Designing a better smile sometimes requires a change in the size, shape, or color of your teeth. Porcelain laminate veneers (thin layers of dental ceramic material) enhance your appearance by replacing the natural enamel on the outside of your teeth. A veneer is physically bonded to the surface of a tooth, in essence, becoming part of it.

Traditionally, a small amount of the natural tooth enamel is drilled away to allow room for the veneer. But today, in some circumstances, it is possible to use an approach where enamel reduction or preparation is not necessary because the veneers can be bonded directly onto the tooth's natural surface. These are called “Prepless” or “No-prep” veneers, and are used to create aesthetically pleasing and natural looking restorations. An advantage of the prepless procedure is that the process is reversible so that you can give your new smile a “test drive.”

You may be a good subject for Prepless veneers if:

• Your smile is narrow because the teeth in the sides of your smile are positioned inward and do not show from a frontal view.
• There is spacing between your teeth, and the teeth appear too small.
• You have a fairly common genetic condition in which one or both of the teeth directly next to the two upper front teeth are very small and peg-shaped.
• There is an imbalance between the size of your lips and teeth (large lips and small teeth), which are not in proportion to show off your best smile.

Prepless veneers are probably not for you if:

• Your teeth are not aligned properly in your bite.
• Your teeth are very crowded, resulting in poor facial profile.
• Your teeth are already relatively large or positioned forward.

In these cases you may need to have some form of orthodontic treatment to move your teeth into better position. Sometimes veneers can be used to create an illusion of proper tooth alignment, but some amount of tooth reduction may be required.

We can assess whether prepless veneers are right for you. There is no substitute for an expert dentist's talent and expertise with the various cosmetic techniques available today. These skills combined with a thorough diagnostic evaluation, and a clear understanding of your goals, are the keys to providing you with a successful and beautiful smile.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment or to discuss your questions about cosmetic dentistry. You can also learn more about prepless veneers by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Porcelain Veneers Without the Drill.”

While the long-term success rate for a dental implant is well over 95%, there are factors that can compromise their success. For this reason, our office has put together this list so that you can be prepared should you ever need a dental implant. We feel that by providing our patients with this type of easy-to-understand information, we can educate, address any concerns and help produce the best results.

The three most common categories for classifying factors that influence dental implant success are: general health concerns, local factors and maintenance issues. As you may suspect, general health concerns include factors such as:

• Whether or not you smoke or use tobacco products.
• Certain prescription and over-the-counter medications you are currently taking or have recently taken.
• If you have or have a family history of osteoporosis (“osteo” – bone; “porosis” – sponge-like).
• If your medical history includes any cancer or radiation treatment to the jaws.
• Or if you have a compromised immune (resistance) system.

The second category is “local factors” and includes bone quantity and quality — there must be sufficient bone to anchor implants. Other considerations that fall into this category include whether or not you clench or grind your teeth or have additional bite concerns, as all of these can have negative impacts on both the short and long-term success of an implant.

The last category concerns maintenance. While dental implants are superior works of technology that can last a lifetime and produce results that are nearly identical to natural teeth in looks and durability, they do require routine maintenance. This includes daily cleaning (brushing and flossing) and routine visits to our office for evaluation and professional care to make sure they are functioning properly.

To learn more on this subject, continue reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Factors which can influence implant success.” You can also contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions about dental implants.

If you are unhappy with the appearance of your smile and would like to change it, we can help you determine what will work best, from a simple whitening to brighten your smile to a complete smile makeover — the possibilities are almost limitless! Consider a “Smile Design” customized just for you. One method of improving your smile is with porcelain veneers. Porcelain laminate veneer tooth restorations are thin layers of dental ceramic — a glass-like material created by dental laboratory technicians, the “artists” who exactly mimic natural teeth making them straighter, whiter, and brighter. They are used to replace worn, dull-looking stained enamel. In addition to making your teeth and smile whiter and brighter, veneers can even be used to change tooth shape and color, close small spaces, and reshape slightly crooked or mis-shapen teeth.

In order to determine if porcelain veneers are a viable solution to help you achieve the smile you have always longed for, consider the following questions:

• Do you want to permanently alter the appearance of your smile?
• Are you hoping to make improvements to your smile that don't take a very long time to complete?
• Are you looking for a way to improve your smile with minimal or even no removal of your natural tooth material?
• Would you like to have more evenly aligned teeth?
• Do you want to change the color of your teeth?
• Do you want whiter teeth and a brighter smile?

If the answer to one or more of these questions is yes and whitening or other treatments have not given you the smile you want, we can help you assess the feasibility of porcelain veneers as one of the many options to enhance and improve your smile. We can fully discuss all the benefits, risks, alternatives, and costs associated with improving your smile.

Call us to make an appointment for a Smile Design consultation and we can get started. If you would like to read more information about porcelain veneers, as well as see a few before and after photos, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Smile Design Enhanced With Porcelain Veneers.”

Dental implants are a fascinating treatment option that can be life changing when used properly. They have also experienced tremendous scientific advancements and press over the years making them highly desirable by people of all walks of life. See how much you really know about dental implants by taking our quick and easy true/false self test.

1. Dental implants can produce lifelike results that are indistinguishable from natural surrounding teeth.
   True or False
2. Many dental professionals consider dental implants as a “third set of teeth,” as they can last a lifetime when properly maintained.
   True or False
3. A dental implant is a safe option that is suitable for all patients regardless of age.
   True or False
4. When properly placed and maintained, dental implants have a 90% success rate.
   True or False
5. If you do not have enough bone to support a successful dental implant, there is not much that can be done.
   True or False
6. When teeth are missing, the face tends to have a sunken-in appearance called, “posterior bite collapse.”
   True or False
7. One of the positives of dental implants is that they do not affect adjacent teeth.
   True or False
8. Dental implants typically cost significantly more than other options, such as a bridge, over the course of a lifetime.
   True or False
9. Dental implants are always more desirable than bridgework or other treatment options for missing teeth.
   True or False
10. Dental implants can lead to improved health due to better nutrition and proper digestion.
    True or False

1. True. Dental implants can appear as beautiful, natural teeth.
2. True. When properly maintained, implants provide the same function as natural teeth roots.
3. False. Dental implants are not suitable for replacing primary teeth or permanent teeth in young children or teenagers. They are best used when facial and jaw development is complete.
4. False. They have a 95% success rate.
5. False. If you do not have enough bone for a dental implant, you may be a candidate for a bone graft — a process in which we “grow” the bone we need for the implant.
6. True. This condition is often totally reversible once teeth have been restored through implants or bridgework.
7. True. Unlike bridgework, dental implants do not affect surrounding teeth.
8. False. They are less expensive in the long run.
9. False. Sometimes a bridge is better than an implant.
10. True. Once teeth are restored, chewing and digesting food is easier; thus health improves.

To learn more, continue reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants, Your Third Set of Teeth.” Or, you can contact us today to schedule an appointment or to discuss your questions.

A veneer is a thin layer of dental ceramic tooth-colored restorative material, usually made of porcelain, which replaces some of the tooth's enamel and is physically bonded to it.

You might want to consider porcelain veneers:

10. If your teeth are severely discolored. (For best results we may recommend that your teeth be whitened before veneering them.)
9. If your teeth cannot be evenly whitened or matched by other means.
8. If your teeth are misshapen or worn, you can change their size or shape for optimum aesthetic appeal.
7. If you don't want to have your teeth prepared (drilled), prepless veneers may be an option to change your smile.
6. If you want as little natural tooth structure prepared as possible to improve your smile.
5. If you would like something temporary first to “test-drive” your new smile, then:
4. “Provisional veneers” allow you to try out your new smile and give us feedback before the final permanent veneers are placed.
3. If you want to improve your smile for just one tooth or even multiple teeth.
2. If you want long-lasting restorations — veneers can last from seven to twenty years or more.

And the top reason is:

1. Porcelain laminate veneers are among the most aesthetic ways to create a more beautiful, yet normal, looking smile.

Tell us what you want to change about your current smile, and we can tell you whether veneers are right for you. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or to discuss your questions about cosmetic dentistry. You can learn more by reading about porcelain veneers in Dear Doctor magazine.