Porcelain Veneers Correct What Braces Couldn’t Do and Create Normal Shaped Teeth for Peggy

Peggy’s teeth were straight after years of braces as a youngster, but she still didn’t like the way they looked. Actually, her front teeth did not have normal shapes. The front two teeth were wider at the gum line than normal shaped teeth.  Her lateral incisors were “peg shaped“, again not normal in shape.  Sher side teeth leaned in and she wanted all her teeth to be whiter and brighter in color.

Peggy's smile after orthodontic treatment

Peggy decided to have cosmetic dentistry to improve her smile.  Porcelain veneers were done by Dr. Huefner on her eight front teeth.

Peggy's smile after porcelain veneers by Dr. Huefner

Below are the portrait photos that Dr. Huefner took of Peggy as she shows off her new smile.  As you can tell by the way she is smiling, Peggy loves the porcelain veneers and the way her new smile looks!

Peggy is now very happy with her beautiful new smile!

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Porcelain Veneers Made to Add “Personality” and Individualize Your New Smile

There are virtually a thousand different combinations of shape, length, texture, opacity/translucency and color (shade) that porcelain veneers can be made. Cosmetic dentistry is a true art form, and rarely would two different cosmetic dentists create the same kind of smile design for the same patient. Let me discuss the amazing aspect of individualizing porcelain veneers and the creation of an individualized “personality” by varying their shapes.

It is interesting, as the shape of the upper front six teeth each play a different role in this regard. The front two teeth, called the central incisors, have the role of indicating age. The teeth next to the central incisors, the second tooth on each side from the front teeth are called the lateral incisors. They are the teeth that impart gender to the smile design. The next tooth back from the lateral incisors, the “eye teeth” or canine teeth, impart personality. I will explain how each of these teeth perform their respective roles.

First, the central incisors, which are the most obvious teeth to be seen (or sometimes “not seen”). In a young person they appear rectangular, with rounded corners, and are usually 10mm to 12mm in length (average length of an unworn central incisor is 11.5mm). However, with age and wear these teeth shorten, sometimes as much as 1-5mm by the time one gets to middle or late age. Along with shortening, they become more square in shape and with that also comes square corners rather than the normal rounds corners of younger teeth. Thus, for someone who is concerned with their appearance and their age, changing the length and shape of the central incisors porcelain veneers can give one a much younger looking smile. Also, teeth in general usually darken with age, so to compliment this we almost always make the porcelain veneers lighter in color, depending on the wishes of the patient.

Next, varying the shape of the lateral incisors porcelain veneers can make a smile look more feminine or more masculine. Thus for women, we shape the lateral incisors porcelain veneers to be more rounded at the end, and also slightly shorter than the central incisors. We call this a “gull wing” silhouette.

Jill's feminine smile by Dr. Huefner

For men, we lengthen the lateral incisors porcelain veneers to be almost the same length as the central incisors and make them more square in shape, which makes their teeth look more masculine.

Masculine smile by Dr. Huefner

But the most interesting is the choice in shape of the canine teeth, as these are the teeth that most imparts “personality” to the smile design. Cuspids that are pointy, more prominent, and longer than their adjacent teeth impart a more “aggressive” smile. This is used most often when a patient wants to appear “more powerful” with their new smile. The opposite can be created by flattening or rounding the tip of the cuspids and making them less prominent, giving the patient a more “passive” appearance. This design would be used most often with a large person or one with many dominant features who wants to soften their appearance with their porcelain veneers. But, most patients prefer that we create for them a more normal cuspid, not leaning to either the “aggressive” or “passive” smile design.

There is no “right” or “wrong” smile design, but what is most important that the cosmetic dentist discuss smile design options with the patient and that the patient have some input as to their preferences. Sometimes these are subtle differences with regard to shape, length and color of their new porcelain veneers and other times the differences can make a dramatic difference.

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Martha Not Happy With Porcelain Veneers Done by Other Dentist, Comes to Dr. Huefner to Have Them Redone

Martha went to her general dentist and because her teeth were chipped and rotated, he placed porcelain veneers for her on her front four teeth.  Unfortunately, she hated them, feeling they were too thick and bulky and the color didn’t match her adjacent teeth.!

So, she went back to her general dentist and asked him to redo the four front veneers, which he agreed to do for her.  The four porcelain veneers were drilled off and new impressions made and four new porcelain veneers were made by his ceramist with specific instructions that this time they “not be made too thick”.

Two weeks later, when the remade porcelain veneers had come back from the lab her dentist tried them in, gave Martha a mirror look at them and give her approval so that he could then permanently cement the porcelain veneers.  However, Martha still didn’t like them and would not accept them.  By then she had lost all trust and confidence in her dentist and left the office without the new veneers.

She came to Dr. Huefner and asked him to place four porcelain veneers for her.

Martha didn't like the veneers done by previous dentist, had him take them off and came to Dr. Huefner to have them redone

Dr. Huefner spent considerable time listening to Martha explain what she had not liked about the two sets of porcelain veneers that had previously been made for her. What Dr. Huefner said he would do would be to first make temporary veneers for Martha, getting her approval on the length, shape, color and thickness.  If she wanted any changes done it could be easily be accomplished by adjusting the temporary veneers.  Then, after Dr. Huefner had Martha’s full approval of the temporary veneers and their design and shape, he would have his ceramist duplicate the design.  Thus, Dr. Huefner’s temporary veneers, which he could change or modify as necessary, would serve as a template or “blue print” of the design for the ceramist.  Dr. Huefner calls this his “trial smile“, or “test drive” of the final veneers that he will be placing.

Martha's four new porcelain veneers done by Dr. Huefner

Above is a photo of Martha with her new porcelain veneers placed by Dr. Huefner.  Martha was very pleased with the color, length, and shape of her new veneers, and especially the fact that they weren’t “too thick or fake looking”.

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Professional Man’s Smile Makeover with Porcelain Veneers

Philip is a professional man and clearly understood that his appearance affected his image and credibility with his clients and customers. He didn’t like his teeth, he didn’t like his smile and was increasingly becoming more self-conscious.  Finally he knew that he had to do something to correct his teeth and smile problems that had bothered him so much.

Philip didn't like his teeth and the way it made his smile look

His teeth were chipped and his right front tooth had a huge filling on the edge. He didn’t like the color and that his side teeth (bicuspids) leaned inwards. This gave him the appearance of two big teeth and the rest small teeth. But Philip wanted a wider, more masculine smile that he could be proud of.
The treatment of choice for Philip was porcelain veneers on his upper eight teeth. When he learned that his smile could be completed in just several weeks he was excited to get started on his treatment right away. Dr. Huefner took impressions of his teeth to plan a smile design that he felt would make Philip look his best. More squarish front teeth look more masculine on most men, and that is what Dr. Huefner had planned for Philip. After designing the porcelain veneer shape, length and position on the model, Dr. Huefner transferred the design onto Philip’s teeth, called the “trial smile”. This was Philip’s “test drive” to make sure he liked the design before Dr. Huefner gave his final directions to the ceramist.

Philip's "trial smile" to "test drive" the appearance of his teeth

Philip wore the trial smile for several days before approving of everything and choosing the final color. Some slight modifications were done as per Philip’s request. Dr. Huefner then gave the final directions to his ceramist, the porcelain veneers were fabricated and two weeks later the final porcelain veneers were bonded onto Philip’s teeth.

Philip's new smile with porcelain veners by Dr. Huefner

As you can imagine, Philip was extremely pleased with his new smile. He especially loved the color and “naturalness” of his porcelain veneers.

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

How can I be sure that I will love my new porcelain veneers? by Dr. Huefner

The patients loving their new porcelain veneers and smile makeover is the cosmetic dentist’s benchmark of success. If the patient isn’t thrilled with their porcelain veneers, then the whole dental team of cosmetic dentist, ceramist and cosmetic dental assistant are disappointed as well. Porcelain veneers have been used by dentists since 1985 and over the years most cosmetic dentists have developed an almost foolproof way to insure that each of their patients will love their new smile.

Unfortunately, most general dentists would just prepare the teeth, take the impression and the ceramist (who may have never seen the patient) made the veneers as they saw fit. The dentist would choose a shade and sometimes give the ceramist the length to make the front teeth, but most of the design was usually left up to the ceramist. The dentists would often hope and pray that “somehow” the ceramist would “guess” correctly the design that they patient would like. Unfortunately, this technique had a lot to be desired and many patients and dentists were disappointed with the final results.

However, today most skilled cosmetic dentists who have gone through advanced training in cosmetic dentistry and porcelain veneering utilize a very sophisticated approach to their “smile design”. This involves the patient and actually gives the patients an opportunity to “test drive” their new smile.

Test drive? Yes, the patient can wear specially made temporary veneers called the “trial smile” to make sure that they like the shape, color, length and overall design of their temporary veneers. After wearing the “trial smile” for a few days the patient returns to the cosmetic dentist and together they discuss the design and any changes that the patient might want. The dentist will ask the patient about the color, the length and shape of the veneers, general design, their bite and speech with the new veneers. Also, very important, the dentist can evaluate the symmetry of the new veneers and how it relates to the patient’s face, lips and smile.

Jill with her "trial smile"

This is Jill with her “trial smile”. We asked her to evaluate the color, length and shape of the teeth, and we particularly wanted the edges of her upper teeth to follow her “smile line” (the curve of her lower lip) when she smiled. If there are any changes desired by either the dentist or the patient, they can often be made to the “trial smile“. The trial veneers can be lengthened or shortened, and the shape of the teeth can be changed as well. Also, and this happens quite frequently, many times patients change their mind as to the desired shade or color of their veneers, most often wanting them a bit “whiter” then they had originally requested. If this is the case it is much better to learn the patient’s wishes in the trial smile stage, so that the final veneers will be the color that the patient wants and will be happiest with.

After the “trial smile” smile design is finalized, the dentist will make final measurements of the lengths of the approved veneers, final shade determination, new photos and models to document the patient’s wishes. All this information is sent to the ceramist, who now has a detailed “blueprint” of the patient’s approved design. The ceramist then can proceed with confidence to create beautiful porcelain veneers that the patient will love!

Then, the patient wears the “trial smile” for a couple of weeks while the ceramist creates the veneers. This is a transition time, and most patients happily look much better with their “trial smile” than they did with their natural teeth. When the veneers are finally ready, the temporary veneers (the “trial smile“) are removed that the new porcelain veneers are placed for the patient to preview. The patient can evaluate the veneers in different lighting situations (incandescent, fluorescent, natural sunlight). After the patient accepts the porcelain veneers for final cementation and gives the dentist permission, the porcelain veneers are bonded (cemented) onto the teeth, finalizing the new smile! If there is something that needs to be corrected (which rarely happens when cosmetic dentists follow this protocol), the dentist can make those changes before bonding the veneers. What is so nice is that this technique of utilizing the “trial smile” and involving the patient in the design process is that it renders a very predictable approach to smile makeovers and porcelain veneers with a very high rate of success and happily satisfied patients!

Jill's final porcelain veneers by Dr. Huefner

This is Jill with her beautiful new smile and final porcelain veneers by Dr. Huefner.

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Smile Makeover with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner Showcased on the Cover of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Journal

Dr. Huefner’s smile makeover with porcelain veneers was recently showcased on the cover of the prestigious Journal of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. It is a quarterly publication dedicated to advancing excellence in the art and science of cosmetic dentistry and is read by over 8,000 member cosmetic dentists in over 60 countries worldwide.

Tracy Kemble was the featured patient, having 20 porcelain veneers placed by Dr. Huefner and ceramics done by master ceramist Dave Stohlman from MAC Labs (Microdental Advanced Ceramics).

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Dr. Huefner’s smile makeover with porcelain veneers was recently showcased on the cover of the prestigious Journal of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. It is a quarterly publication dedicated to advancing excellence in the art and science of cosmetic dentistry and is read by over 8,000 member cosmetic dentists in over 60 countries worldwide.

Porcelain Veneers Create Younger, More Attractive Smile for Paulette by Dr. Huefner

Paulette’s dark yellow teeth really bothered her.  They weren’t straight like they were when she was younger and they also had chipped and worn down considerably.  Between several of her front teeth she had fillings that had also darkened considerably over the years.  She finally “had it” and decided it was time for her to get the smile she had always wanted!

Paulette had chipped, worn and discolored teeth and wanted a beautiful smile

After consulting with four other dentists Paulette made an appointment with Dr. Huefner to discuss the methods and techniques that he would recommend to recreate a beautiful, youthful new smile for her.  Two dentists had recommended braces (orthodontics), then “capping” (placing full crowns).  One had recommended bleaching and then replacing her discolored fillings.  The third dentist had recommended porcelain veneers, a concept that Paulette liked.  However although she like his approach the best, she felt a little uneasy about his ability.

When she came to consult with Dr. Huefner, he confirmed that in his opinion porcelain veneers was the best way to give Paulette the kind of smile she wanted.  Then Dr. Huefner showed Paulette her a number of photos of other patients he had treated over the years and the results he had achieved for them.  This gave Paulette the confidence she was looking for and proceeded with her treatment of eight porcelain veneers by Dr. Huefner.

After Dr. Huefner placed eight porcelain veneers Paulette had the "perfect smile" that she had always wanted

Paulette loved the end results that her porcelain veneers gave her, saying “This is fantastic!”  The color was exactly what she had wanted, whiter, but still natural looking.  All of her teeth were even, now more tooth crowding or tipping.  The shape of the teeth was very youthful and “life like“, giving Paulette all the confidence she needed to smile anytime she wanted.

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Chipped and Worn Front Teeth Return to Perfect Smile with Porcelain Veneers for John by Dr. Huefner

John used to have a great smile, but his front teeth had worn and chipped over the years.  A good looking man in his early 30s, John really wanted to get back the great smile he had when he was younger.

John had chipped and worn his four front teeth

He came to Dr. Huefner to discuss his options with cosmetic dentistry.  Since he otherwise had relatively perfect teeth, Dr. Huefner’s recommendation was to place four porcelain veneers on Johns front four teeth.  This would correct the chippped teeth.  However upon further discussion John expressed a couple other concerns.  First, he really wanted whiter teeth.  Second, he wanted his four front teeth to be a little longer than they originally were.

Dr. Huefner told John that addressing those additional two concerns would be easy.   John would first whiten (bleach) his teeth, and then the porcelain veneers would be made to match the other teeth that had been whitened.  Also, they would be made a little longer than his original teeth, as he requested.

Dr. Huefner made one more suggestion.  John is a very masculine young man, thus Dr. Huefner said that he would like to give John porcelain veneers that are masculine shaped, and also a little more youthful.  John agreed, and he preceded to bleach his teeth with Dr. Huefner, and right afterwords Dr. Huefner placed for porcelain laminate veneers.

John got back his perfect smile with porcelain veneers by Dr. Huefner

As apparent from the photo above, John got back his perfect smile.  A youthful and masculine appearance was achieved with the four porcelain veneers.

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Creating a Dramatic New Smile Design with Porcelain Veneers and Laser Gum Reshaping by Dr. Huefner

Kelly had braces as a child and hated the results.  The orthodontist said she had to have four bicuspids removed and when the orthodontic treatment was over and her braces were taken off Kelly felt, and rightly so, that they had retracted back and in.  However, she really wanted a wider, broader smile.

Kelly didn't like the way her teeth were pulled back and inclined inwards after her treatment by the orthodontist

She came to Dr. Huefner to discuss her options with cosmetic dentistry.  After much discussion Kelly revealed many of the things she wanted to have done.  In addition to making her teeth and smile broader and fuller, Kelly wanted much whiter teeth.  She had an olive complexion and really want her teeth to smile to stand out. Also, she felt she had too much gums showing and covering her teeth.  That contributed to making her teeth look smaller and shorter than they actually were.

Kelly felt she had too much gum tissue covering her teeth, making them appear shorter than they actually were.

After considering all her options and alternatives, Kelly decided to have Dr. Huefner do some minor gum reshaping with the dental gum laser and then place eight porcelain veneers.  The end result was the fuller, broader and whiter smile that Kelly had always wanted.  It might be interesting to note that her teeth weren’t really made much longer with the porcelain veneers, but they did “appear” a little longer, and that was what Kelly really wanted.  If you notice closely the differences that she wanted were primarily achieved by removing the excess gum tissue with the dental gum laser, angling her teeth out slightly to a more normal inclination (rather than the way they were pulled back and in with her orthodontic treatment) with the porcelain veneers.

Kelly's new smile with eight porcelain veneers and minor gum reshaping with the dental laser.

The resulting smile was that of a confidant, beautiful woman.  And as you can clearly see from the photos above and below, she got the full, beautiful smile that she always had wanted!  And very happily she reports that she gets compliments everywhere she goes about “what a beautiful smile” she has.

Kelly got the beautiful, full smile that she had always wanted with eight porcelain veneers!

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Porcelain Bridge and Veneers Whiten and Brighten and Unattractive Smile

When she was younger Maria was involved in an auto accident and broke off one of her front teeth.  A porcelain-on-metal bridge was placed by her family dentist, but she was never really happy with the appearance of her teeth and smile.  Over the years her natural teeth darkened and she began working in a profession where she was out in the public eye all the time.  She became increasingly self conscious about her teeth, even feeling that it hindered her chances for promotion.

Missing one front tooth, Maria had an old porcelain bridge that gave her a very unattractive smile

Maria knew that a new porcelain bridge would improve her smile, but she didn’t just want a better smile, SHE WANTED A GREAT LOOKING SMILE!

She consulted with Dr. Huefner regarding her options with cosmetic dentistry.  She stressed that she wanted a whiter, brighter smile, but also even, unchipped teeth that would make her look younger and more professional.  After much discussion and consideration, Maria chose to have porcelain veneers in addition to a new porcelain bridge (however this time Dr. Huefner said he could utilize new technology and make her a ceramic bridge that did not have to be supported by gold or other alloyed metals).

Maria’s treatment was completed in three dental visits with Dr. Huefner and she was pleased and appreciative with the final results!

A new all-ceramic bridge and porcelain veneers gave Maria a much younger and more attractive smile

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA