What are porcelain veneers?
Veneers are thin shells (think of it like a contact lens) made from a specialized porcelain that is designed specifically to recreate or redesign your smile and is then bonded permanently to the front of your teeth.
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to veneers. All of our veneers are custom-designed by the experts at Jason J. Kim Dental Aesthetics to look natural in terms of color and shape. The veneers they create have a natural translucency, fluorescence and warm color, and Dr. Johnston works with every patient to achieve the desired aesthetic and guide them through the process.
How can porcelain veneers help my smile?
Did you know that the lower third of the face is often where patients notice the first signs of aging? If you’re unhappy with
the way your smile looks, porcelain veneers offer a quick fix for a variety of problems.
Veneers work best to address issues with the shape and color of teeth that are otherwise relatively healthy. They easily cover
chips, cracks and discoloration, and they can also improve a misshapen tooth, balance the proportions of your smile or close slight gaps between teeth.
We recommend that patients wear a retainer or nightguard to protect their new porcelain veneers— otherwise you can brush and floss them just like the rest of your teeth. The porcelain is
non-porous and may even resist stains from coffee, wine and
other foods better than your natural teeth!
What is the process for getting porcelain veneers?
The first step of any smile transformation is a consultation with Dr. Johnston, where she will talk to you about what
aspects of your teeth you would like to change and will determine whether porcelain veneers are right for you.
The design process is really a collaboration between the patient, Dr. Johnston and the experts at the Jason J. Kim lab. Your dentistry team will take a set of 20+ photos of your face and teeth in order to evaluate all of the elements that go into creating natural-looking veneers.
Once your veneers have been designed, you’ll come back into the office to have temporary veneers applied. Dr. Johnston will remove a very thin layer of your tooth enamel where the veneers will be placed..
Think of temporary veneers as a test drive — you can show them to friends and family, eat and drink with them, and generally get a feel for what your new smile is like. You’ll return to the office the next day to share any feedback, and the lab will make adjustments to the shape, size or color as needed before making the permanent veneers.
When the final veneers are ready, your teeth will be cleaned, polished and etched in preparation for the veneers to be permanently bonded to your teeth. Your dentistry team will apply a dental cement that is then bonded with ultraviolet light to ensure your new smile shines for years to come. The whole process from consultation to finished smile can take a few weeks, but the results are well worth it!
