
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 porcelain veneers, which are crafted from high-quality, natural-looking dental ceramic, we can make your smile look exactly the way you want it to and hide multiple imperfections at a time. Not only does this help you save on future treatments, but it expedites the process of your smile makeover!
Porcelain veneers are strong thin shells of ceramic 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 simply and quickly.
Veneers are also sometimes called “instant orthodontics” since the 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!
When bonded to the teeth, the ultra-thin porcelain 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 dentist and the dental ceramic laboratory are very important to the naturalness and beauty of the creation of your new smile. We pride ourselves in providing a beautiful, esthetically pleasing, dazzling new smile for our patients.
Porcelain veneers can have a service life of ten to twenty-plus years. Their longevity is dependent upon the severity of grinding and clenching, how your teeth fit together, the quality 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 and by the best ceramic artists. Dr. Long works closely with these professional lab technicians to customize a beautiful smile made just for you.
Veneers can solve a variety of problems that you may be researching. See below if you’re looking for an answer to a particular problem.
Here are examples of things you may be searching for pertaining to a Chipped Tooth:
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.
Here are examples of things you may be searching for pertaining to a Cracked Tooth:
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 crowns can serve to seal teeth with cracks and help keep cracks from getting deeper.
Here are examples of things you may be searching for pertaining to Stained or Discolored Teeth:
There are two broad categories of stains: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic stains are environmental stains that are a result of consuming things such as wine, coffee, tea, and blueberries. These types of stains can often be minimized with whitening agents. Intrinsic stains are those that 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.
Here are examples of things you may be searching for pertaining to a Worn Tooth:
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 your more youthful smile back.
Here are examples of things you may be searching for pertaining to a Crooked Tooth:
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 are not an option or are not desired, veneers can often be used to make teeth look straighter and better aligned.
While it seems that every dentist now calls him or herself 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.