Introduction

What are porcelain veneers?

Perfect White Smile
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While the teeth of the average American aren’t anywhere as aesthetically flawed as those of most people around the world, no one’s teeth are perfect. Your smile could be a bit too gummy. There may be a gap between a couple teeth. Maybe you have a tooth with a chip or crack. Fixing these issues would involve lengthy, expensive procedures such as orthodontics. Instead, you could have a perfect smile in just two office visits with porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers in Beverly Hills can cover a variety of aesthetic issues and give you a beautiful smile. Porcelain veneers are thin, porcelain shells placed over the front of your natural teeth to alter the tooth angle, shape, size, and color. There are many types of veneers, and your cosmetic dentist will introduce them to you in your Smile Makeover. Some people in cosmetic dentistry refer to porcelain veneers as “instant orthodontics” because they can correct spacing and alignment issues with the teeth that would normally require orthodontics. Dr. Frey only uses porcelain dental veneers in Beverly Hills because they closely resemble the shine and slight translucence of your natural teeth. As the name implies, dental veneers are similar in concept to the veneers that may cover a dresser in your bedroom. In furniture, a veneer of higher quality wood is put on top of the underlying lesser quality wood to make the piece look perfect, yet not be as costly as if the entire piece was made of the expensive wood. We truly offer the best veneers in Beverly Hills.

Dr. Frey discusses veneers
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FAQs about our Dental Services

If you want to learn even more, we invite you to reach out for a free high quality smile consultation, where we can answer all of your questions in depth.

I Still Have Questions

What is the recovery from No-prep/ Minimal Prep or "Lumineers" procedure?

No-Prep veneers in Beverly Hills are a specialty of ours. Recovery is usually minimal to nothing after placing a No- Prep or "Lumineers" on your teeth. This is typically a painless process since minimal to no prepping with a drill is done. 

Immediately after the Perfect White Smile dentist places your Lumineers, you can get right back to your normal life and show off your beautiful new smile to the world! No-Prep veneers in Los Angeles are convenient and beautiful.

Is the No-Prep or Minimal Prep Lumineer Porcelain Veneer procedure painful?

Receiving Lumineers is usually and typically a pain-free procedure. It’s not necessary to remove the same amount of enamel necessary that we do with traditional porcelain veneers! That's good news for many people. 

When enamel is removed, tooth sensitivity and some post operative discomfort can occur but usually doesn't last too long. Porcelain Veneers are so thin, that’s not necessary.

Are there risks associated with the No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers procedure?

No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers are generally a very low-risk option for giving you a beautiful smile. There are some risks, but these are often the result of a lack of expertise on the dentist placing them. Perfect White Smile offers both Lumineers and traditional porcelain veneers because each patient has unique needs.

The main risk with No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers is over-contouring, or the teeth with No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers appearing bulkier or larger than normal. This is a result of not removing as much tooth enamel (0.3 mm versus 0.5 mm) . What this means is that patients with small and gappy teeth are better candidates for this procedure than patients with large and over crowded teeth.

Also, because No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers don’t remove too much enamel, lesser applications can leave a ridge at the top of the veneer. This can be a place for bacteria to accumulate, which can lead to decay and chronic bad breath. Traditional porcelain veneers are inlayed into your existing enamel which may be a better long term result.

If the No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers are placed slightly above the gum line, this can help reduce any gum irritation and possible gum disease.

What should I expect during my consultation with Perfect White Smile dentists?

Perfect White Smile dentists have extensive experience and knowledge for proper fitting and application for any type of l porcelain veneers.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers and porcelain veneers, and the dentists of Perfect White Smiles goal during your consultation is to find which option is best for you.

How long does the No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers procedure take?

Having No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers placed takes two appointments . The first appointment has two goals: create a precise mold of your teeth to send to our lab technician to create your No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers, and to select the shade of your new gorgeous smile! This process takes less than an hour.

The second appointment is where Dr. Frey places your new custom-made No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers. He first checks the color match and fit of each veneer. Once everything looks right, and you approve it and are super excited, we will permanently bond in your new veneers. This process usually takes about an hour.

How long do No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers last?

Perfect White Smile dentists have been improving smiles for 30 years, and hundreds of sets have been placed on our patients’ teeth. Research has proven that veneers provide long-term aesthetic smile improvement without discoloration or degeneration. 

Clinical testing has shown the average lifespan of a set of No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers to be many years, when patients take care of their teeth with regular dental checkups and cleanings. Poor bite issues like grinding and clenching can also be a factor in the length of time your veneers will last without any issues.

What are the benefits of No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers

Like traditional porcelain veneers, No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers can provide a cosmetic solution to many problems with the teeth. It’s important to remember that, like traditional porcelain veneers, No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers are a wonderful cosmetic solution. They don’t solve underlying problems such as decay or gum disease; those issues must be addressed before No-Prep, Minimal Prep Lumineers can be applied. 

These veneers have many benefits. They can:

  • Improve the appearance of crooked, misaligned teeth
  • Cover cracked or chipped teeth
  • Cover gaps between teeth
  • Whiten stained teeth
  • Improve misshapen teeth
  • Make uneven teeth even

What is the difference between a No-Prep or Lumineer vs a traditional Porcelain Veneer?

No Prep or minimal preparation porcelain veneers or Lumineers are the exact same as porcelain veneers. But compared with traditional Beverly Hills porcelain veneers, minimal or no prep Lumineers can be thinner (can be as thin as 0.3 mm) and highly translucent. This allows them to replicate the natural appearance of enamel. 

Many times, these veneers don't require removal of the existing tooth enamel before placement. They are simply bonded over natural teeth, or existing crowns and bridges. This makes the procedure rather pain-free, fast, and reversible, should the patient opt to make a change later in life. 

In my 33 years of experience this has never happened! People love their smiles so much that it should never cross your mind.

Why do Perfect White Smile dentists use a trial smile to start?

It’s simple: because you may need time to adjust to the size and shape of your new teeth. We call it Smile Shock when patients with small teeth all of a sudden have normal sized looking teeth. This also provides the chance to tweak and modify your new upcoming smile before it becomes permanent, making the permanent smile truly perfect. It's like you have time to try out your new smile and make the necessary tweaks needed to make it a smile you will love!

Can I see what my New Smile will look like?

Thanks to our computer imaging capability, we can show you exactly what your teeth will look like with porcelain veneers before we even make the appointment. We design your new smile during your first visit to the office. Computer imaging will help determine the best shape for your new smile, from square to more round. 

From our Smile Catalog, you can choose from various options. Then you can see what they will look like in what we call your “trial smile.” Once the best smile is chosen, our lab will produce a diagnostic wax mockup. This is the most important step in choosing a new smile since we design it to fit your face and look.

Before
After

Can you explain porcelain veneers vs. composite bonding veneers?

Composite bonding veneers are typically a less expensive alternative to traditional Porcelain Veneers. We call it a "direct" technique since it is performed in the dental office by the dentist. Porcelain Veneers is an "indirect" technique since it is performed in a dental lab by a lab technician and then bonded in at a later time. 

Composite veneers or bondiing veneers can lose theirhigh shine and become dull over time. They can fade color also. They are also more likely to chip and have issues after placement. 

Porcelain Veneers remain glossy over time and never lose their color since they are non-porous. They are much stronger and are less likely to chip or break. This is why we do our best to do what's best for the patient which we believe is Porcelain Veneers.

How long do Porcelain Veneers last?

On average, you can expect your porcelain veneers to last as long as humanly possible. They are man= made and nothing man-made lasts forever. Their durability can be impacted by the health of the underlying teeth, surrounding gum tissue and the bite. 

Porcelain Veneers when bonded properly rarely ever come off. If they were not bonded in following proper bonding protocol, they can come off but usually it will happen closest to the day they are bonded in. After one year, over 1000 meals eaten ( 3 meals a day for 365 days) the chances of a problem occurring gets less and less.

Porcelain veneers are a lifetime commitment so the technology is so good that they are made to stay for long periods of time. Many times patients who have had them for long periods of time ( like decades) may want to replace them even though they are still fine. Maybe they experienced some gum recession or they didn't do enough of them across the smile and they just want to upgrade. 

Perfect White Smile has performed over 30,000 porcelain restorations and we do not have a porcelain veneer repair business. Very few patients have issues over time and if they do, it may just be one or two of them. Its rarely if ever all of them that need replacement

Will I feel any discomfort during the Porcelain Veneer procedure?

We administer local anesthetic for everyone who undergoes this procedure so you should be comfortable the entire time. If you feel anything, please let us know and we will stop and give you more. We also have Nitrous Oxide gas available for everyone. 

We also offer oral sedation pills and we have a dental anesthesiologist on hand for anyone who would prefer to have him. Perfect White Smile dentists  re-shape and re-contour your existing teeth when making porcelain veneers so we always make sure you are comfortable during and after this procedure.

What can I expect during my dental visits for Porcelain Veneers

It takes two major visits with Dr. Frey to place your veneers, beyond the initial consultation. We make a custom treatment plan for you, which will consist of:

Visit One:

On the first dental treatment visit we prepare your teeth for porcelain veneers. We call this the "prep" visit. We begin by re-shaping and re-contouring your existing teeth in order for the lab to fabricate your new gorgeous smile! 

Perfect White Smile will use a bleached shade guide to choose the porcelain color that is the best match for you. The provisional or temporary veneers will mirror your new shape of your final smile. This is advantageous since we can easily make minor tweaks to get the smile super beautiful. 

The color of your temporary veneers is right in the center of the bleached shade guide so you can tell us if it's too white or not white enough or just perfect. This is how we land the perfect color for you.

Once your teeth are prepared to hold the porcelain veneers. We take digital impressions of your teeth and email them off to our dental lab so they can begin to fabricate your new smile. We include photographs of your teeth, as well, to aid in color matching. The fabrication takes around two to three weeks and we apply temporary veneers to protect your teeth until your permanent veneers are ready.

Visit Two:

When your veneers are finished you return for your second appointment. Our Perfect White Smile dentist first checks the veneers for fit and color match then shows you them.  We allow you to get out of the chair and stare at them. 

Many patients may bring a friend or loved one to this visit to make sure they are what you want. If they are not correct you will not receive your smile on that day. Once you are satisfied, we will permanently bond the new veneers to your existing teeth. Applying porcelain veneers can take less than an hour depending on the number of veneers being applied. 

There is usually minimal down time after your new veneers are placed. Patients can show off their new beautiful teeth in no time. Congratulations!

What is the difference between porcelain veneers and No Prep/ Minimal Prep Lumineers?

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to porcelain veneers and No Prep/ Minimal Prep Lumineers? The main difference between the two is how much tooth structure needs to be removed to apply the veneer. 

No Prep/ Minimal Prep Lumineers? are able to go right over the tooth with little to no prepping, whereas porcelain veneers require that the tooth structure be re-shaped and re-contoured beforehand. The actual veneer is identical. No Prep/ Minimal Prep Lumineers are great for patients with small teeth who want them larger or patients with worn teeth, spaces or gaps. 

No Prep/ Minimal Prep Lumineers are not good for people with large teeth and crowding; these patients should opt for a traditional porcelain veneer which is still super conservative to your existing tooth structure.

What are the Advantages of Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain Veneers are made of porcelain which is a type of glass. Our Perfect White Smile dentists love to use porcelain veneers for a variety of reasons. Porcelain veneers are extremely strong,  highly glossy, and have a high resistance to ever losing their color over time. They also have an opalescence that is very close to a natural tooth. 

When it comes to re-producing a fake body part, no other doctor comes close to what a dentist can do with fake teeth. When done properly, it is almost impossible to discern between a porcelain veneer and a natural tooth. If your teeth are yellow or aged looking, you should definitely consider porcelain veneers as it will make you look younger and healthier.

And the porcelain veneers cost in Beverly Hills is much less than you’d think! Contact us for more information about the cost of porcelain veneers.

How are Porcelain Veneers made?

Porcelain Veneers are fabricated in a dental lab. There are two types of porcelain veneers that exist today. Felspathic or Traditional veneers and Cad Cam Also knowveneers. We like to use both as they both have great characteristics. 

The traditional veneer is made in layers and all the tints and opaquers and inlayed into the porcelain veneer. The Cad Cam veneer is made from an ingot and is stained on the surface to look beautiful and natural.

What problems can Porcelain Veneers help fix?

Porcelain veneers are perfect to correct these cosmetic issues with your teeth:

  • Gaps or misaligned teeth
  • Crowded teeth
  • Unevenly or irregularly sized or shaped teeth
  • Chipped teeth
  • Dis-colored or ugly teeth

Tetracycline has been known to permanently stain teeth and veneers are a wonderful solution. T

Who is a good candidate for Porcelain Veneers?

At some point in life, almost every person would benefit from having porcelain veneers. Over the years, teeth naturally wear down and turn yellow and ugly and really show your age. 

If you find yourself covering your smile with your hand or feel that your smile is affecting you with friends and at work then you are a good candidate. Anyone who wants a beautiful smile today can have one. Let us know and we will evaluate it for you.

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