Porcelain veneers are thin shells of porcelain precisely made to fit over the fronts of your teeth. They can change the shape, color, and alignment of your teeth. Dr. LeSage of Beverly Hills will carefully design your smile with porcelain veneers to complement your facial features and oral anatomy and capture the look and personality you want to project.
Why Are Porcelain Veneers Beneficial?
Porcelain is the material of choice because of its strength and esthetic properties that can be manipulated to mimic the shade, translucency, and gloss of natural teeth. Porcelain is harder and more stain resistant than tooth enamel and can create a smile that looks so natural that no one will know you had work done.
When Are Porcelain Veneers Used?
Porcelain veneers are used to improve your smile and conceal many types of imperfections, including:
- Gaps
- Misalignment
- Discoloration
- Poor shape
- Chips or cracks
- Wear
- Full-mouth reconstruction
How Do Porcelain Veneers Work?
Porcelain veneers work by covering the fronts and sides of your teeth. Customized shells of porcelain adhere to your teeth and look and feel natural. Veneers improve the shape, color, size, and alignment of your teeth. The next section explains what Dr. LeSage of Beverly Hills does to customize porcelain veneers for you.
What Is the Porcelain Veneers Process?
Dr. LeSage will bond a thin shell of custom-made porcelain to each treated tooth. But before that, he follows a meticulous process to ensure you’ll love the look and feel of your new smile. What’s involved?
- With a thorough examination, ensure your teeth and gums are healthy
- Carefully listen as you describe your goals for your smile
- Review any pictures you bring as examples of smiles that you like
- Take photographs of your face and mouth
- Record the current function, position, and characteristics of your oral anatomy and teeth to ensure that he places each veneer in the optimal position
- Analyze your tooth shape and size
- Create models of your teeth
- Create a digital or wax model of your new smile for you to examine and request adjustments in tooth shape, size, or shade to match your preferences
- Consult with his master ceramist, who will eventually sculpt your porcelain veneers
- Conservatively prepare your natural teeth to preserve the maximum amount of your natural enamel and enable a secure long-lasting bond. This minimal preparation is more conservative than what’s offered by most dentists. Read our porcelain veneer preparation page for details.
- Place provisional (temporary) veneers on your teeth so you can try out the look and feel
- After you’ve decided you love the provisional smile makeover, Dr. LeSage will have the porcelain veneers crafted to the same look
Images from:
Update to Preparation Design 1 and Clinical Concepts Using the LeSage Veneer Classification System, Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry Volume 32, Issue 2, February 25, 2020, LeSage, Brian P.
Establishing a Classification System and Criteria for Veneer Preparations, Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry June 2019 RN, Brian LeSage, DDS
Dr. LeSage includes your input throughout the smile design process. He will ensure you love the model veneers before his master ceramist makes your porcelain veneers. So when it’s time to try on the final product, you’ll be excited—not nervous—about how they will look and feel. When you’re confident that you love your porcelain veneers, Dr. LeSage will bond them to your teeth.
Do Porcelain Veneers Hurt?
Porcelain veneers do not hurt. Dr. LeSage’s minimal-prep procedure leaves most of your tooth structure intact. After treatment, you may experience mild, temporary sensitivity to heat and cold.
Do Veneers Require Preparation?
Not every porcelain veneer case requires tooth preparation. But did you know that, in many cases, not preparing your teeth at all can make them look bulky or may irritate your gums? Dr. Brian LeSage of Beverly Hills avoids aggressive tooth preparation. He will explain the results you can expect with or without veneer preparation. He has published articles in cosmetic dentistry journals on the value of minimal preparation for healthy teeth and long-lasting veneers. If you agree to preparation, be assured that Dr. LeSage’s technique is among the most conservative you can find.
Are Veneers Reversible?
Whether porcelain veneers are reversible depends on the extent of preparation for your teeth. Sometimes no preparation or very little preparation is required. In those cases, it may be possible to remove your veneers. Whenever a cosmetic dentist prepares your teeth, it permanently changes your tooth structure. But each patient’s case is different. Dr. LeSage will explain what you can expect.
Are Veneers Permanent?
Porcelain veneers are considered permanent because they are designed and crafted as a long-lasting smile makeover that you can keep for years. However, a cosmetic dentist can remove them. Also, after 15 or 20 years, you will eventually need to replace them.
Do They Break Easily?
High-quality porcelain veneers do not break easily. Porcelain is more durable than tooth enamel. So, choose quality over cost, and select a skilled cosmetic dentist who will bond your veneers correctly to ensure they adhere to your teeth. Also, see the section on this page on how to take care of your veneers to avoid damaging them.
How Long Do Porcelain Veneers Last?
Well-made and properly bonded porcelain veneers can last up to 15 years—sometimes longer. But you must take good care of them with good oral hygiene, routine checkups, and dental cleanings. You can prevent damaging them by seeking an advanced cosmetic dentist for your dental care.
How to Take Care of Your Veneers
You can take care of porcelain veneers with these steps:
- Floss around them daily
- Brush them with a soft toothbrush and non-abrasive paste
- Avoid using your teeth to bite or open hard or sharp objects
- Schedule appointments with a dentist and hygienist trained to care for veneers
- If you grind or clench your teeth, let us know. Dr. LeSage can provide you with a custom nightguard to wear while you are asleep
A Beautiful Smile You’ll Love
Dr. LeSage’s process makes it easy to understand how he can guarantee you’ll love your smile makeover with porcelain veneers. As an instructor in dental esthetics at UCLA and with fellowships in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, Dr. LeSage of Beverly Hills is knowledgeable and experienced in designing personalized smiles that are in harmony with your face, lips, and mouth.
If you want to learn how porcelain veneers can transform your smile, call us to schedule an appointment or complete our Request an Appointment form.