Veneers, replaced
Her old veneers had failed, discolored and pulling away at the gumline. They were removed and a new set made.
Changing your smile
Veneers and cosmetic dentistry in Winchester
Porcelain and composite veneers, and full smile makeovers, planned and done here in Winchester, TN.
What we do here
Porcelain and composite veneers
Both materials are offered here.
Full smile makeovers
Planned across all the teeth that show when you smile, not one tooth at a time.
Before and after cases
Examples of the work, from this practice's own patients.
Veneers, in porcelain or composite
A veneer is a thin shell that covers the front of a tooth, changing its colour, its shape or its length. It is one way to change several front teeth at once when they are stained, chipped, worn, uneven or gapped and the teeth underneath are otherwise sound.
We place both kinds. Porcelain veneers are ceramic; composite veneers are built from tooth-coloured resin.
How many appointments it takes depends on the case and on the material, and that is settled at the consultation.
Planning and preparing
We look at your teeth and talk through what you want changed. The veneers are planned for shade and shape, and the teeth are prepared for them. Where the case calls for it, a temporary set covers the teeth until the veneers are ready.
Placing them
The veneers are fitted to the teeth, checked for fit and for how they look when you smile, and bonded in place. Small adjustments to shape and bite are made at this stage.
Other ways to change a smile
Bonding, contouring and a full makeover are the other options.
Bonding
Tooth-coloured resin is shaped onto a tooth to repair a chip, close a small gap or change an edge. It suits a change to one tooth or a few, where a veneer would be more than the job needs.
Contouring
A little of the surface enamel is smoothed or reshaped to even out a chip, a rough edge or a tooth that sits a little long.
Smile makeovers
A plan for the whole smile: several teeth changed together, by whichever of these treatments each one needs, so the result is one smile rather than a set of repairs.
Teeth whitening
Whitening lightens the teeth you have rather than changing them. It is its own treatment, done in the office or with a take-home kit.
Before and after, in our patients’ own smiles
Every pair here is a patient of this practice, shown with their consent.
- BeforeAfter
BeforeAfter
Smile update
One front tooth sat darker and out of line with the rest. Afterwards the front teeth read as one even, matched row.
How a makeover goes
The work is planned before any of it is done, and the order matters: each step depends on the one before.
Consultation and photographs
We talk through what you want changed and what bothers you about your smile now. An examination of your teeth and gums, and photographs, are the starting point for everything after.
The design
The changes are planned across the whole smile and talked through with you, so you know what the finished teeth are meant to look like.
Preparation
Anything that needs treating first, such as decay or the health of the gums, is dealt with before cosmetic work starts. Then the teeth are prepared for the work planned.
Placement
The work is fitted, checked against the plan and against how you smile, and adjusted where it needs it. The care it needs afterwards is explained.
Available with sedation, from nitrous to IV.
Questions before a consultation
What is the difference between porcelain and composite veneers?
Porcelain veneers are made from ceramic, and composite veneers are built from tooth-coloured resin. We offer both. Which one is right depends on your teeth and on what you want changed, so it is decided at a consultation, with your teeth in front of us.
What is dental bonding?
Dental bonding is tooth-coloured resin shaped onto a tooth to repair a chip, close a small gap or change an edge. It suits a change to one tooth or a few, where a veneer would be more than the job needs. Contouring, which smooths or reshapes a little of the surface enamel, is another way to even out a chip or a rough edge.
How much do veneers cost?
The price follows the material, the number of teeth and how much has to be done to those teeth first. A full smile makeover is a different job from a single tooth, so a figure comes after an exam.
Do I have to treat all my front teeth?
No. Where it suits the case, a single tooth can be treated on its own. A makeover is the plan for when several teeth are involved and need to work together. Which one makes sense depends on how your teeth sit together, and a consultation answers that.
What is a smile makeover?
A plan for changing several of the teeth that show when you smile, so the result works as one smile rather than a series of separate repairs. It starts with a consultation and photographs.
Are the before and after photos from your own patients?
Yes. Mouths differ, so treat them as examples of the work rather than a promise about yours.
Does insurance cover cosmetic dentistry?
Insurance often treats cosmetic work differently from general dental care, so coverage varies a great deal and some plans cover none of it. We will do our best to go through what yours says before you decide anything, but please bring your plan details, and the patient is ultimately responsible for the cost. Insurance is covered on our patient information page.
Patient informationI get anxious at the dentist. Can I be sedated?
Tell us when you call and again when you arrive, so everyone you meet that day knows before your consultation or treatment begins. We have weighted blankets if you would like one. And yes, sedation is available: nitrous oxide, oral or IV, for patients 13 and over.
Our sedation dentistry options