Recently I gave a patient a new smile by placing 10 porcelain veneers on her upper front teeth.  The veneers rejuvenated her smile.  Her teeth looked younger, brighter and all around healthier.  My patient said that she loved her new smile and that “The veneers looked like a piece of art work.”

One of the great gifts technology has given me as a dentist is to view my work as art.  I believe the most artistic form of dentistry is that of veneers.  While the dentist may be the artist, it is the patients themselves who become the masterpiece.  A bright smile, well aligned and beautifully shaped teeth can dramatically improve not only ones appearance but also their self-confidence.

Veneers began back in 1970 when naval dentists used composites to alter the shape and color of teeth.  In the 1980’s porcelain veneers were introduced to correct the appearance of crowding.  The veneers of 2015 are very thin shells of porcelain which are custom made to each individual tooth and bonded directly to the teeth.

I have discussed previously that the life changing transformation a new smile can give to patients, but I believe of equal importance is the fact that veneers can also be used to correct  the structural health of teeth.  Patients often come to my office concerns about teeth not fitting together well, chipped without pain.  Veneers can be used to change the surface of teeth, make the teeth more sound and alter the biting surface to improve the function of chewing.

Every porcelain restoration I design I consider a piece of art and therefore every patient’s smile is a masterpiece.  Just as we fall in love with beautiful works of art, someone is falling in love with your smile!