Are you one of more than 60% of Americans who are unhappy with your smile? In a world where first impressions are vitally important (whether in person or online), being concerned about how your teeth look can have a significant impact on your confidence, affecting how you carry yourself and interact with others. Fortunately, you don’t just have to accept teeth that are crooked, chipped, or stained. There are several ways to boost the brilliance of your smile, including porcelain veneers. However, what if you want to further elevate your results? In this blog, we’ll explore three of the most popular cosmetic dental treatments to combine with your porcelain veneers to achieve a total smile makeover.
Table of Contents
- What Are Porcelain Veneers?
- Cosmetic Dental Procedures That Complement Porcelain Veneers
- Teeth Whitening
- Dental Implants
- Gum Contouring
What Are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are thin, custom-made shells made from durable, stain-resistant ceramic designed to mimic the natural translucency and shine of real tooth enamel. To attach them, a layer of enamel is carefully removed from the surface of your teeth, creating space and providing a textured surface that allows the veneers to adhere more securely. The veneers are then placed and bonded to your teeth with dental bonding cement, adjusted to ensure a perfect fit, and polished to a beautiful finish.
Porcelain veneers are typically used to correct:
- Stained or discolored teeth
- Minor chips or cracks
- Gaps between your teeth
- Crooked, short, or uneven teeth
Once placed, dental veneers can last a decade or longer with proper oral hygiene and routine dental care.
Porcelain veneers are most effective, both functionally and cosmetically, when the surrounding teeth and gums are healthy and in good shape. That’s why combining veneers with other cosmetic dental treatments can sometimes be the best approach, as it ensures that both the aesthetics and health of your smile are optimized.
Cosmetic Dental Procedures That Complement Porcelain Veneers
Many people opt to combine their veneer treatment with other cosmetic or restorative procedures to achieve an even more comprehensive smile transformation, often referred to as a “smile makeover.” The right combination of treatments can balance your gum line, align your bite, and ensure that every visible tooth contributes to a beautiful overall result.
The most common treatments combined with porcelain veneers include:
- Teeth whitening for the surrounding teeth
- Dental implants to replace missing teeth
- Gum reshaping to correct uneven or “gummy” smiles
Below, we take a look at how each of these procedures can enhance your porcelain veneer results and whether they should be performed before or after the placement of your dental veneers.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is a popular and versatile way to boost the whiteness of your smile. You can choose to whiten your teeth at home using over-the-counter products, such as toothpaste, strips, or LED kits. However, nothing does the job faster and more efficiently than ZOOM! Teeth Whitening. With just one in-office treatment of under an hour, ZOOM! can give you teeth that are up to eight shades whiter than before you came in.
Before or After Veneers?
Teeth whitening should always be done before getting porcelain veneers. Veneers are made from a ceramic material that doesn’t respond to whitening agents, so their color will remain the same even if you decide to whiten your natural teeth later. Whitening before your veneers allows your dentist to match the veneer shade precisely to your newly brightened natural teeth.
If you whiten your teeth after getting veneers, there’s a risk your surrounding natural teeth will become lighter than your veneers, creating an uneven look.
How Do They Complement Veneers?
Teeth whitening and porcelain veneers work beautifully together to deliver a radiant, uniform smile. Whitening can enhance the brightness of your natural teeth, while veneers perfect the shape, symmetry, and tone of the most visible ones. Together, they create a seamless, camera-ready smile that looks both natural and flawless.
Dental Implants
Dental implants replace missing teeth using a titanium post surgically placed in your jawbone, followed by a custom crown. They not only complete your smile and keep your bite aligned, but they also prevent bone loss in your jaw that occurs when a tooth is missing.
Before or After Veneers?
Dental implants should be completed before your veneer treatment. Because implant placement and healing take time, your veneers should be planned after your implant crown is finalized to ensure proper alignment, spacing, and bite.
If your veneers are placed first, changes made during dental implant surgery could affect how your veneers fit or look next to the crown of the new implant.
How Do They Complement Veneers?
Dental implants and veneers complement each other by blending function and beauty. Implants restore missing teeth and provide a stable foundation for chewing and speaking, while veneers refine the visible aesthetics of your remaining teeth. When combined, they create a consistent color, contour, and alignment across your entire smile, making it impossible to tell which teeth are natural, veneered, or implanted.
Gum Contouring
Gum contouring, also known as gum reshaping, gingivectomy, or crown lengthening, is a cosmetic dental procedure that sculpts and evens out your gum line. Using a laser or surgical tool, excess gum tissue is removed to reveal more of the tooth surface, creating a balanced, symmetrical, and aesthetically pleasing smile that complements your facial features.
Before or After Veneers?
Gum contouring should almost always be performed before your veneers are placed. Performing it first ensures that your veneers are crafted to perfectly complement your final gum shape and keep your smile proportional.
If done afterward, gum reshaping could expose the edges of the porcelain veneers or affect their intended proportions, compromising your results and requiring revision.
How Do They Complement Veneers?
Gum reshaping enhances the aesthetics of your veneers by beautifully framing your teeth. A symmetrical gum line makes your veneers appear more natural, balanced, and proportionate to your face. If you have a “gummy smile” or uneven gum heights, combining gum contouring with porcelain veneers can dramatically transform your overall results by creating an elegant and harmonious smile that looks and feels more confident and natural.
Learn More About Dental Veneers in Beverly Hills
Are you ready to give your smile that coveted red-carpet brilliance? Choosing porcelain veneers is the perfect first step. To learn more about how veneers can transform your smile and what other cosmetic dental procedures can take your results to the next level, it’s time to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kevin Sands. To make an appointment, call our office today at (310) 273-0111 or complete the online contact form.