Tired of Covering Your Mouth When You Laugh? See if Porcelain Veneers Can Help
Do you have a habit of covering your mouth when you laugh? Are you embarrassed or self-conscious about the appearance of your front teeth? If you answered “yes,” you are certainly not alone. Many men and women in the Houston, TX area feel disconcerted with the look of their grin and are turning to the highly cosmetic solution of porcelain veneers to overcome their smile concerns. Veneers are thin, custom-made restorations designed to improve the overall look, shape, and color of teeth in the front of the mouth. By masking a wide array of cosmetic flaws, porcelain veneers can transform the look of the smile into one of balance, beauty, and confidence.
At Cosmetic Dental Associates in Houston, TX, Dr. Matt Guerre and Dr. Spiker Davis are experts at helping patients enjoy their dream smiles with personalized porcelain veneers. The experienced team presents the following information on porcelain veneers and welcomes you to read on and learn is this cosmetic dentistry option may be a great solution for transforming your smile.
Why Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers offer a minimally invasive approach to smile repair that can dramatically enhance the appearance of the front teeth. Custom-crafted for each individual tooth in an ideal shape, width, length, and color, veneers are made of high-grade porcelain material that provides a natural-looking luster and feel. Porcelain is a biocompatible material that is both durable and stain-resistant and can serve the smile for many years to come. When porcelain veneers are designed and bonded to the teeth by a skilled Houston, TX dentist, such as Dr. Guerre and Dr. Davis, and treated with proper care, the aesthetic results can last for up to ten years or more.
What Makes a Good Porcelain Veneer Candidate?
Patients often turn to the experts at Cosmetic Dental Associates for porcelain veneers when seeking to cover up a number of blemishes within the smile zone. While some individuals may only need a couple of veneers, others may wish to have them placed from one canine to the other. Houston, TX patients who have smiles affected by one or more of the following conditions may be good candidates for porcelain veneers:
• Minor gaps, crowding, or misalignment
• Uneven or jagged enamel edges
• Worn or short teeth
• Yellow, gray, or brown-stained teeth
• Abnormally shaped or small teeth
• Cracked or chipped teeth
What Is the Process for Having Porcelain Veneers Placed?
The process of renewing the smile with porcelain veneers typically takes about two visits. In the first appointment, the teeth are prepared to receive the veneer restorations by removing a small amount of enamel from the front and side surfaces of each tooth. This allows the custom-crafted veneers to fit evenly over the teeth and prevent a bulky feel or appearance. Once the teeth are prepped, an impression of the arch is taken and sent off to a dental lab for the fabrication of the porcelain veneers. Each individual veneer will be tailored according to Dr. Guerre’s and Dr. Davis’ specifications. A set of temporary veneers will be placed over the teeth to maintain an aesthetic look and oral function until the permanent veneers arrive back in the office, typically 1 – 2 weeks later.
During the second porcelain veneer visit, the veneer restorations will be bonded to cover the front surfaces of the teeth. The surfaces of the veneers are then polished to ensure a smooth feel and natural, shiny appearance. When they are bonded permanently to the teeth, porcelain veneers bring instant smile transformation for a cosmetic appearance that is whiter, straighter, and simply more radiant.
Are Lumineers the Same as Porcelain Veneers?
To help meet the needs of those seeking cosmetic dentistry in Houston, TX, the team at Cosmetic Dental Associates is pleased to also offer the option of Lumineers for smile repair. Lumineers are similar to porcelain veneers, in that they also cover the front surfaces of blemished teeth falling within the smile zone. However, these restorations are thinner, more translucent, and do not usually require any tooth preparation to place. While Lumineers are a great option for many individuals, they may not be suited for all situations, such as if darker stains are present in the teeth or for patients who tend to grind their teeth or have a heavy bite. In these cases, porcelain veneers may be more ideal. A consultation with Dr. Guerre and Dr. Davis can help each individual determine the best cosmetic options for achieving their desired smile.
The End Result? A Beautifully Balanced Smile
If you are tired of being embarrassed about your smile and are ready to upgrade the look of your grin while boosting your self-confidence, porcelain veneers from a Houston, TX cosmetic dentist may be an excellent treatment option. Porcelain veneers can mask several types of flaws in the smile zone to transform the teeth for a balanced, brighter, and more attractive appearance. Do not live another day feeling self-conscious over the look of your smile. Get in touch with Cosmetic Dental Associates in Houston, TX and schedule your porcelain veneers consultation with Dr. Guerre or Dr. Davis right away.