Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS

Los Angeles Dentist: A Guide To Dental Veneers

By Arthur Kezian

Having a smile just like you see on the cover of magazines is attainable, as long as you understand the importance of oral hygiene. According to the CDC, good oral hygiene is what will keep your teeth and gums healthy. Brushing your teeth and using floss might be two of the things that you need to do for your smile, but are also daily activities that will help you reap the most amazing reward – a healthy mouth.

What can you do when you opt for good oral hygiene, but still face issues that prevent you from smiling with confidence?

1. You can just settle for the fact that the ability to smile without feeling self-conscious is not an option for you.

2. You take action and decide to go see a cosmetic dentist that will tell you exactly what needs to be done. There is a treatment plan available that can be personalized for each individual.

What does cosmetic dentistry have to do with your smile? According to the encyclopedia, cosmetic dentistry can improve your appearance by “correcting the alignment, shape and color of teeth”. Not too many individuals are born with a perfect set of teeth, which means that if you don’t like your smile, it’s ok. You’re not the only one that has gone through this phase! The good news is that it can be just a chapter of your life and not a permanent feature of your appearance that you have to get used to.

You are the only one that can take action in this case. If one of the reasons why you are not going to see a Los Angeles dentist is the fear of feeling pain as a result associated with different dentistry procedures, it’s important to understand that there are solutions. Nowadays, the situations in which you feel pain are rare. In most cases, the only problem you will have in this case is mild discomfort.

Only a cosmetic dentist can make a valid recommendation for your smile:

Dentist in Los Angeles

Most individuals look for medical advice online. More specifically, according to Beckers Hospital, about “7 percent of Google’s daily searches are health-related”. If you believe that the answer to crooked or missing teeth can be found online, you are only partially right. As long as it is done right, with the help of proper research, you will come across a cosmetic dentistry specialist that can actually see you and provide a comprehensive initial consultation before offering any recommendations.

Procedures that will restore your smile:

Assuming that one treatment option is better than another, without being seen by a dentist in Los Angeles will make you have false expectations. According to Colgate, there are 5 main cosmetic dentistry procedures: inlays and onlays, composite bonding, teeth whitening, implants and dental veneers. In each specific case, there are certain requirements that might or might not make you an ideal candidate for a particular treatment.

There is only one quick, long lasting solution to getting that ideal smile: investing in veneers. What you should know about these products is that they resemble natural teeth. Moreover, the best part about investing in dental veneers is the fact that they will be manufactured to improve your overall appearance by looking incredibly similar to YOUR natural teeth.

Facts about dental veneers your dentist doesn’t tell you:

  • Dental veneers can be designed to minimize whatever imperfections might make you feel self-conscious about your smile, regardless if we are talking about filling in gaps or fixing a chipped tooth.
  • There is no need to get veneers for every single one of your teeth. You can have your cosmetic dentist place them only on the teeth that require a makeover.
  • They can make your face look different than what you are used to seeing now, when you look in the mirror. This is a fantastic solution for when you prefer having a wider smile or have been dealing with an asymmetrical appearance of your face.

Common issues that can be solved with dental veneers:

What are dental veneers exactly? According to Dental Health, “a veneer is a thin layer of porcelain made to fit over the front surface of a tooth, like a false fingernail fits over a nail”. There is a number of issues that can be corrected with this type of procedure:

  •  Stained teeth that one is unable to whiten regardless of the whitening procedure used. In many cases, due to the condition of the teeth, whitening them is not a viable option.
  • Teeth that are either chipped or worn or both.
  • Teeth with an unwanted shape or that are crooked.
  • Gaps in between your front teeth or uneven spaces.
  • Veneers will instantly make all of these problems go away. Depending on your choice, you might even be able to have them placed on your natural teeth in a session or two!

Porcelain veneers look similar to natural teeth. Here are a few benefits you need to know about porcelain veneers:

  • They are strong and last for decades. This means that you don’t have to settle only for purees, when it comes to the food that you choose to ingest after getting veneers.
  • Their surface has a natural appearance. No one will be able to tell that the smile they are looking at is not completely natural.
  • Although tooth enamel has to be removed, the amount is minimal when compared to what needs to be done to a tooth when a cosmetic dentist has to make room for a crown.
  • Staining them is not a common issue, meaning that you don’t have to worry about this matter as you would with natural teeth.

    Los Angeles Dentist
     

Placing these veneers on your teeth will be done by a cosmetic dentistry expert that will follow a few simple steps:

1. The right professional will begin by preparing the teeth. This involves removing a bit of the enamel on your teeth and giving them the perfect shape to be able to get a proper impression of them.

2. Next, the dentist in Los Angeles will make an impression, also known as a mold of your current teeth.

3. They will then get the mold to a laboratory where it will be used to manufacture the veneers.

4. Now, all you have to do is make a visit to the dentist, who will place the veneers on your teeth and make all final adjustments.

The fastest solution for a perfect smile: Composite Resin Veneers

Besides porcelain veneers, you can also invest in composite resin veneers, which are made out of
a filling material and provide the following advantages:

  • Not too much enamel has to be removed for the cosmetic dentist to place these veneers on your teeth.
  • Usually, there is no need to go too many times to the dentist before finalizing this procedure.
  • The total cost of these composite resin veneers is lower than you would have to pay if you were to opt for the porcelain version.
  • If they get chipped or damaged in any way, these veneers can be easily repaired, in the shortest time possible.

The entire procedure involves the following steps:

1. Remove enamel from teeth and prepare them for the veneers.

2. The dentist creates the veneers based on your natural teeth’s appearance, which means that they will consider the natural color of your teeth when bonding and then shaping the composite material.

3. The composite is hardened and bonded to your teeth with the help of a special kind of light.

4. The final step requires the dentist to polish and shape the veneers until they look incredibly similar to natural teeth.

Facts you need to know before opting for veneers:

  • Do you have healthy teeth and gums? If you don’t, you will first need to benefit from proper treatment before considering veneers.
  • Do you grind your teeth? If you do, it would be recommended that you do not invest in this procedure because veneers can get damaged when you grind your teeth.
  • This procedure is not reversible.

What happens after getting veneers?

Here’s what you need to expect after having veneers placed over your natural teeth:

  • You won’t get used to them right away. It will take a few days before this happens, but once it does, you will not believe that these are not your natural teeth.
  • Getting cavities is still a possibility, which is why it would be recommended that you keep up with your oral health.
  • If you put too much pressure on them, veneers can crack or get chipped, which is why it would be best to stop yourself from biting your fingernails or trying to use your teeth as tool for opening or cutting something.

A dentist with decades of experience in cosmetic dentistry is who you should make an appointment with so that you can have an initial consultation and talk about your options. Are you an ideal candidate for getting veneers? Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS, a cosmetic and general Los Angeles dentist, that is also an expert in implant as well as emergency dentistry, will discuss veneers and suitable solutions with you. Make an appointment today!

References

  1. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, Oral Health Tips – https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/basics/adult-oral-health/tips.html
  2. Colgate, Five Types of  Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures – https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/life- stages/adult-oral-care/five-types-of-cosmetic-dentistry-procedures-0415 
  3. Becker’s Healthcare, Google Receives More Than 1 Billion Health Questions Every Day – https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/google-receives-more-than-1-billion-health-questions-every-day.html
  4. Oral Health Foundation, Veneers – https://www.dentalhealth.org/veneers