Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeover: Are You Ready to Enhance Your Smile?
We love to highlight the success of our patients’ treatments and we’ve had a lot of interest in Porcelain Veneers being used in Smile Makeovers. So, we thought we’d combine two of our favorite topics and focus this blog article on three of our patients, Andrew, Amy, and Steve, and share their Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeover Spotlight Stories with you.
CASE STUDY | Ground Down, Chipped, Cracked: It’s only gonna get Worse
Patient: Andrew, 24 Years
Problem: Future Problems with Ground Down, Chipped and Fractured Teeth
Solution: Porcelain Veneers ~ 10 Upper | 8 Lower
We’d like to introduce you to Andrew…
Andrew has been so much fun to work with and we want to tell you a little bit about him!
Andrew is a 24 year-old rough and tumble Cowboy. He wrangles, hunts, fishes, and farms. He’s a tough, gritty guy. He’s friendly, honest, and funny. He’s an all around great guy! And he wanted a smile that would look great and match his wonderful, outgoing, and optimistic personality. He wanted to improve and enhance his life with a more appealing smile.
Typically, women want to improve their smiles; however, sometimes men don’t seem to “care” about how they look. They buy into the stigma that men shouldn’t care about their appearance. Give me a “YEEE HAW!!” if you think that’s just plain WRONG!! Many times our male patients don’t realize that other people (like their wife or significant other) DO CARE how they look! Many times it’s that special person in our life that gets the biggest benefit from seeing our beautiful smile, because when we smile it shows other people that we feel good, we’re happy, we’re confident, we take pride in how we present ourselves to the world. Besides, life is short and we should ALL laugh and smile more in this crazy world!
This cowboy was ready for an upgrade! We discussed how cosmetic dentistry can restore his smile to a great looking smile he could be proud to show off!!
Problem:
Solution:
During Andrew’s Smile Consultation, we discussed how he wanted his smile to look; he wanted a natural-looking, brighter smile with teeth that will serve him well in both form and function. We decided to move forward with placing 10 porcelain veneers on his top arch and 8 porcelain veneers on his lower arch to achieve the healthy smile Andrew wanted.
After careful examination, dental X-rays, dental photography, study models, and case planning we were ready to meet with Andrew to discuss our treatment recommendations to restore his smile with a total of 18 porcelain veneers.
Process:
After making the conscious decision that Andrew was ready to enhance not only his smile, but overall quality of life — it was time to get to work.
We want you to look at the closeup images above and pay close attention to the photos on the right to see Andrew’s completed smile transformation.
Why are we showing you closeups?
We want you to notice the detail that is possible with this type of dental treatment to give our patient a smile makeover using the full ability of the art and science of modern dentistry. This type of transformation includes our patient, our laboratory artist, and our dental team working closely together to create and achieve phenomenal results.
Understand, these photos are not filtered, altered, or touched up in any way. We feel that showing true closeup photos of our patient’s smile – before and after treatment – displays the level of care and detail that we provide our patients. Andrew’s smile spotlights the art and science of the cosmetic dentistry options that we offer at the offices of Thomas L. Anderson, DDS and Associates. We encourage people to compare the results you see here and in other Smile Spotlight cases that we’ve featured with the results of other cosmetic dentists that you may be considering.
Clearly, the results of Andrew’s transformation is that of an incredibly beautiful, not to mention dazzling, natural, pearly white and confident smile!
Outcome:
Andrew’s Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeover Spotlight Story results in the fact that Andrew LOVES HIS NEW SMILE!!
We placed 10 porcelain veneers to Andrew’s upper teeth and 8 porcelain veneers to his lower teeth! He LOVES to Smile now and his wife LOVES HIS SMILE TOO! Check out the difference in his actual smile in the photos.
- The before photos (above pictures on the left): his teeth were showing wear from grinding, dark staining and gaps were forming between his teeth. As well as chips, fractures and cracking causing his teeth to look uneven. However, the biggest reason he was ready for a change is because his teeth and his smile appeared to age him; his smile looked much older than that of a 24 year old man.
- The after photo (above pictures on the right): show Andrew’s transformed smile! His hand-crafted porcelain veneers were customized to create a brighter, natural-looking, more symmetrical and youthful smile. Notice how healthy his teeth, gums and smile look AND how natural his teeth look. We all agreed that even Andrew’s whiskers looked better!!! That’s why we wanted to highlight his Case Study in this Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeover Spotlight Story.
Just because life takes a natural toll on our smiles, doesn’t mean that we have to like it OR that we have to live with it! A smile transformation, like Andrew’s, is a long-term solution — not a short-term fix.
Related Article: Are You Ready for a Porcelain Veneer Smile Upgrade?
Close-up pictures of actual dentistry are important when evaluating your selection for a dentist because it allows patients to look at actual teeth and treatment before and after under magnification. This allows them to assess and judge if the dental treatment being provided meets their expectations.
Often, we use dental photography and chair-side mockups to show patients how much their smiles need a little improvement. By showing and educating patients, especially male patients, that fixing their teeth is not just for women, that it brings physical and psychological benefits to them, as well as benefits to their wellbeing. One of the things we do as dentists is to help create a sense of confidence through the way they project themselves through their life … with their spouse, their children, their family, friends, career and through their daily activities. It’s an incredible transformation to witness.
CASE STUDY | Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
Patient: Amy, 35 Years
Problem: 20 Years of Grinding Her Teeth and doesn’t like her smile
Solution: 4 Porcelain Veneers + Nite Guard
We’d like to introduce you to Amy…
Problem:
Amy is a long-time patient of ours. We’ve told Amy for years that she grinds her teeth, and we need to implement a solution to save her smile. Finally, after years of having this conversation, Amy caught herself grinding her teeth while she was driving one day. Excessive teeth grinding or clenching is also called Bruxism.
Solution:
Amy called and scheduled an appointment for a Smile Consultation and discussed porcelain veneers on her 4 upper, front teeth. She was worried that her smile would look thick, bulky and fake because several of her friends have gotten crowns or veneers and now their smile doesn’t look natural.
To alleviate Amy’s concerns, we decided to do a trial run and place sample veneers. In the upper-right photo, Amy saw how her new smile could look! Notice the difference between her actual smile, in the upper-left photo versus the sample veneers on the right. WOW!! Amy was shocked! She had NO IDEA that she had worn down her teeth to that degree; of course, over the course of 20 years, it wasn’t noticeable to her because it’s happened over such a long amount of time.
You can see that Amy’s smile preview is beautiful and natural. The color isn’t too white, looks like her real teeth, but slightly lighter. And they have a 3-dimensional look to them, instead of looking flat.
Process:
Planning a smile is of paramount importance in all cases; however, it was critical to help ease Amy’s concerns and fears about her treatment. We wanted to know how Amy wanted her smile to appear and learned that she wanted a lighter-colored, younger-looking, natural smile. Thru the art and science of dentistry and very careful planning, we were able to alleviate her concerns because Amy was able to preview her smile; test drive it ahead of time to see the difference. Needless to say, Amy loved her smile preview and we moved forward with her treatment.
Outcome:
Amy’s Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeover Spotlight Story results in the fact that Amy LOVES HER SMILE more than ever!
We placed 4 porcelain veneers to Amy’s upper, front teeth and she LOVES Her Smile! See the difference in her actual smile in the lower photos:
- The before photo (above bottom left picture): her teeth were showing yellowing and browning. This is caused because of the friction that is incurred by grinding; the teeth became less translucent to light giving her smile a darker, more solid, and less youthful color.
- The after photo (above bottom right picture): her smile is transformed! Her customized and hand-crafted porcelain veneers have created a whiter, natural, more youthful smile.
Now that Amy is aware that she grinds her teeth, she wears a Nite Guard to protect her teeth while she’s sleeping. Knowing that driving can trigger her to grind her teeth, Amy chews sugarless gum. We see Amy and her beautiful smile when she visits our office for regular dental exams and re-care appointments. Needless to say, she smiles the entire time!! That’s why we wanted to highlight her Case Study in this Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeover Spotlight Story.
Related Articles:
- Are You Suffering from Jaw Pain? Bruxism and TMJ Treatment and Awareness
- Simple Solutions: Ease Jaw Clenching and Pain with a Mouthguard
CASE STUDY | Symmetrical Smile
Patient: Steve, 55 Years
Problem: Smile Looked like a Smorgasbord of Different Sizes, Shapes and Colors
Solution: 10 Porcelain Veneers
We’d like to introduce you to Steve…
Problem:
Steve is a 55 year old male who wanted to enhance his smile; however, he had been replacing one tooth at a time over a number of years. Instead of smiling with beautiful teeth, his smile looked like a smorgasbord of teeth with different sizes, colors and shapes. It was time for Steve to get a smile update!
Solution:
During Steve’s Smile Consultation, we discussed how he wanted his smile to look; he wanted a natural-looking, brighter smile with teeth that are even sized and shaped. So we decided to move forward with placing 10 porcelain veneers to achieve the way Steve wanted his smile to look.
After careful examination and case planning that included: patient consultations, dental photography, X-rays, and study models, we were ready to meet with Steve to discuss our treatment recommendations to restore his smile with 10 porcelain veneers.
Process:
It was decided that in order to update Steve’s smile, 10 porcelain veneers would be placed with color shade he wanted for a naturally whiter smile. These close-up photographs (above) show Steve’s before and after pictures. They demonstrate the beautiful size, shape and color of his teeth, as well as harmony with the surrounding gum tissue that created an overall healthy and aesthetically pleasing smile.
Outcome:
Steve’s Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeover Spotlight Story results in the fact that Steve LOVES HIS NEW SMILE!
We placed 10 porcelain crowns to Steve’s upper, front teeth and now … He LOVES to Smile! Check out the difference in his actual smile in the photos:
- The before photo (above top picture): his teeth were showing some yellow staining and looked uneven. However, the biggest reason he didn’t like his smile is because his teeth were different shades, different sizes and different shapes. Why? Because he was having his teeth fixed ONE at a time.
- The after photo (above bottom picture): shows Steve’s transformed smile! His hand-crafted porcelain veneers were customized to create a brighter, natural-looking, more symmetrical and youthful smile. Notice how healthy Steve’s teeth, gums and smile look AND how natural his teeth look.
It’s important that you know: These restorations were placed 12 years ago! His after photo (above bottom picture) was taken 6 months ago! Isn’t that amazing? Just because time takes a natural toll to our smile, doesn’t mean that we have to like it OR that we have to live with it! A smile transformation, like Steve’s, is a long-term solution — not a short-term fix. After 12 years, they still look brand new and that’s why we wanted to highlight his Case Study in this Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeover Spotlight Story.
Related Article: Cosmetic Dentistry: Dental Veneers Create Natural Smiles
We use close-up pictures of actual dentistry because they’re important to see when you’re doing your research to to find a dentist to give you the results you’re looking for. And it allows patients to look at actual teeth and treatment before and after under magnification. This allows them to assess and judge if the dental treatment being provided meets their expectations.
Often, we use dental photography and chair-side mockups to show patients how much their smiles need a little improvement. By showing and educating patients, especially male patients, that fixing their teeth is not just for women, that it brings physical and psychological benefits to them, as well as benefits to their wellbeing,. One of the things we do as dentists is to plant a seed for our patients that they may want to consider in the future.
We’d love for you to review a few of the other Case Studies we’ve put together in our Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeover Spotlight Stories we’ve created with our patients:
- Carla’s Story
- Ann’s Story
- Brittney’s Story
- Shelly’s Story
- Amy’s Story
- David’s Story
- Paula’s Story
- Charlene’s Story
- Jim’s Story
- Becky’s Story
We have many more stories to share … just ask us!!
Let’s Talk About Porcelain Veneers …
What Are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are very thin shells made from porcelain to that is placed over a tooth to correct any tooth damage or to improve the color and alignment of a smile. They are customized to match the color of your teeth as closely as possible, all while enhancing your smile for a more realistic, natural-looking, confident smile. Veneers are bonded to your teeth permanently for lasting results and you can receive as many or as few veneers as you need.
Veneers can fix a multitude of cosmetic dentistry issues to bring you your best smile:
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Teeth that have large gaps or are misaligned
- Discolored or stained teeth
- Small teeth
- Worn down teeth or irregularly-shaped teeth
Veneers can last for a long time, often lasting at least a decade and porcelain veneers are great at resisting stains, keeping your smile bright!
Check out our Porcelain Veneer FAQ HERE.
What Are the Benefits of Porcelain Veneers?
Corrects Unwanted Imperfections: One of the primary advantages to porcelain veneers is the ability to repair chipped, broken, or gapped teeth quickly. Veneers offer instant results that, in most situations, eliminate the need for additional dental cosmetic procedures. Overall, porcelain veneers help conceal minor cosmetic and orthodontic issues.
Whitens Teeth Immediately: For people who have stained or yellowed teeth, porcelain veneers offer a quick fix. They shield the front portion of the teeth, disguising any discoloration and presenting a more beautiful smile. Porcelain veneers are resistant to stains and offer protection and longevity. After this dental procedure, individuals do not have to worry about whitening their capped teeth. Instead, they can comfortably sip coffee, wine, and other drinks without hesitation.
Provides a Protective Coating for Teeth: Tooth enamel plays an important role in tooth function and longevity. Enamel is said to be much stronger than bones in the human body. Although it is resilient, enamel can wear down over time and leave teeth susceptible to decay, discoloration, and unwanted oral conditions. Porcelain veneers offer a solution to damaged enamel as it provides a layer of coating that protects to teeth. Veneers also limit any discomfort or visible damage caused by worn-down enamel.
Read more HERE about veneers.
Why Do People Want Veneers?
There are many reasons why people choose dental veneers to makeover their smile. Here are the top six reasons why people make this choice:
- Decayed and broken teeth
- Crowded teeth treatment
- People choose to close a gap in teeth, especially the front teeth
- People with heavy, permanent teeth stains choose to enhance and brighten their smile with veneers
- Many people choose to get veneers to lengthen teeth and create a more symmetrical smile
- When previous teeth restorations have failed and the gums have pulled away to show an unsightly black edging around the tooth, veneers are a choice to restore teeth and the appearance of the smile
As you can see, there are several reasons people choose a makeover with porcelain veneers to achieve a confident smile. When a patient visits one of our offices, our goal is to help them in any way we can. When you are unhappy with your smile, you are less likely to share it with others. Enhancing your teeth will make it much easier for you to express your joy through smiling. We want to help you because, everyone deserves to have the confidence to smile.
Learn More about Dental Health and Veneers: from WebMD HERE.
How Do You Get Porcelain Veneers?
Many patients visit our office with questions about the steps of getting dental veneers or have concerns they’d like to talk through. Below, we’ve outlined several steps of the veneer process in order to ease nerves and answer some questions.
- One of the first steps in the process is to get diagnostics of the patient. Impressions and photos are taken to map out what the final teeth restorations will look like before preparing the teeth.
- Once diagnostics have been done, the patient we’ll begin the actual process of preparing the teeth. During this appointment, your dentist will discuss shape, size, contour, and shade with you, so that the temporaries and final veneers will be customized to your satisfaction.
- Your teeth will be prepared by trimming down a small amount of your tooth, about half of a millimeter. Then an impression of your teeth will be taken and models created to get the sizing accurate for your veneers; and your temporary veneers will be placed.
- After that, your porcelain veneers will be created in the lab based upon the information provided by the dentist.
- Your perfect smile is just around the corner! Once the lab has finished creating the veneers, the dentist will place them. They will be bonded to your teeth using a special adhesive and post-op photos will be taken.
- After this appointment there may be a following appointment to check the final outcome of the teeth restorations.
Read more HERE about What to Know Before Getting Porcelain Veneers.
Caring for Your Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are not high maintenance and do not require any special care. To keep your smile in tip-top shape, continue with your normal oral hygiene routine of brushing and flossing daily and seeing your dentist on a regular basis. However, if you want to preserve your veneers for the longest amount of time, we recommend:
- Protecting your teeth at night if you grind them with a mouth guard
- Wearing a mouth guard during contact sports
- Try not to chew on hard items such as fingernails
- Do not use your teeth to open packages
At the offices of Thomas L. Anderson, DDS and Associates, we know that no one wants unnatural-looking teeth, and that’s why we use the latest technology to create custom porcelain veneers to enhance your confident smile without anyone noticing!
Boost Your Confidence
Feeling confident in your smile can help boost your confidence and help you develop a healthy self-esteem. With a bright, lovely teeth, you are more likely to smile, and this may lead to better first impressions and help you enhance your personal and professional relationships because you exude a confident smile and it shows throughout your demeanor. A beautiful, confident smile will help you shine and become the best version of yourself!
We Can Help You Achieve the Confident Smile of Your Dreams!
Porcelain veneers are one such procedure that we have used to help our patients achieve the look and function they want from their smile. If you have been dreaming of the perfect smile, reach out to our team of professionals to discuss how veneers could be the solution for you. Contact us to book your appointment or ask us to share more of our Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeover Spotlight Stories with you!
Contact us today to schedule your dental appointment and meet with our skilled dentists at one of our three conveniently located dental office locations within the Kansas City area, including Lee’s Summit / Independence, the Country Club Plaza and Downtown Kansas City. The gentle dentists and expert team at Thomas L. Anderson and Associates look forward to working with you to treat your dental emergency, achieve proper oral health and a beautiful smile that will last a lifetime. We are ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS an if you have any questions about your dental insurance benefits, please do not hesitate to contact us at 816-373-4440. We are happy to review your policy! Please give us a call today to schedule an appointment and become part of our dental family.