Porcelain veneers are thin, custom-made shells of porcelain bonded to the front of your teeth to change their color, shape or spacing. Redondo Beach Dental Group places porcelain veneers at our office on Artesia Boulevard in Redondo Beach, a short drive from Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Torrance.
Veneers can cover one tooth or the whole front of your smile. They are also a long-term decision, because the tooth is usually reshaped to make room for them. Call (310) 542-6988 to talk about whether they fit what you want to change.
What Porcelain Veneers Can Fix
A veneer covers the visible front surface of a tooth. Your dentist may suggest veneers to:
- Close spaces and gaps between front teeth
- Cover teeth that are severely stained or discolored
- Even out teeth that are irregularly shaped, worn or too small
- Improve the look of slightly crooked teeth
- Restore front teeth that are chipped, broken or fractured
Porcelain is used because its color and translucence come close to natural enamel, and it is stain resistant. Each veneer is shaded and shaped for the tooth it covers and the teeth around it.
When Another Treatment Is the Better First Step
Veneers are one of several cosmetic dentistry treatments, and they are not always the right answer, even for problems they can cover. For yellow or brown stains on otherwise healthy teeth, teeth whitening lightens the teeth themselves without reshaping them. A single small chip or a narrow gap can often be fixed with dental bonding, which adds tooth-colored resin with little or no drilling.
Crooked or crowded teeth can be covered with veneers to look straight, but that usually means removing more of the natural tooth. Straightening them first with Invisalign® clear aligners moves the teeth into place, and any veneers placed afterward need less reshaping. If you have several concerns at once, a smile makeover plan puts the steps in the right order.
Order matters for color, too. Porcelain veneers keep the shade they are made in, and whitening gel does not change them. If you want whiter teeth as well as veneers, whiten first and let the shade settle, so the veneers can be matched to the brighter color.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Veneers
Veneers work best on healthy teeth and gums with enough enamel to bond to. Your dentist checks for a few things that can rule them out or delay them:
- Active decay or gum disease, which is treated first because a veneer placed over either can fail
- Heavy grinding or clenching, which puts extra force on porcelain; a custom night guard is often recommended
- Very little enamel left on the front of the tooth, which can make bonding less reliable
- A bite or crowding problem large enough that moving the teeth would give a better result than covering them
Veneers are for adult teeth. A tooth with a large filling or a crack through it may need a crown instead, since a crown covers the whole tooth rather than the front surface.
How Porcelain Veneers Are Placed
- Your dentist checks the health of your teeth and gums and talks through the shape, length and shade you want.
- A thin layer of enamel is usually removed from the front of each tooth so the veneer sits flush. The area is typically numbed first.
- The prepared teeth are recorded with a digital scan or an impression.
- Some veneers can be designed and milled in our office with CEREC technology and placed the same day. Ask which approach fits your teeth.
- The fit and color are checked, then each veneer is bonded to the tooth with a dental adhesive that is hardened with a curing light.
- Your bite is checked and adjusted so the new surfaces meet your lower teeth comfortably.
Teeth can feel sensitive to hot and cold for a few days after preparation and bonding. Tell us if it lasts longer or if your bite feels uneven.
How Long Veneers Last and How to Care for Them
Porcelain veneers hold up well for many people, though none lasts forever. A 2012 systematic review in the International Journal of Prosthodontics estimated that about 95.7 percent of feldspathic porcelain veneers were still in place after five years. Results at ten years varied more between studies, which is why how you care for veneers matters as much as the veneers themselves.
- Brush twice a day and floss once a day, because the natural tooth under and around a veneer can still decay
- Avoid biting ice, pens, fingernails or other hard objects, which can chip porcelain just as they chip natural teeth
- Wear a night guard if you grind your teeth
- Keep up regular checkups and cleanings so the edges of each veneer can be checked
A veneer that chips or wears out can usually be repaired or replaced. Replacement means a new veneer, not going back to the original tooth, since that enamel has already been reshaped.
Who You Will See
Dr. Moshe Eizdi leads care at Redondo Beach Dental Group. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Southern California, where he graduated with honors, and his work covers cosmetic and restorative dentistry, including implant restorations.
What Porcelain Veneers Cost
The cost of porcelain veneers depends mostly on how many teeth are being covered, since each veneer is made for a single tooth. It also depends on whether other work, such as treating decay, gum care or straightening, comes first, and on how the veneers are made. Ask for an estimate at your consultation so you know the full number before you commit.
Dental insurance usually treats veneers placed only to change appearance as cosmetic and does not cover them. Coverage can differ when a tooth is broken or damaged, so ask us how your plan applies to this treatment. We accept PPO plans, and for costs your plan does not cover we offer payment plans through Cherry, CareCredit and LendingClub, plus an in-office plan for patients without insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the typical cost for porcelain veneers?
The cost of porcelain veneers is usually quoted per tooth, so the total depends on how many teeth are covered and whether other treatment is needed first. Dental insurance rarely covers veneers placed for appearance alone. Redondo Beach Dental Group can give you an estimate at your consultation.
What disqualifies you for veneers?
Untreated decay, gum disease, heavy grinding and too little enamel are the most common reasons a dentist will hold off on veneers. Decay and gum disease can be treated first, and grinding can often be managed with a night guard. Badly crooked teeth may be better straightened before any cosmetic work.
What is the 4-8-10 rule for veneers?
The 4-8-10 rule for veneers is a common shorthand, not a clinical rule, for how many upper teeth get veneers: four for the front teeth, eight for a typical smile, and ten for a wide smile. The right number depends on how many teeth show when you smile and what you want to change.
Can I bite into an apple with veneers?
Most people with porcelain veneers can eat an apple, because bonded porcelain handles normal chewing. Cutting hard fruit into slices puts less force on the front teeth. Biting ice, pens or fingernails is a more common cause of chipped veneers than food.
Can you drink coffee with veneers?
You can drink coffee with porcelain veneers, and porcelain is stain resistant. The bonding edge and any teeth without veneers can still pick up stain, so rinsing with water after dark drinks and keeping up regular cleanings helps.
Can I get veneers if my teeth are rotting?
Veneers are not placed over decayed teeth. The decay has to be treated first, and a tooth that has lost a lot of structure may need a crown rather than a veneer. Once the teeth and gums are healthy, veneers may be an option.
Why do dentists discourage veneers?
Dentists sometimes discourage veneers because placing them usually means removing a thin layer of enamel, which cannot be undone. For a single chip, a small gap or stain alone, bonding, whitening or aligners can often reach the goal with less change to the tooth.
Ask About Porcelain Veneers in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach Dental Group is at 2511 Artesia Blvd, Redondo Beach, CA 90278. We are open Monday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Wednesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call (310) 542-6988 or request an appointment online and tell us which teeth you would like to change.