Lowell Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

Porcelain veneers are bonded to your teeth

Porcelain veneers can provide a stunning smile makeover, but there are six things you should know about them before making the investment.

1. Great Results Require a Cosmetic Dentist

Porcelain veneers are a cosmetic improvement to your teeth. So the dentist you choose for your smile makeover should be a cosmetic dentist—an artist. Whether you want a super-white celebrity smile or a simple, natural-looking smile that complements your face, you need a cosmetic dentist. Why? Consider the facts:

• Porcelain doesn’t automatically produce natural-looking results. If you want a smile makeover that looks natural, you need a dentist and ceramist who know how to manipulate porcelain so it has the color, characteristics, and translucency of natural teeth.
• Bonding techniques are critical to the life of your porcelain veneers. Veneers that are improperly bonded to your natural teeth can slip, loosen, or fall off.
• The shape and form of your veneers determine whether they complement your lips and other facial features. Only a cosmetic dentist can refine the details.

2. They Are Permanent

Your natural teeth are prepared before you receive porcelain veneers. This involves lightly shaving them to prevent the veneers from looking bulky over your teeth. After your teeth are prepared, it isn’t possible to reverse the process. You will always need veneers or some other form of cosmetic dentistry over your teeth.

3. Don’t Ask for a Specific Brand

• Dentists become comfortable with various brands of veneers for a variety reasons.
• The dentist’s skill level, the results produced, and other factors determine which brands a dentist uses.
• Avoid asking your dentist for a specific brand. You might choose a brand the dentist isn’t comfortable with, and if you insist on it, the results might not look good.
• Ask your dentist which brands he or she uses and why. The response can build your confidence in the dentist, instead of in a certain brand. If you select a cosmetic dentist, you can trust you’ll get great results.

4. Try Them On

You won’t have to ask a true cosmetic dentist to let you try on a trial set of your customized veneers. It will be part of the process. But you should know that in order to really see how the finished product—your porcelain veneers—will look and feel, you have to try on temporaries. If your dentist doesn’t offer you the opportunity to try on trial veneers, beware. And be certain to try on the final product before it’s permanently bonded to your teeth.

5. Ask About a Guarantee

A skilled cosmetic dentist can guarantee that you’ll love your new smile with porcelain veneers. Several factors make it possible to guarantee your satisfaction:

• The dentist’s training, skill, and eye for beauty
• Your dentist should ask for your feedback and preferences throughout the process of designing and creating the veneers
• Skilled dentists use a master ceramist to craft the final product

Ask your dentist what he or she does to ensure your smile makeover will be exactly what you want.

6. Don’t Let Cost Alone Make the Decision for You

Porcelain veneers are an investment. So don’t let cost alone determine which dentist you choose. A highly skilled cosmetic dentist who uses quality materials and who is picky about the results will have higher fees than other dentists.

We recommend that you schedule consultations with at least two cosmetic dentists. If you can find an accredited cosmetic dentist in your area, you’ll likely get amazing results. Ask to see before-and-after photos of smile makeovers with porcelain veneers for actual patients of the dentist. You can get the celebrity smile—or the simple, but stunning smile makeover—you’ve always wanted.

This post is sponsored by Lowell, MA dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.