Dental Veneers in Midtown Manhattan

Who veneers can help

Veneers can improve front teeth that are:

• stained or discolored in a way whitening can't fix
• chipped, worn down or cracked at the edge
• uneven in length or shape, or smaller than the teeth beside them
• separated by small gaps
• slightly crooked, when you'd rather not straighten them

Good candidates have healthy gums, enough sound enamel and no active decay. If you have cavities or gum disease, we treat those first. If you grind or clench your teeth, we'll talk about protecting veneers with a night guard.

Veneers aren't always the right answer. A tooth with a large filling or a lot of missing structure may do better with a dental crown, which covers the whole tooth. Noticeably crooked teeth can often be straightened with Invisalign without reshaping healthy enamel. And if color is your only concern, professional teeth whitening is the simplest place to start.

What veneers are

A veneer covers the front surface of a tooth and often wraps slightly over its biting edge. It changes how the tooth looks while the tooth underneath keeps doing its job. There are two main materials:

• Porcelain veneers are thin ceramic shells made in a dental laboratory to fit your teeth. Porcelain reflects light much like natural enamel and resists staining well. Placing them usually means removing a thin layer of enamel from the front of each tooth so the veneer sits flush.
• Composite veneers are made of tooth-colored resin, the same kind of material used for bonding. The resin is shaped directly on the tooth, hardened with a curing light and polished, often in one visit. Composite is easier to repair, but it stains and chips more readily than porcelain.

Sometimes veneers can be placed with little or no reshaping of the tooth. These are often called minimal-prep or no-prep veneers. Whether that's possible depends on your teeth, their position and the result you want.

Benefits and what to expect

Well-planned veneers can:

• improve several concerns at once, such as color, shape and small gaps
• look natural, because shade, shape and surface texture are chosen to suit your face and your other teeth
• keep more natural tooth than a crown, because they cover only part of it

There are trade-offs, and you should know them before you decide. Removing enamel can't be undone, so a tooth prepared for porcelain veneers will always need a covering. Veneers can chip or come loose, especially with grinding, biting hard objects or using your teeth as tools, and in time they will need replacing. Veneers also don't respond to whitening, so if you want lighter natural teeth, whiten them before we choose the shade.

After preparation, some teeth are sensitive to hot and cold for a short time. New veneers may feel slightly different at first, and most people adjust quickly. Results depend on your teeth, your bite and how you care for your veneers, and we'll talk about realistic expectations at your exam.

How the veneer process works

1. Consultation and exam. Dr. Avner examines your teeth, gums and bite, takes X-rays if needed and asks what you'd like to change. We also discuss whether another treatment would serve you better.
2. Planning your smile. Together we decide which teeth to treat and the shape, length and shade you're aiming for. If you plan to whiten, we do that before choosing the shade.
3. Preparing the teeth. For porcelain veneers, a thin layer of enamel is removed, usually with local anesthetic, and we take a scan or impressions. You may wear temporary veneers while yours are being made.
4. Making the veneers. A dental laboratory crafts porcelain veneers to the plan. Composite veneers skip this step, because they're built directly on your teeth.
5. Try-in and bonding. We check the fit, shape and color before anything is fixed in place. Then each tooth surface is cleaned and conditioned, and the veneer is bonded with dental cement hardened by a curing light.
6. Bite check and follow-up. We polish the edges, check your bite and see you again to make sure your gums and bite feel comfortable.