New York Dentist, Dental Visits NYC Midtown Manhattan Center for Cosmetic Dentistry accepts dental insurance payments for most dental care, e.g. dentures, dental braces, fillings, root canals, bad breath etc, NYC PPO dentist visits are classified general dentistry, so cosmetic teeth whitening is not a covered expense.
*Please read the disclaimer notice carefully and in its entirety*

Porcelain veneers

For our purposes, we will just call them veneers. Veneers are formed porcelain shells that are used to create a new front surface to a tooth. These are thin sculpted pieces of tooth-shaped porcelain that fit over the front of the teeth and are the premier standard of care in cosmetic dentistry. Permanently bonded to the front surface of a tooth, to restore or improve position, shape and tooth color, they can make a dramatic, immediate difference to one's smile and overall facial appearance. Veneers are wonderful for fixing common problems such as midline spaces (the gap-toothed look of the two front upper teeth) or chipped, crooked, missing, discolored, pitted, malformed or improperly positioned teeth. Once only accessible to the wealthy and top Hollywood stars and models, veneers are now a popular way for many people to obtain the smile of their dreams.

Faster than orthodontics

Porcelain veneers are a perfect alternative to braces for many adults. Veneers can correct the shape of teeth that are not aligned correctly, have gaps and spaces. Older patients, who have always wanted straighter teeth but no desire to undergo years of treatment with braces, usually love this new technique. Instead of months and years in braces, crooked teeth can usually be corrected in as little as two weeks with veneers. In fact, even if you have had braces in the past but the size and shape of your teeth is not pleasing to you, veneers may be the perfect solution.

Braces vs. Veneers

Braces are most desirable for people under the age of 18. At this stage in life, the bone is more malleable, teeth move easier and are more likely to stay once the bone "remodels" around the newly positioned teeth. Many adults also wear braces, but for a longer duration and almost always need a permanent retainer to hold the new positioning. There are numerous office visits in addition to the general hassles of wearing braces. Also, teeth may be repositioned, but continue to be the same shape and color which may or may not be desirable. Orthodontic braces, however, do not require the teeth to be reshaped or restructured in any way.

Sometimes called, "instant ortho," veneers can give the appearance of straightening teeth, closing gaps, and changing the shape of teeth to give a perfect smile. A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain and after the enamel is reduced on teeth, usually only slightly, the veneer is bonded in place covering the visible part of a tooth. Seated correctly, veneers are strong and should last a very long time. The bite is most often enhanced and veneers do not stain or discolor.

Gorgeous smile

Our clients can usually get the smile of their dreams in a couple of visits. At the first veneer appointment, your teeth are prepared, impressions are taken, and you will walk out of the office with custom temporary veneers. In the second appointment, we permanently seat the veneers.

Imagine getting a new smile within one month -- one that actually fits your face and personality and gives you the confidence to express the real you!

Plastic veneers, bonding and porcelain veneers

Composite bonding (also sometimes called "direct veneers" or "plastic veneers") is a tooth-colored plastic resin material. Bonding can usually be placed in one visit and is used many times to repair a smaller chip in a tooth or to make aesthetic improvements in more than one tooth. Bonding usually requires little to no tooth reduction or anesthesia. Porcelain veneers are usually more aesthetic in terms of the spectrum of colors, realism and translucency because they are made in a lab out of porcelain. Porcelain veneers are also more of a long-term solution than bonding, as they do not stain, discolor, and are stronger than bonding. Porcelain veneers usually require only a couple of office visits - the first visit to prepare the teeth and the second to seat the veneers.

Porcelain veneers or crowns

Porcelain does not change color when exposed to dental whitening gel.

Differences between dental offices

There is a real blend of art and science behind high-end aesthetic dentistry. All veneers are not created equal. Our cosmetic dentists have extensive training in the art of smile makeovers, which determines the colors, line angles, shapes, thickness, translucency, occlusion, and many other factors that our dentists prescribe to our laboratory. The lab then hand makes the veneers to our specifications. Veneers should be custom-designed to fit your face, smile, gender and personality.

Done correctly, they look and feel like real teeth. You can be as much a part of the selection process as you wish, but part of why you select a cosmetic dentist is his or her experience and artistry in what looks great. Computer imaging as well as before and after photos of other cases will help you decide on the style, shape and color that work best for you. Veneers are bonded in place with a high intensity curing light. You can tell the quality by the photos of the work you see in our office.

Production of Veneers

Veneers are made from a thin shell of porcelain and are permanently bonded to the teeth. Our selected, world-class dental ceramists fabricate the veneers from our impressions and color mapping specifications. Each veneer is customize and designed to fit naturally and comfortably over each tooth like a ballet slipper. After placement, these veneers are designed to look like beautiful natural teeth.

Versatility of veneers

Veneers can be used to correct the size, shape, color and alignment of teeth. So if your smile suffers from teeth that are stained, crooked or malformed for any reason (cracks, chips, fractures, spaces, smoking or tetracycline stains, etc.), then you may be a great candidate for porcelain veneers. Many people want straighter teeth without the hassle and time orthodontic braces require. Now teeth can be straightened with porcelain veneers and crowns. Most people can get the shape, length and degree of whiteness they want, and they don't stain!

But what many people don't realize is that the shape of veneers in combination with occlusal adjustments, such as opening the bite, can also have profound impact on the entire face. This can result in giving the appearance of a face-lift or elimination of wrinkles without any plastic surgery. So in developing your personalized smile makeover, we take into account building out certain teeth or reducing others to achieve such desired objectives. This is why for a number of our clients, they actually look 10 years younger after our smile makeover and just imagine their rejuvenated spirit!

Tooth preparation

Unlike crowns, usually only a thin layer of enamel is removed from the teeth to make room for the veneers. Usually, only about 5/10 to 8/10 of a millimeter is removed from the outer surface.

This small amount of reduction is required to make room for the porcelain. This allows us to make the veneers to the proper contour without them appearing to be bulky or unnatural. Some teeth on some individuals may not need any tooth reduction, and some may require a lot.

Placing veneers

New advances in bonding technology allow us to create an extremely strong bond between your teeth and the veneers. The teeth are first prepared with a bonding adhesive and special resin cement is used as the "glue." The resin cement is available in a number of different colors to give the best possible aesthetic result. After approval, resins are then used to permanently bond the veneers to the teeth using a special dental curing light, which helps to create a stronger, longer-lasting bond between the veneer and your tooth. The durability, look and simplicity of application make it easy to see why veneers have become one of the most popular dental treatments available today.

New smiles

This depends entirely on the desired result. If there is only one tooth that is discolored or malformed, then a single veneer may be able to be used. Many times it is recommended that several veneers (from 4 to 8) be done at the same time, to get a more balanced and even looking result. This allows us to get the most beautiful result possible. When closing large gaps between teeth, 6 to 10 veneers may be necessary to get a proper aesthetic result.

Longevity

There are no hard and fast rules about how long porcelain veneers will last. While you can certainly expect your veneers to last many years (some patients have had them for 20 or more years), it is unrealistic to expect them to last forever. With good home care and by exercising good judgment, it seems likely that a porcelain veneer could last well in excess of 10 to 15 years. Ask about our 5-year limited warranty.

Sensitivity

Some people experience sensitivity (to hot and cold or pressure, etc.) after the placement of veneers. Some sensitivity is absolutely normal and usually dissipates spontaneously from a day or so to a couple of weeks. The reason for the sensitivity can arise from the amount of enamel left on your tooth after preparation, the proximity of the nerve, as well as several other factors. If this sensitivity remains or concerns you at all, please contact your dentist.

Dietary changes

Once placed, your veneers are very strong and will resist most of the forces placed upon them by a normal diet, so a normal diet should pose no problem at all. Porcelain has great crushing strength but poor tensile strength. Therefore, you should avoid anything that will bend or twist the veneers. As with your regular teeth, opening bottle caps with your teeth or crunching on hard    candy or ice is not a good idea.

Maintenance and recommended care

With proper home care and scheduled dental visits, veneers can provide you with a beautiful smile for many years. A week or two after the placement of your veneers, we ask that you return to our office for a cosmetic polish and treatment evaluation. This visit is extremely important. It gives us the opportunity to evaluate the placement of the veneers, the tissue response and to answer any questions you might have regarding your new smile makeover. For example, if you grind or clench your teeth, please let us know. We can fabricate a soft night guard for you to wear to minimize the stresses placed upon your teeth while you sleep.

The maintenance of your porcelain veneers is relatively simple. Brush and floss as you normally would to prevent oral hygiene problems. Once placed, veneers are typically the kindest restoration to the gum tissues that we currently have available. Don't be afraid that you'll damage your veneers by either flossing or brushing. Any non-abrasive toothpaste is acceptable. A good home care regimen will help ensure the aesthetic success of your veneers.

Veneer pops off

If your porcelain veneer comes off, carefully remove the veneer from your mouth without damaging it further. If you have found only one piece then the veneer may not have broken but instead may have just become dislodged from your tooth, fully intact. If the veneer is whole, your dentist may be able to re-bond it to your tooth so place it in a protective container. Even if the veneer is broken it's not a bad idea to save the parts and show them to your dentist. They could possibly be of interest. Then, give us a call to schedule a repair.

FYI

Ask your dentist for specific instructions but, in general, if a porcelain veneer where only a minimal amount of tooth structure has been removed to make the veneer has simply broken or come off there is little potential for a serious tooth problem developing. Remember, in many cases teeth in the process of being veneered are left uncovered for the entire one to two weeks during which their veneers are being fabricated. Since all or part of the veneer is missing you can expect that your tooth's shape might be rough or irritating to your lip or tongue. The tooth itself could be expected to have a heightened sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages because the veneer is no longer there to cover and protect the tooth's front surface.

Porcelain veneers may not be right for you

1.

If you have unhealthy teeth. Porcelain veneers cannot be placed on teeth where there is decay or active periodontal disease (gum disease). These conditions must be treated before porcelain veneers can be successfully fabricated and placed.

2.

If you have weakened teeth. If a significant amount of tooth structure has been lost as a result of decay or fracture, or else already replaced by a dental filling, the tooth may not be a good candidate for a porcelain veneer. Porcelain veneers do not significantly strengthen the teeth on which they are placed. Teeth that have had a history of significant tooth loss structure are usually better off being treated by the placement of a dental crown, and not a porcelain veneer.

3.

If you have an inadequate amount of enamel on the tooth. A porcelain veneer can only be successfully bonded onto tooth enamel. Some teeth, as a result of excessive wear or previous attempts at dental bonding, may have little or no enamel remaining on their frontside. These teeth do not make good candidates for porcelain veneers.

4.

If you clench or grind your teeth. Persons who clench and grind their teeth can make poor candidates for porcelain veneers. The forces created by these activities, termed bruxism by dentists, can easily chip or break porcelain veneers. Possibly a person can successfully control their bruxing habits during their waking hours, but during sleep a bruxer has essentially no control over this activity. If a person who bruxes does have veneers placed, they must be committed to wearing a plastic dental night guard when they sleep so as to minimize the amount of stress placed on their veneers.