WHAT IS A PORCELAIN VENEER?

In smile talk, a porcelain veneer is one that enhances the appearance of one, or multiple, teeth. 

To be exact,  porcelain veneers, also known as dental or porcelain laminates, are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth changing their color, shape, size, or length, or position.

These custom-made restorations serve to enhance the smile's appearance one, or multiple, teeth at a time. When chosen, material selection is discussed.  Normally, these laminates are made of beautifully layered and sculpted porcelain; however, tooth colored resins may also be used to accomplish a very similar effect.   Porcelain veneers are moderately non-invasive and work to rejuvenate your smile in a conservative and predictable manner.  When chosen to alter color, length, shape, or size the tooth preparation required is usually quite conservative, maintaining the restoration within enamel, the first layer of the tooth. When restoring more advanced wear, fractures, position, or heavily stained teeth, the preparation requirements tend to result in deeper set wafers thereby invading the dentin, also known as the second layer of the tooth. These or similar circumstances may be better resolved by choosing to restore the dentition with full coverage restorations, or crowns.

Porcelain laminates are beautiful when completed using predictable smile design principles that conform with your facial proportions.  A desirable smile is one which naturally blends facial and smile design modalities known to harmonize your appearance.  Disproportionate teeth, lips, or facial alterations prove to worsen a bad situation and may prove to discourage you from seeking what should be natural harmony. 

Porcelain laminates that appear too white, too square, too short, too long or large for your face, or simply too perfect are NOT what you should be searching for or accepting as a final result. Natural and proportionately designed disharmony is beautiful and rarely noticeable to those admiring your "new look".  Often times, when designed using solid smile design principles and techniques, your new porcelain veneers go unnoticed as a specific entity.  Rather, what the spectator notices is that you "look great" but cannot pinpoint the specific reason why.  When so, consider your new smile a tremendous success!

Porcelain veneer design requires a clinician well versed in smile principles and  natural proportions.  He or she must possess a keen esthetic eye and a knack for detail.  Meticulous care is an absolute must when preparing a porcelain laminate case.  Your new smile must engage your face, and vice versa, with as much ease as the one you were born with.  

Less is more when designing any form of esthetic enhancement.  When indicated, minor alterations speak volumes.  What you are looking for is a "smile you'd be proud to wear..,ANYWHERE!".

I love to restore a smile to its natural space, appearance, and function.  Doing it with porcelain, or otherwise, is chosen on a per patient basis.  Each one of you is unique, requiring a detailed and thoughtful approach when planning your care.  

The most important aspect of your smile is that it be one you would be proud to call your own!

Keep Smiling!