Veneers – Los Gatos, CA
Achieve the Smile of Your Dreams
Veneers are the open secret behind the flawless smiles of many media personalities, movie stars, and other celebrities, and they can completely transform a grin in a brief time. Enhancing a smile with these devices can improve a patient’s confidence and help them leave favorable first impressions at work or at social gatherings. Here’s a quick overview of how veneers work, but feel free to contact Dr. Herrera’s staff if you have any questions.
Why Choose Dr. Cristina Herrera for Veneers?
- Skilled and Compassionate Cosmetic Dentist
- Address Many Imperfections with One Treatment
- Flexible Financing from CareCredit Available
What Are Dental Veneers?
Veneers are thin ceramic or porcelain shells designed to be cemented over troubled teeth to address misshapenness or imperfections like chips, cracks, stains, and gaps, and they are indistinguishable from natural enamel once placed. These versatile devices can address many dental flaws at once and resculpt the patient’s smile into a dazzling new state. These appliances can last up to fifteen years before needing replacement if they receive excellent care, and they are stain-resistant to ensure that your smile stays beautiful and shiny for as long as possible.
The Process of Getting Veneers
Before you can receive veneers, you’ll have to have a consultation with Dr. Herrera so she can evaluate your oral health and make sure you can receive the treatment safely. During this meeting, she will also discuss your preferences for your smile so she can understand your goals and design your treatment accordingly.
Once you are approved for the treatment, you will be scheduled for an appointment at our office. The process begins with Dr. Herrera applying an appropriate anesthetic to ensure your comfort before removing a small amount of enamel from the teeth being treated and measuring their new dimensions. This data will be used to craft customized veneers that will fit comfortably over your teeth and align with your existing bite. When your appliances are ready, Dr. Herrera will cement them over your teeth to create a beautiful new smile. If you need any adjustments to feel comfortable afterward, we’ll be happy to make them.
The Benefits of Veneers
Veneers offer a range of astounding benefits for your smile and your self-esteem. A few of these include:
- Stain-resistant ceramic materials ensure your new smile stays shiny and gorgeous
- Lasting up to fifteen years before needing replacement if they receive excellent care
- Addressing multiple defects with a single treatment
- Being customized to fit properly and provide a lifelike appearance
Understanding the Cost of Veneers
Most dental insurance companies do not cover elective cosmetic treatments such as veneers since they are not usually medically necessary, but there may be exceptions if the devices provide health benefits like protecting injured teeth. We offer flexible financing plans from CareCredit that can break your cosmetic dental bill into easily manageable monthly payments with little or no interest. However, the details of insurance plans vary considerably, so we’ll be happy to help you navigate your policy during your consultation.
Veneers FAQs
What Happens to the Teeth Under Veneers?
Veneers are made from incredibly resilient materials and are coated with a glaze durable enough to keep them from chipping and cracking, which can help shield the underlying teeth from harm.
Some patients assume that means they no longer need to worry about oral issues, like injuries, cavities, or gum disease, but nothing could be further from the truth. These shells only cover the front surfaces of your enamel. The remaining sides are still exposed and therefore vulnerable to tooth decay and other concerns. Thankfully, you can prevent this by implementing a consistent twice-daily dental hygiene routine and visiting Dr. Herrera every 6 months for a routine checkup and cleaning.
Are Veneers Permanent?
The first set of veneers was designed to be a temporary solution to improve a movie star’s smile for the big screen, and some patients today still wonder whether these restorations are removable. But the truth is, they’re generally not intended to come off once they’ve been cemented in place.
Not only that, but for them to fit correctly, Dr. Herrera must remove a small amount of enamel from the underlying teeth, which doesn’t grow back. That means this treatment requires making irreversible changes to their structure. But these prosthetics aren’t always considered ‘permanent’ because they can wear down, become damaged, or be dislodged, requiring repairs or replacement.
Can I Drink Coffee with Veneers?
These shells are customized to match or improve the size, shape, and tone of your natural teeth for beautiful results that boost your confidence. But if you rely on your morning cup of coffee to get moving on a daily basis, you might wonder whether it’s safe to drink with your cosmetics in place.
Veneers don’t stain as easily as your natural teeth, so most patients can enjoy this popular caffeinated beverage without worrying they’ll become discolored right away. But it’s worth noting that coffee can potentially stain your natural enamel faster than your prosthetics, causing inconsistent coloration. Reducing your consumption can help avoid potential problems.
Do Veneers Cause a Lisp?
Veneers are usually only about 0.2 to 0.5 mm thick so they don’t look or feel overly bulky in your mouth and are unlikely to contribute to any misalignments. But it can still take your tongue and the other sensitive tissues in your mouth a few weeks to fully acclimate to their presence and dimensions.
Some patients develop a temporary lisp during this time, especially around “v”, “s” or “th” sounds. Thankfully, this side effect often resolves itself with enough time and patience, and you may be able to speed up the process by reading out loud to yourself at home. This can help identify challenging sounds to rehearse until you feel more confident in your enunciation.