Cosmetic Dentistry: Transform Your Smile with Porcelain Veneers

What are Porcelain Veneers?

Here is the simple answer: Porcelain Veneers are thin, custom-made shells that are permanently attached to the front of your natural teeth by a cosmetic dentist to transform your smile.

• Porcelain Veneers create a strong, beautiful, smooth ceramic surface that transforms the outer layer of the tooth and can transform your smile.
• Veneers can actually strengthen the tooth if it is fractured, chipped, or heavily worn down from grinding.
• Veneers can dramatically change the look of your teeth when it comes to shape, texture, and color.
• Porcelain Veneers can have life-changing results for people who are dissatisfied or self-conscious about their smile.

Customized Results with Porcelain Veneers 

Your smile is a very personal thing. So whether you want porcelain veneers applied to just one tooth or multiple teeth, we can help you achieve the smile you want. They can be customized to help them look natural in the context of your surrounding natural teeth. There’s a big difference in getting a couple of veneers vs. a smile makeover of 10 to 20 veneers. For patients who are completing a smile makeover with veneers, we like to take into account the entire smile, including the whole face, for the best aesthetic result. This gives the smile a symmetrical, natural look that’s personalized for that specific patient and can transform your smile.

Related Article: Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeovers: Everyone Should Love their Smile!

There’s a Difference: Porcelain vs. Composite Veneers

When it comes to types of veneers, most cosmetic dentists recommend porcelain veneers over those made of a composite material. Composite veneers are prone to discoloration and are far less durable than their porcelain counterparts, typically lasting between 5–7 years, compared to 10–30 years.

The Pros and Cons of Porcelain Veneers

Pros: 

• Traditional porcelain veneers are considered permanent, lasting up to several decades.
• They can make your teeth look close to perfect, correcting minor gaps and alignment issues far faster than braces or clear aligners like Invisalign. In fact, they’re sometimes dubbed “instant orthodontics.”
• Porcelain veneers are stain-resistant (unlike composite veneers).
• Their translucent quality makes them look very similar to natural teeth.
• They’re highly customizable, with an array of shades to choose from.
• You can get veneers for as few or as many teeth as you need to create a brighter smile, matching the veneers to the color of your natural teeth.
• They can help downplay a gummy smile by making your tooth size more proportionate to the amount of gum you flash when you smile.

Cons:

• In most cases, some of your natural tooth enamel has to be filed down to make room for the veneer, which makes the process irreversible. It can also increase tooth sensitivity, if these preparations are done too close to a nerve.
• They can end up looking a little too perfect. Your dentist may even suggest adding some slight imperfections, to mimic natural teeth.
• Dental veneers can hide a lot, but they can’t completely erase a major underlying issue.
• Pressure from grinding can chip or crack the porcelain layers. If you grind your teeth at night, you’ll need to invest in a mouthguard.
• If veneers crack or chip, they can’t just be repaired — they’ll need to be fully replaced, at an additional cost.
• Veneers cost a few thousand dollars more than you’d pay for a combination of Invisalign and teeth whitening; however, they create a much more dramatic result.

Keep in mind that once your teeth are prepped for veneers, they will always need to be covered with a porcelain restoration. Meaning that once you get veneers, you will always have veneers. So, it’s really important to find a cosmetic dentist you are comfortable with, as this is a commitment and you want to be happy with your results.

Are You a good candidate for Porcelain Veneers?

You’ll need to be in good oral health to get any kind of veneer. To ensure you’re a good candidate, your dentist will first examine your mouth for any underlying issues, like tooth decay. They may also take X-rays, to make sure your tooth structure is sound.

Some minor misalignment is fine, but if you have more seriously crooked teeth, it’s likely that you’ll need braces or clear aligners before you can go this route.

Anyone who grinds their teeth at night should seriously consider getting a mouth guard, to prevent damage to their veneers.

Unless you’re getting veneers on all your teeth, it’s also a good idea to get your natural teeth whitened before you and your dentist choose the shade of your veneers. You’ll need touch-up whitening of your unveneered teeth every year or two, but this will help ensure that all your teeth match and look more natural.

We’d love for you to see a few of the other Smile Spotlights we’ve created with our patients:

• Brittney’s Story
• Carla’s Story
• Amy’s Story
• David’s Story 
• Paula’s Story
• Charlene’s Story
• Jim’s Story
• Becky’s Story
• Ann’s Story

We have many more porcelain veneer smile makeovers to share … just ask us!!

We Can Help You Transform Your Smile!

Porcelain Veneer Smile Makeovers are one procedure that we can use to help transform your smile and achieve the look & function you want from your 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.

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. If you have any questions about your dental insurance benefits, please do not hesitate to contact us.  We are happy to review your policy! Please give us a call today to schedule an appointment and become part of our dental family.