Monthly Archives: July 2016

Porcelain Veneers

Composite Versus Porcelain Veneers

I’ve been considering a smile makeover. The price is a little constraining. I’ve heard that composite veneers are cheaper. Is there a significant difference between the two?

Thomas S. – Boston

Thomas,

The biggest differnce is their longevity.  Composite is made of an  an engineered resin or plastic. Porcelain veneers are made out of porcelain– obviously. The composite resin is much weaker. It won’t last as long and is significantly more likely to stain or chip.

You’ll have to repair or replace them much sooner. In the end it could end up costing as much, with less beautiful results.

Porcelain veneers can give you a gorgeous smile. They’re stronger than even your natural tooth enamel and very stain resistant.

I won’t tell you which one to choose. An expert cosmetic dentist can give you a beautiful smile no matter which you choose. It would just be a matter of longevity in that case.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.

Teeth Whitening

Can You Get A Pretty Smile Without Porcelain Veneers?

I’ve been unhappy with my smile for years. They’re stained. I have a gap in my front teeth and a chip on two of them. I’ve always wanted porcelain veneers, but just can’t afford them. Is there a way to get a pretty smile without veneers?

Jullian S. – Arkansas

Jullian,

Yes! There are great ways to give you a gorgeous smile–even without using porcelain veneers. I’ll list them in the order they’d need to be done for best results.

The very first thing I’d do is teeth whitening. It’s inexpensive, it makes you look years younger, and depending on which teeth whitening procedure you decide on, you can have complete control of the level of whitening.

If you just want them as absolutely white as you can get them and you want it done quickly, I’d get Zoom Whitening (though it is more expensive that take-home).

If you want to control how white they get, take-home is a fantastic option. You simply wear the take-home trays for a period of time every day and when you’ve reached the whitening you’d envisioned, you stop.  It’s that simple.

After you whiten, it’s time to address the gaps and chips.  The simplest thing to do is dental bonding. Though you want to make sure you go to a good cosmetic dentist for the procedure. It has to be done freehand.

It’s importatn the  whitening gets done first so you can match the dental bonding to your new sparkling, white teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.