Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are one of the most dramatic breakthroughs in cosmetic dentistry and among the most esthetic and conservative means of creating a more pleasing and vibrant smile. The purpose of this site is to give the San Diego patient consumer an insider's guide to the porcelain veneer treatment process. We update our content regularly to bring you the latest in dental technology and procedures for porcelain veneer treatment, to help determine if porcelain veneers are right for you.

Unlike bulky porcelain crowns, often referred to as caps, which require shaving down a significant portion of your natural tooth, porcelain veneers can be paper-thin and bonded onto the front of the tooth. Porcelain Veneers allow the alteration of tooth shape, size, and color with minimal, or in some cases no tooth preparation. With this conservative approach, a knowledgeable cosmetic dentist can restore your smile and save precious natural tooth structure.

The material used in creating porcelain veneers makes them translucent. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentists (AACD) trains highly skilled cosmetic dentists to take advantage of this translucent property to create state-of-the-art porcelain veneers which have the depth and attractive look of natural teeth.Find a Cosmetic Dentist

What are Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin pieces of carefully shaped porcelain that, when bonded to your front teeth, are strong, natural and beautiful looking. Porcelain veneers are an easy alternative to traditional orthodontic (braces) routes and address both crooked teeth and tooth color. Porcelain is a non-porous material and will not stain with the foods you enjoy, thus porcelain veneers will maintain their healthy, white look for the length of their lifetime.

Advantages and Benefits of Porcelain Veneers

Some of the biggest advantages to porcelain veneers are seen when you have a smile which is disfigured by wear, chipping, breakage, decay, discoloration or inadequate development. Porcelain veneers can be used to restore your teeth’s natural beauty, leaving you the opportunity to smile with confidence. Porcelain veneers are now recognized as the most esthetic restoration option and are now used in place of their cousin, tooth colored bonding, and the more invasive brother, porcelain crowns.

Below is a list of a few advantages to deciding on San Diego porcelain veneers:

Porcelain veneers remove only a small amount of natural tooth structure (if any) during the treatment.
Porcelain veneers can achieve a healthy, natural look with little to no discomfort and a short waiting period.
Porcelain veneers are often less expensive than alternative dental procedures.
Porcelain veneers are strong, durable restorations that won’t stain with the foods and drinks you eat.
Porcelain veneers can replace old bulky looking composite bonded veneers, to give a more natural attractive look.

Choosing the Right Cosmetic Dentist for Your Porcelain Veneers

A quick list of things to ask before committing to a cosmetic dentist for porcelain veneers:

Make sure you have an extensive consultation with the cosmetic dentist. Discuss your expectations, and any alternatives your cosmetic dentist may suggest.

Ask your cosmetic dentist for before and after images of porcelain veneers similar to your case he/she has created. If he/she doesn’t readily supply these images, be wary.

While you are discussing the things you would like to change about your smile, your cosmetic dentist should have images of your current teeth up for you and him/her to analyze together.

If you are just not sure what you will look like with porcelain veneers, ask your cosmetic dentist if he/she does cosmetic imaging. A computer-generated image can be made to show you how you will look with the new porcelain veneers.

Make sure all of your questions and concerns about getting porcelain veneers are answered. Ask a Cosmetic Dentist.

Porcelain Veneers and Instant Orthodontics

Instant Ortho, instant success! This young police officer was getting married in few weeks and wanted to look and feel his best. Porcelain veneers were placed on 6 upper and 6 lower teeth to give him instant orthodontics, correcting the crooked, overlapping shape of his natural teeth. Just in the nick of time, this patient was married one week after the porcelain veneers were placed.