Cosmetic Dentistry
We believe the simpler the better
Smile Makeovers can entail an entire spectrum of complexity, from simple whitening to makeovers that utilize orthodontics, root canals, gum surgery, implants, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges and even jaw surgery.
Some individual makeovers may need different specialists and many months, if not years to complete, but often we find we can get by with a little whitening, some straightening, and a crown or laminate here or there.
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We treat a considerable number of TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) patients with limited jaw function and many times suggest they limit their elective cosmetic work to a minimum.
Such as,
1. Whitening alone may be sufficient to get the improvement you had in mind. If that's the case, it's ideal because studies show bleaching doesn't harm enamel and in general is the best value for your cosmetic dollar.
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2. Whitening along with orthodontics for crooked teeth. If your chief complaint is that you hate your crooked teeth, sometimes your smile can be corrected with porcelain veneers, but sometimes it makes more sense to take time and straighten your smile with orthodontics. Orthodontics is considered less invasive. Invisalign orthodontics makes it a more practical adult alternative.
3. Whitening along with placing a few select porcelain restorations. Blending a single porcelain veneer or crown into a smile filled with natural teeth can be extremely challenging. We try, we often succeed, and it can be so much less expensive,
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but sometimes it's not quite enough of an improvement as far as the patient is concerned. In that case 10 or 12 porcelain veneers often will give the smile improvement you are searching for.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are also known as porcelain laminates. Imagine fake fingernails and you are close to envisioning veneers. They are usually a major part of the dramatic smile transformations you see on the makeover shows. The esthetic improvement can be dramatic and sometimes startling. Veneers are definitely less invasive than full crowns and therefore are preferable.
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What Every Patient should know before getting veneers
Veneers are often described as "minimally invasive." When your tooth is prepared with a drill for a veneer, while the enamel removal is minimal compared to the amount removed for a conventional crown, enough enamel is removed so that you'll need at least a veneer on that tooth for the rest of your life. Porcelain laminates consistently give a superb cosmetic result, as fine as any restoration in dentistry; they are less invasive than porcelain crowns, but veneers in our office (we do not speak for other practices) are not a reversible procedure.
Laminates generally last from 5 to 15 years and may last longer, however, they might need repair prior to the 5 year mark if they chip from grinding or get recurrent decay.