must be removed. Veneers or dental crowns can help seal cracked teeth and keep cracks from getting deeper.
Stained or Discolored Teeth
Here are examples of things you may be searching for about stained or discolored teeth:
- Tooth discoloration grey
- How to remove brown stains from back of teeth
- Black stains on teeth
- Sudden brown stains between teeth
- Teeth discoloration vitamin deficiency
- Types of teeth stains
- Brown stains on back of teeth
- Brown stains on teeth near gums
- Discoloration of teeth
- How to remove deep stains from teeth
There are two broad categories of stains: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic stains are environmental stains that result from consuming things such as wine, coffee, tea, and blueberries. These types of stains can often be minimized with whitening agents. Intrinsic stains happen internally, usually when a tooth is developing, and are usually brown or black and may have white splotches. These kinds of stains do not respond as well to external bleaching, but can be masked well with dental veneers.
Worn Teeth
Here are examples of things you may be searching for about a worn tooth:
- Flattened teeth
- Worn down molars
- Veneers for worn down teeth
- Teeth worn down to gums
- Worn teeth repair cost
- Front teeth wearing away
- Worn down teeth treatment
- Build up worn down teeth
Our teeth wear over time from chewing and grinding. Once enamel is lost, there is no way to “grow” it back. Dental veneers can make your teeth look better proportioned and give you a more youthful smile.
Crooked Tooth
Here are examples of things you may be searching for about a crooked tooth:
- Straight teeth
- How to prevent crooked teeth
- One front tooth sticks out further
- How to fix one crooked tooth without braces
- How to fix slightly crooked teeth
- Crooked teeth treatment
- How to fix crooked teeth without braces
- Teeth straightening surgery
Sometimes our teeth aren’t perfectly aligned because they move over time and tend to crowd together as we age. If braces or clear aligners aren't an option or aren't desired, veneers can often be used to make teeth look straighter and better aligned.
The Process of Getting Veneers
Once Dr. Long determines you are a good candidate to receive veneers, she will use a shade guide to identify which color your new teeth should be. She will then administer local anesthesia to numb your mouth before removing a small amount of enamel from each tooth that will receive a custom veneer.
When finished, she will take impressions of your teeth and send them to a Microdental Laboratory, where technicians will begin building your veneers using the dimensions and specifications provided. While you wait for your new veneers to arrive, you will wear temporary ones to protect your teeth between visits.
After a few weeks, you will return to have your new veneers placed. We’ll remove your temporary ones and carefully bond your restorations, ensuring they look and feel natural. After a final polish, you will be free to begin enjoying your new smile.
The Benefits of Veneers
The most obvious benefit of veneers is the transformational smile you will receive; however, there are other advantages as well, including:
- A more youthful aesthetic and greater confidence
- A process that requires only two dental visits
- Restorations that can last 10-15 years with proper care
- The ability to hide multiple imperfections from minor to extreme
Understanding the Cost of Veneers
A confident smile is priceless, but we understand that the cost of veneers in Lake Hills can be a concern for many patients. While veneers may be more expensive than some other treatments, they are often the most efficient and cost-effective way to achieve a major smile transformation.
If you choose veneers, we'll create a strategy to revitalize your smile within your budget. The friendly team at Westlake Hills Dental Arts will help you explore your options to make veneers affordable!
While veneers offer significant benefits, they are typically not classified as "medically necessary" procedures, which means they are often not covered by most dental plans. However, don't let this discourage you. Our team will review your specific plan to ensure you are fully aware of any potential coverage or benefits you may be entitled to.
In addition to working with your dental plan, we offer affordable veneer options through our partnership with CareCredit. CareCredit is a third-party financing provider that helps many patients manage their dental care expenses with flexible payment plans, often featuring low-to-no interest rates. Our team at Westlake Hills Dental Arts will be happy to assist you with the application process to make your new smile possible.
Trust Westlake Hills Dental Arts for Your Veneers
While it seems that every dentist now calls themselves a cosmetic dentist, actually few have received advanced training in cosmetic dentistry, and most have only limited experience in this field. There is a huge range in the skill levels of dentists in the cosmetic dental field and thereby a wide range in the quality of results.
Dr. Long is highly skilled and trained in the art and science of cosmetic dentistry. She has taken numerous advanced courses in veneers and cosmetic restorations. Her endless drive to enhance her knowledge and refine her skills has made Westlake Hills Dental Arts one of the premier dental offices in Lake Hills for veneers.
Veneers FAQs
How Are Porcelain Veneers Different from Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns, or “caps,” are similar to veneers in that they cover up part of a tooth. The main difference is that a crown fits over the entire section of a tooth that is visible above the gums, while a veneer only covers the tooth’s front-facing surface.
To make room for a dental crown, more enamel must be shaved off the tooth. So, veneers are usually considered the more conservative treatment, allowing you to retain more of your natural tooth structure.
Is Getting Porcelain Veneers Painful?
Before your veneers can be placed, a very thin layer of enamel (about as thin as a contact lens) must be removed. This may sound painful, but Dr. Long will most likely administer a local anesthetic beforehand to numb your mouth. We even offer sedation options to ensure your comfort.
That said, your mouth may feel a bit sore after your teeth have been prepped and after your veneers have been placed. This should only be temporary, and taking an over-the-counter painkiller like ibuprofen as needed should be more than enough to relieve your discomfort.
How Many Porcelain Veneers Do I Need?
In most cases, we recommend getting an even number of veneers to treat the front two, four, six, or eight teeth. Doing so ensures a more uniform, natural-looking result. However, if you only have one problem tooth, it’s perfectly fine to only receive a single veneer. We can discuss how many veneers you should get during your consultation.
Can I Still Get Cavities If I Have Porcelain Veneers?
Unfortunately, just because your teeth are covered with veneers doesn’t mean they’re immune to decay. Bacteria in your mouth can still build up and attack the enamel, creating cavities. That’s why even if you have veneers, it’s still important to practice good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing daily.
Do Porcelain Veneers Require Any Special Care?
In general, maintaining your veneers isn’t much different from taking care of natural teeth. Here are some tips for making your veneers last as long as possible:
- Brush your teeth twice a day with a toothpaste that contains fluoride.
- Floss every night before going to bed.
- Visit us twice a year for a checkup and cleaning. If there’s a problem with your veneers, these appointments let us detect and treat them as soon as possible.
- Wear a mouthguard if you play sports and a nightguard if you suffer from chronic teeth grinding (bruxism).
- Avoid using your teeth as tools to open packages or chew on hard inedible objects like ice or pens.
Will Veneers Look Like Normal Teeth?
When bonded to the teeth, the ultra-thin veneers are completely natural-looking and can be as white as you would like them. They are highly resistant to staining from coffee, tea, or wine. However, the skill and training of the cosmetic dentist and the dental ceramic laboratory are very important to the naturalness and beauty of your new smile. We pride ourselves on providing a beautiful, esthetically pleasing, dazzling new smile for our patients.
How Durable Are Dental Veneers?
Veneers can have a service life of ten to twenty-plus years. Their longevity depends on the severity of grinding and clenching, how your teeth fit together, the quality of workmanship of the dentist and the dental laboratory fabricating the veneers, and the proper care given to them. At Westlake Hills Dental Arts, most of our veneers are crafted by Microdental Laboratory, one of the world’s premier ceramic dental labs. At Microdental Laboratory, located in California, your veneers are crafted from the highest-quality porcelains by the best ceramic artists and shipped back here to Lake Hills. Dr. Long works closely with these professional lab technicians to customize a beautiful smile made just for you.