Porcelain Veneers Perfecting Owasso Smiles
A Flawless Smile in Just Two Appointments
In 2011, a study was conducted by the Face Research Laboratory at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. The researchers found that men and women were more attracted to people who were smiling and making eye contact than those who weren’t.
Give it a try yourself! Take a walk down the street with a smile. You’re more likely to see others smiling at you. Your smile opens you up to interactions with others, and it spreads to them too because they’re more likely to smile back at you. Smiling makes everyone happier because it releases dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin that are all necessary chemicals to stimulate peace and reduce stress.
That may not seem important, but the fact of the matter is, millions of people in the US are unhappy with the appearance of their smiles. That means they’re less likely to smile openly and more likely to be perceived as less attractive and less friendly. If you’re one of the many people hiding your smile, it’s time to contact Jayson D. Voto, DDS Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Owasso to schedule a consultation. We offer a wide range of cosmetic services including porcelain veneers, a popular solution to transform the entire smile without spending months or years on more advanced services.
What are Porcelain Veneers?
Veneers are thin sheaths of dental grade porcelain that are affixed to the front facing surfaces of the teeth to correct and conceal smile flaws. Before they’re placed, veneers resemble fingernails.
How are Veneers Placed?
Porcelain veneers are placed in two appointments. During your initial appointment, we’ll prepare your teeth by removing a small amount of enamel from the surface. Then, we’ll take impressions of the prepared teeth that will be used by a lab to craft your custom veneers. Before you leave, we’ll place temporary veneers to protect the prepared teeth. When we receive the final veneers from our lab, we’ll call you to schedule a follow up appointment to exchange your temporaries for your custom set of porcelain veneers.
How Long Do Veneers Last?
With proper care, porcelain veneers can last for ten or more years. It really depends on how well you care for your smile, but with thorough daily cleanings and regular dental appointments, the average person can maintain their veneers for fifteen years or longer.
How Do I Care for My Veneers?
Once your porcelain veneers are in place, you can ensure that they last by caring for them properly. Use a soft bristled toothbrush and minimally abrasive toothpaste for brushing your teeth. Avoid bad habits like using your teeth as tools to open packages, biting your fingernails, or chewing ice. You should also be sure to wear a sportsguard during athletic events and a mouthguard to protect your smile from nighttime teeth grinding and clenching. You will also need to visit us at least twice a year for checkups so we can repair any minor damage to extend the longevity of your veneers.
Who Should Consider Veneers?
Anyone who wants to conceal numerous cosmetic flaws and recreate a beautiful smile should consider porcelain veneers. They’re ideal for patients with deep set staining that doesn’t respond to traditional teeth whitening, patients with mild smile alignment or tooth spacing issues, and those who have several cracked or chipped teeth.
Call our Owasso dental office today to schedule a veneers consultation with our caring dental experts. Dr. Jayson Voto provides preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dental care to patients in Owasso, Claremore, Sperry, Collinsville, Tulsa, Skiatook, and the surrounding areas.
Understanding the Cost of Veneers
As you might know, veneers are great at transforming teeth. In fact, they’re basically an investment toward a Hollywood smile! Still, you might worry about the possibly high cost of veneers. “You get what you pay for,” after all, and this treatment’s quality means its price can be sizable. It’s a good thing, then, that Dr. Voto and his team can help: below are the features and rough costs of our practice’s cosmetic services. To see if veneers would meet your needs, go ahead and give them a read. Otherwise, call our office for more financial details.
Cost vs. Cosmetic Dentistry: What’s Right for Me?
In reality, our team offers several cosmetic treatments besides veneers. Each of them, though, has varying prices and unique results. It thus might be wise to compare them before making your final decision. With that said, consider these options:
- Gum Recontouring – Gum recontouring is great if you suffer from a “gummy” smile. The procedure reshapes the gum line using a soft tissue laser, making your smile well-proportioned. Best of all, it costs little but has permanent results.
- Direct Bonding – As one of the cheapest options, direct bonding uses tooth-colored resin to hide minor smile flaws. In exchange for its speed and low price, however, it isn’t very long-lasting; you’ll need to redo it every few years.
- Metal-free Restorations – Metal-free crowns, made of 100% dental ceramic, both protect teeth and enhance their looks. On the flip side, they can get a tad pricey.
- Teeth Whitening – Teeth whitening, per its name, whitens your tooth surfaces. It does so with a special gel that removes stains from your enamel. Despite being fast and relatively inexpensive, though, it only affects tooth color – it won’t change tooth position or shape.
- Invisalign – In only a year or so, Invisalign’s aligners can give you a fully-straightened smile. Just remember that they’re a big investment, with the trays costing $3,000 - $5,000 and only working on tooth position.
- Porcelain Veneers – Veneers are small, thin shells made of porcelain. Made to be placed on the fronts of teeth, their purpose is to hide a wide range of smile flaws. In particular, they transform tooth color, shape, and position. The downside is that these features make them expensive.
How to Make Veneers Affordable
In general, dental plans don’t cover veneers. Most consider the shells “medically unnecessary,” especially since cosmetic dentistry is elective. Even so, exceptions exist where a policy covers veneers if they protect a damaged tooth. Therefore, confirm your benefits with your insurance provider before starting treatment.
Thankfully, there are ways besides insurance to reduce veneers’ costs. For instance, we at Dr. Voto’s office provide flexible financing through CareCredit. If you qualify, this third-party service lets you pay for dental work in low-interest, monthly installments. The result is that you can afford veneers by covering their cost gradually, not all at once.
To learn more about veneer financing, book a visit to our office. Everyone at Dr. Voto’s practice looks forward to helping your smile in a way that fits your budget!