What Does It Mean to Have My Teeth Cosmetically Contoured?
By Dr. Spencer Hornstein | Published on May 3, 2011 | 0 Comments
Just about any dentist can put on porcelain veneers; however, it takes a lot of experience to put on veneers that actually look and feel like natural teeth. According to Dr. Spencer Hornstein, a well-known cosmetic dentist in Bethesda, Maryland, the key to making a patient’s porcelain veneers look great is utilizing cosmetic contouring during the placement procedure.
As a dentist in Bethesda, Dr. Hornstein says he frequently meets with patients who say they are interested in veneers even though they aren’t exactly sure what porcelain veneers really are. Before they are put on the teeth, porcelain veneers look similar to small, porcelain fingernails, explains Dr. Hornstein.
Speaking from his office at Dentistry of Bethesda, Dr. Hornstein goes on to explain that he has been able to get fantastic results for his patients with veneers by contouring or reshaping their smile using either a gum lift or gingival re-contouring procedures.
Although it is not a requirement that patients who receive veneers get gingival re-contouring at the same time, Dr. Hornstein says that having this procedure done can dramatically change the way a person perceives his or her own smile. Additionally, gingival re-contouring can help make veneers look more natural than they might appear otherwise.
In addition to re-contouring the gums, Dr. Hornstein also takes the time to reshape his patients’ teeth before putting on veneers. This process makes it easier for the teeth to receive the veneers, and makes it easier for the veneers to fit smoothly on the face of the teeth. People who have had their teeth reshaped before getting veneers tend to end up with more feminine or masculine looking smiles; depending on the shape of the person’s face and how the smile line or lip line fits against his or her teeth.
By re-contouring the gums and reshaping the teeth, Dr. Hornstein can determine with precision exactly how much of the tooth is going to show when a patient smiles, and how natural the person’s new smile is going to be.
To ensure his patients will be satisfied with the final outcome, Dr. Hornstein is a dentist in Bethesda who makes mock-ups and shows his patients what their smiles look like before veneers, and what their smiles will look like afterward. He also takes a large number of photos of each case, as a way to show patients how far their smiles have come, and how much they have changed in a short amount of time.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.