Porcelain Veneers in Beverly Hills, CA
Medically reviewed by Dr. Kayla Lebeau, DDS
Porcelain veneers, made to look like teeth
A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain bonded to the front of a tooth. It changes shape, color and alignment in one step, which is why it is the fastest route to a different smile, and why it is so often oversold.
Done well, nobody can tell. Done badly, everybody can. The difference is not the porcelain; it is whether the plan respects your bite, your gum line and the proportions of your face.
- Usually takes3 to 4 visits over a few weeks
- NumbingLocal anesthetic
- Temporary veneersWorn between visits
- LastsMany years with care
Veneers tend to suit you if
- Your front teeth are chipped, worn or uneven
- Whitening has not shifted the color
- There are small gaps you want closed
- An old bonding or crown no longer matches
- Your teeth are healthy underneath. Veneers cover, they do not cure
What actually happens
- Consultation and recordsPhotographs, a scan and a conversation about what you want changed. We check the bite and gum health first, because veneers bonded onto an unstable foundation fail.
- A design you approveWe plan the shape and proportions and show you a preview. Nothing is prepared until you have seen where it is going.
- PreparationA small amount of enamel is reduced so the porcelain sits flush instead of bulking the tooth out. Some cases need very little. Done under local anesthetic.
- TemporariesYou leave with temporary veneers in the agreed shape, and live with them. If something feels wrong, it is changed before the finals are made.
- FittingThe porcelain is checked for fit, shade and bite, then bonded. Adjustments happen here, not afterwards.
- AftercareA review, and a night guard if you grind. Grinding is the most common reason veneers chip.
What veneers do well, and where they fall short
Veneers solve some problems better than anything else and are the wrong tool for others. Both halves of that are worth knowing before you commit to something irreversible.
They change several things at once
Color, shape, width, edge and apparent alignment all move together. Nothing else does that in a few weeks. If your complaint is a combination rather than one thing, this is usually why veneers come up.
They resist staining
Glazed porcelain holds its shade far better than natural enamel against coffee, tea and red wine. The catch is the reverse: porcelain cannot be whitened later either, so the shade you choose is the shade you keep.
They are not reversible
Most cases need a small amount of enamel reduced, and enamel does not grow back. From that point the tooth needs a covering of some kind for the rest of its life. Some cases suit minimal-prep veneers; we tell you which yours is.
They are restorations, not permanent
Well-made veneers commonly last 10 to 15 years and often longer. They can chip, and the gum line moves over decades, so expect replacement eventually. Grinding shortens that considerably, which is why we check your bite first.
They do not fix gum health or a bad bite
Bonding porcelain to an inflamed or unstable foundation buys a good photograph and an early failure. Any gum treatment or bite correction comes first. If that means we start somewhere other than veneers, we will say so.
Veneers, or something else?
Veneers are not always the right answer, and we would rather tell you that at the consultation than halfway through.
- If the color is the only issue. Try whitening first. It removes no enamel and costs a fraction as much.
- If the teeth are crooked but otherwise sound. Invisalign moves your own teeth rather than covering them.
- If a tooth is broken or heavily filled. It likely needs a crown, which protects the whole tooth. A veneer only covers the front.
- If the gums show more than the teeth: gum contouring may be the actual fix.
What they cost
Veneers are priced per tooth, and the number of teeth is the main variable. Most people need between four and ten across the front. You get an itemized plan in writing at the consultation, before anything is prepared. Insurance rarely covers veneers where the reason is appearance; where a tooth is damaged, part of the treatment may qualify, and we will help you find out.
Do veneers ruin your teeth?
No, but they are not reversible, the enamel removed does not grow back, so the tooth will always need something on it. That is exactly why we rule out whitening and Invisalign first where they would do the job.
Will they stain?
Porcelain does not stain the way natural enamel does. Coffee and red wine will not discolor the veneer, though they still affect the teeth around it.
How long do they last?
Many years when they are looked after. What shortens them is grinding, biting nails or ice, and skipping maintenance, which is why a night guard is part of the plan if you grind.
Does it hurt?
Preparation is done under local anesthetic. Teeth can feel sensitive for a few days afterwards, which settles.
How white is too white?
The shade should sit within the range your face reads as natural, usually keyed to the whites of your eyes. We will show you shades against your own face rather than off a chart.
When bonding is enough, we say so
Two front teeth with uneven edges and a color mismatch against the teeth beside them. Surface bonding corrected the shape and blended the tone. Veneers were not necessary, and this is the conversation we would rather have first.
See what is actually right for your teeth
- (310) 860-6969Someone here answers.
- Request a visitWe will call to confirm.
- Pick a time onlineChoose your own slot.