The Art of Natural-Looking Veneers

By Dr. Dina Giesler

Self-conscious about your teeth? With so many aesthetic revisions available today, everyone can achieve a smile they are proud of. Dental veneers offer an incredible solution that may be just what you need to boost your confidence. Created in the late ‘80s, veneers have grown in popularity on social media, with more patients asking for them than ever before. Learn more about this conservative procedure and whether it might be right for you below.

Understanding Veneers

Veneers are custom, intricate and artistically made shells of porcelain designed to custom fit over the surface of your teeth. Think of a contact lens. Veneers can help address issues like chipped or broken teeth, gaps, crooked or irregularly sized teeth and stains that can’t be treated with whitening. It truly can be instant orthodontics! There are a few different types of veneers your dentist can recommend.

Composite veneers are made of a resin composite that is the same material we use for white fillings. They can conceal mild cosmetic issues and are a great option for younger patients. They do not last as long as porcelain veneers but are a great stepping stone to porcelain veneers later. No enamel needs to be removed for this procedure. Composite veneers are often used as a “trial smile” for patients to be able to envision how porcelain veneers will look. Porcelain veneers treat deeper aesthetic issues and are custom-made for your smile.

Porcelain veneers require that some enamel be removed from the teeth before the procedure. Our ultimate goal is to create veneers that look like real teeth.

No-prep veneers are very similar to porcelain veneers when it comes to what they can treat. However, they don’t demand the removal of as much enamel.

How Your Dentist Creates a Natural Look with Veneers

After the initial examination, once you’ve been determined a good candidate for veneers, a mock up trial smile will be done and used as a template for your veneers. A minimal amount of enamel will be removed to prepare your teeth. Impressions of the preparations are taken for an accurate fit. You will have temporary veneers while the ceramist is making your veneers. This typically takes 10-14days to prepare your new smile. Your dentist will look at the color, fit and shape of your veneers, as well as your bite, prior to permanently seating them.

Improve Your Smile Today

If you have cosmetic imperfections you’d like to treat with a minimally invasive, long-lasting solution, veneers are a viable treatment option for you. It’s very important that you seek out a dentist who is a true cosmetic dentist. The artistry of the individual dentist is very important. Ask to see cases, and get multiple opinions. The key component in the artistry of veneers is how talented the dentist is as well as the ceramist. They are a team and need to work very closely together. The cosmetic dentist needs to be able to deliver what you want. Visit a cosmetic dentist to discuss the possibility of veneers as a way to improve your smile and your self-confidence!

Dr. Dina Giesler is a Master Dentist of the Academy of General Dentistry. With over 43 years of experience in the dental field, she left her hometown of Houston to relocate to Atlanta in 1999 to open Atlanta Smiles. Dr. Giesler is committed to helping Atlantans achieve not only the best oral care but overall general and aesthetic health and beauty in a sincere, caring and private practice.