What are porcelain veneers?
A porcelain veneer is an extremely thin shell of porcelain that bonds to the front of a tooth (enamel). At Gulati Dental Spa, we use veneers to change the shape, color, size and symmetry of the teeth and smile. In cosmetic dentistry, porcelain is the material of choice because it replicates human enamel the most naturally. At Gulati Dental Spa, we use 3 types of porcelain systems: Empress, Emax, and Feldspathic Porcelain (as well as variations of our No-Prep / minimal prep options like Ultraveneers and Durathins). These systems are recognized as the superior porcelain systems available in cosmetic dentistry today, an these are the systems our skilled doctors have used in all of their award-winning cases. In the right hands, each system is capable of achieving equally beautiful results, and an Gulati cosmetic dentist will help decide which is best suited for you.
Who is a candidate for porcelain veneers?
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If you have teeth, chances are you are a candidate for porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are ideal for people who want to improve their smile. Popular reasons include worn teeth, uneven teeth, discolored teeth, crooked teeth, chipped/broken teeth, or a desire to have a gorgeous smile. Porcelain veneers are a conservative treatment, and can improve the color, shape, symmetry and overall appearance of your smile. Porcelain veneers are not just for elective purposes. While they are the “gold standard” treatment for improving your smile, they are also used to replace old mercury fillings, fix cracked and broken teeth, and replace enamel that has been worn down over time. Many people come to Gulati Dental Spa to fix broken and unhealthy teeth. And, because we have so much skill and experience using porcelain veneers to do this, our patients get their teeth fixed AND a major smile improvement as an added benefit. Look at this example below:
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Many people spend years disliking their smile. They are embarrassed to smile for pictures, and they cover their mouths when laughing. Sometimes people misjudge a person as unfriendly just because the person doesn’t smile very much. Sometimes a person is so self-conscious of his or her smile that he or she feels they can’t interview for certain jobs even though they are highly educated and qualified. Some grandparents don’t want to show their teeth when they smile at their grandchildren because they are afraid of looking unattractive to a child they love so much. Obviously, cosmetic dentistry using porcelain veneers can be life-changing for many individuals. It is our privilege at Gulati Dental Spa to be involved with thousands of these dramatic life-changing smile-makeovers.
What steps are involved in getting porcelain veneers?
At Gulati Dental Spa, we have transformed thousands of smiles, placed tens of thousands of porcelain veneers, all using the needed art, skill, science and experience to make sure every case is a perfect ten. Our doctors have a combined experience of over 65 years (between all 5 docs). We have taken this experience and created systematic methods, so that every case runs smoothly very time. This system starts with a simple phrase: We “begin with the end in mind”.
Step1: The Consultation Visit – “The Interview”
In this first visit, YOU will interview US. We will take digital images of your teeth/smile and discuss your goals for your smile. Your pictures are displayed in a private environment on a high-def LCD display. Our doctors are experienced listeners. They spend time with you looking at your photographs and listening what you say about your smile/teeth. You will also have the opportunity to look at our books filled from cover to cover with smiles WE have created for OUR patients here at Gulati Dental Spa. You will see hundreds of examples of our own work, while you discuss with the experts the things you want for your smile. Our doctors and our team have the experience to understand what it is you are looking for. Rather than dictating to you what they want you to have, they listen to what YOU want — and they are able to customize treatment options to get you exactly what you want. From custom treatment plans of just 2 porcelain veneers, to plans for full-mouth recovery/restoration of 28 teeth (see full-mouth rehabilitation), you will receive a personalized treatment plan that will best achieve your goals. Our doctors and team will guide you in the details…and by the time this appointment is finished, our doctors will have created a formula that is ready to give you exactly the smile you want (and even more than you could imagine!).
Step2: The Wax-Up “The Blueprint” for your case
Once we have established the cosmetic plan for your smile, we make impressions/models of your mouth/teeth and send these records, along with detailed “how to” instructions to a Master Ceramist. We choose the best ceramist in the country for your specific plan. And we communicate with this master ceramist so that he or she can understand the specifics about how to wax up your case. The ceramist will mount your models on a chewing machine/simulator, and place wax on the teeth to mimic what the porcelain veneers will look like in your case. This “wax-up blueprint” will also allow us to make sure that the porcelain restoration swill function in you mouth. At Gulati Dental Spa we are concerned not only about your smile looking fabulous, but we also want the results to last a long time. This Wax-up serves 2 purposes: 1) It allows you and the doctor to preview the end result BEFORE we ever start working in your mouth; and 2) The wax-up serves as a template from which we will design your temporary veneers. Your temporaries will look beautiful, and they allow you to “test drive” your new smile.
We use the wax-up at your preparation appointment. This is usually your second appointment (after the consult). At this appointment we numb and prepare your teeth if needed (see no-numbing, no-drilling veneers), and make records/models on which the actual porcelain veneers are made. We place your high-aesthetic temporaries, an send your case for the master ceramist to create your custom porcelain veneers.
Step3: Porcelain Veneers Delivery – “The Seat Appointment”
At this point you will have been wearing your temporaries for a few weeks…test driving them. At the seat appointment, we remove the temporaries, try in the porcelain to make sure it’s perfect (and we show you to make sure you love the results) before bonding in the porcelain restorations. After bonding the porcelain veneers in place, we equilibrate (align the forces in) your bite. And, if needed, make impressions to make a protective guard for night time wear.
How do I care for Porcelain veneers? Do they stain? Can I still floss between them?
Porcelain veneers should look and feel as natural as teeth. This means you can brush, floss, and eat all of the foods you love. Gulati Dental Spa veneers will not stain nearly as quickly as your natural teeth did. And we have specialized polishing agents that your experienced aesthetic hygienists will use when you have your teeth professionally cleaned. This will ensure that your porcelain veneers will remain as shiny and new as they were on the day they were bonded in place.
If you have additional questions, please call Gulati Dental Spa and schedule a complimentary consultation with our highly skilled team. We are passionate about what we do and we LOVE to talk about it. We look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve the smile you have always wanted and deserve.