Porcelain Veneers Archives - Dr. Allyson Hurley's Blog

How old do you have to be to get porcelain veneers?

I just turned 16. After 2 years of wearing braces, I still hate my teeth. I give up. How old do I have to be to get porcelain veneers? - Jazlyn C.

Jazlyn - You can receive veneers as a teenager, but most dentists will probably advise you to wait until your jawbone growth is complete. If you receive veneers before the growth is complete, they will begin to recede at your gumline, and it will be quite noticeable. At that point, you will probably want the veneers replaced.

A single veneer can cost almost $1000—or more, depending on where you live in the country and the skill of the dentist doing the work. Eight veneers are required to cover the upper teeth that show when you smile. So you have to consider if you really want veneers at this point, when you may need to replace them in a few years.

We recommend that you visit a skilled cosmetic dentist. Let the dentist know what you don’t like about your smile. Is it the shape, color, or some other feature? It may be that teeth whitening and/or teeth contouring (reshaping) are all that is needed to enhance your smile. A cosmetic dentist will listen to your goals for your smile, let you know your options, and let you know the right time to do it, based on when your jawbone and teeth are sufficiently developed.

This post is sponsored by top NJ dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Is the Hydrogen Peroxide I have at home safe to use for teeth whitening?

Hi. I have hydrogen peroxide at home. I am wondering if I can swish it around in my mouth and get my teeth white. - Cydnee

Cydnee - Hydrogen peroxide is safe for whitening teeth. But the liquid hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet will have very little whitening effect on your teeth. Some teeth bleaching gels contain hydrogen peroxide, while others contain carbamide peroxide.

Teeth whitening gel from a dentist contains a stronger amount of the whitening agent. In addition to receiving gel from your dentist, you will receive customized teeth whitening trays. The whitening trays fit your teeth only. They are not one-size-fits-all trays that you can buy in a store, so the whitening gel is pressed against your teeth and penetrates them. You will be instructed by your dentist on how long to leave the whitening gel on your teeth.

Another advantage of getting the whitening gel from your dentist is that teeth whitening is not right for everyone. Depending on the cause of the stains in your teeth, whitening them can make stains more noticeable. In some cases, better and safer results are achieved with porcelain veneers.

Your dentist will recommend the right treatment for your case. If the right treatment is to bleach your teeth, your dentist can monitor the progress and make any needed adjustments.

This post is sponsored by New Jersey cosmetic dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Night guard for new porcelain veneers

Is it common for dentists to recommend a night guard after a patient gets new porcelain veneers? My dentist recommended it for me. I am wondering if this is just a money-making thing or if I really need it. Thanks – Tish

Tish – It is common to recommend a night guard. It will protect teeth from damage due to grinding or clenching during sleep. Many people, at least on occasion, grind or clench their teeth while they sleep, and they are completely unaware of it. When examining your teeth, your dentist may have noticed signs that indicate you may clench or grind your teeth.

Grinding or clenching teeth can damage porcelain veneers. The night guard will protect your investment and help keep your teeth in their correct position.

This post is sponsored by New Jersey cosmetic dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Makeover candidate

I’ve always been unhappy with my smile, but figured it was the one I was given and should “deal with it”. I think my teeth are too short. However, in the last three months I have chipped four teeth. (I’m not usually this clutzy). Anyway, now I feel like I have a “right” to do something about fixing my teeth. I was wondering, I know there is a way to fix the chips, but is there a way to fix my short teeth too? Would I be a smile makeover candidate? Does dental insurance cover any cosmetic stuff?

Jennifer S.- Idaho

Jennifer,

It sounds like you would make a fantastic makeover candidate. I’d specifically look into porcelain veneers. They are able to lengthen and even change the shape of your teeth.

Dental insurance tends to care more about function than form. As a result you will find that insurance is willing to get your teeth working again, but doesn’t really care how beautiful they are. Those services you generally have to cover. There are ways to do that affordably. One of the things I would not do to save money, though, is look for the cheapest cosmetic dentist. This is one of those areas where you literally get what you pay for. Two patients can get the same exact type of porcelain veneers and on one woman they’ll look stunning and on the other they look totally fake. The difference? The dentist.

It takes real artistry to make a smile look natural and stunning. I would specifically look for a dentist in your area who is AACD accredited, like Dr. Hurley is. They won’t be the cheapest, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the most expensive either. Plus, there are smart ways to save money. For instance. Let’s say all your chips are on your top teeth. If that is the case, there isn’t a huge reason to get veneers placed on your top and bottom teeth. Instead, I’d do veneers on the top teeth and just do teeth whitening on the bottom arch of teeth. That will save you quite a bit of money right there. That is just one example. Talk to your dentist about the kind of budget you have and what you’d like done. Many dentists can find ways to help you get there.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

White spot lesions after braces

I had braces and I guess I didn’t brush very well because I have these white lesions. How do you recommend I treat them? I’m disappointed because I was looking forward to having straight teeth, but now I’m just embarrassed.

Amy S.- Bigelow, AR

Amy,

Having braces is challenging. It is recommended that you brush every time you eat, even if it is not a meal. If you don’t, food will stick to the brackets and before you know it you have ugly white or sometimes even brown lesions. Generally, you can fix those with dental bonding. However, if the lesions are extensive bonding won’t be enough and you’ll need to get porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Two chipped front teeth

Hi. I have two chipped front teeth. I had dental bonding on them, but now they chipped again, even a little further. My dentist is recommending four dental crowns. That seems like such an aggressive treatment to me for teeth that are otherwise healthy. What other options do you recommend, if any? Thanks for taking time out to answer my question.

Haley M. from Wyoming.

Haley,

I’m a little confused why your dentist is recommending four crowns instead of two. You said you only had two chipped teeth. Is there some other pertinent information I don’t have? If not, I’m questioning having this dentist do your treatment.

Assuming I have all the information I will say that I agree with you. Porcelain crowns are just too aggressive a treatment for healthy teeth. However, you’ve got the problem of dental bonding not working for you already. If you got more bonding on, chances are they wouldn’t last that long the second time around either. To me, it sounds like you are a great candidate for porcelain veneers. That will take off a very minimal amount of tooth structure, and they will last.

Let me give you a word of caution though. Make sure you go to an expert cosmetic dentist to have these done. With them being your front teeth, they will be a very visible part of your smile. You’ll want them to be as artistically done as possible.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Crowns and a Trumpet

My dentist says I need crowns on my front teeth. Will I still be able to play my trumpet?

Mark S.- Kansas City.

Mark,

What a great question. The answer is yes, IF they are done properly. The thickness and position of teeth not only affect your appearance, but your speech, your ability to sing, and your ease of playing an instrument. If they are not done properly, you may have to deal with a lisping or whistling sound. It is important you have your porcelain crowns ( or even porcelain veneers) done by an expert cosmetic dentist.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey cosmetic dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Excellent Dental Bonding

I need some dental bonding done of my front tooth. I tripped and chipped the tooth on some cement. When I went to my dentist for a consultation, he did a mock up for me. I was so glad I did that before agreeing to the procedure. The bonding looked quite dull and yellow compared to my natural tooth structure. He said he would have to order a lighter shade of bonding material to get what I am wanting. I think he said the lightest he has is B1. I’m a little uncomfortable with him doing the procedure because even if he had matched the right shade, it would not address how completely dull and lifeless the bonding looked. The change in opacity made it look like he’d just glued something on the mock tooth. I wonder if I am being unreasonable with my expectations, but I’d like to have bonding done that looks like my tooth, which was quite beautiful before my fall.

Bella T. - St. Martin

Bella,

You are not being unreasonable at all! If your dentist cannot match the natural appearance of your tooth than he is probably not a qualified cosmetic dentist. There is not a recognized cosmetic dentistry specialty. As a result, any dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. However, to truly be qualified as a cosmetic dentist it takes a lot of additional training. I tend to think of general dentists as mechanics. They can fix the problem. Qualified cosmetic dentists are artists. They will make your smile look astonishingly beautiful.

Based on what you have said, I think your dentist falls closer to the mechanic side of things. He can fix the chip, but it will not be beautiful. Here are some things to be aware of with your dental bonding. As you consult with another dentist, you can get an idea if he knows what he’s doing. The fact that the lightest shade he could get to was a B1 tells me he doesn’t do a lot of cosmetic work. Additionally, it is much more than just picking the right shade to get a tooth to look natural. I loved reading your concerns because you instinctively knew what your dentist didn’t.

In addition to having the right shade, your dentist will need various translucencies and surface gloss. He will use an inner body shade of composite, for which he will use a strong hybrid composite that will have some opacity to it. After that there are lighter and lighter shades built into the composite as you get near the incisal edge, with a translucent area right on the incisal edge. After all that is done, he will add a microfill that will have a high surface luster in order to mimic the appearance of enamel. A dentist who does that will give you bonding that looks as beautiful as your own tooth. As you can see anyone who just picks a shade and goes does not know what they are doing.

Another procedure you might be interested in is porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Crowns for front teeth

I had some bonding done on my two front teeth about three years ago. They are now chipped and my dentist wants to do two crowns instead. I don’t want that much of my teeth ground away. Should I just get them re-bonded?

Lissel D. in Kansas

Dear Lissel,

Though I haven’t seen your case, I would not consider crowns the next best step if all that is wrong with them is the chipping. Porcelain crowns seem like an aggressive move. You could have them re-bonded, but seeing as they’re already chipping I’m not sure that is a great option for you. My suggestion would be porcelain veneers. There is very little tooth preparation needed, just some mild shaving. You cannot tell the difference in appearance between a shaved and unshaved tooth. In addition, veneers are very strong and durable. Hope this helps your decision.

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Allyson Hurley.