Case Presentation: Esthetic Veneers Part 1

For many patients, cosmetic veneers are a great way to transform their smile with a short turnaround time. This patient is a grandmother who always wanted to close the gaps in her front teeth. Using veneers, we will both close the gaps and create a beautiful and natural looking smile. We just finished the first part of her treatment, where we prepared her four front teeth, took impressions and made the temporary veneers. She will return in about two weeks to cement the final product!

Before

Before veneers, this patient's teeth had large spacings and were not completely symmetrical. 

After

Here is the same patient with her temporary veneers on. You can really see how this procedure will create a more esthetic smile!

The "after" photo shows our patient in acrylic temporary veneers. They are created immediately following the preparation to hold space for the permanent restoration. Right now, our dental lab is working on the permanent veneers, making sure they have the right color, shape and opacity to match the rest of her teeth. We are eagerly awaiting the final product and will post as soon as we deliver it!

Anterior Veneer Case

Take a look at one of our recent smile transformations! This patient came to our office with concerns about the esthetics of their anterior incisors. Wear to the incisal edges (biting surfaces) had created a "flat and sharp" appearance that takes away from the naturally contoured look teeth typically have. By using zirconia veneers, our office restored dimension and shape to the incisal edges and facial profiles of the lateral and central incisors. This allowed us to give the teeth a more youthful look and create a universally lighter shade. If you would like to know more about this process or other esthetic services we offer, please contact our office!

Facial Esthetics and the Golden Proportion

Have you ever wondered why it is so easy to spot a perfect smile? It’s something almost all of us can do subconsciously. Beyond straight white teeth, there is something that just seems to stand out on someone with a “Hollywood smile.” Believe it or not, mathematics and proportions dictate the esthetics of our teeth and facial characteristics. By following a few basic ratios and the golden proportion, it is easy to see how a great smile comes together!

When we smile, our maxillary (upper jaw) anterior teeth will show the most. Our two central incisors are flanked by slightly smaller lateral incisors and then by the canines. The premolars and molars behind the canines will show as well, which contributes to the “width” of the smile. In an ideal situation, the line between the two front teeth should run perfectly parallel to a line drawn between the eyes or ears. This measurement is of particular concern in patients with head and neck injuries or asymmetrical faces. In addition, the two central incisors should be about 80% as wide as they are is tall. That is, if the tooth is 10mm tall it should be nearly 8mm wide to look the most natural.

The most important principle to follow in facial esthetics is something called the golden proportion. This principle dictates the relative widths of the anterior teeth.  Here, the lateral incisors are used as a reference factor of 1. The central incisors should be 1.618 times the size of the laterals, while the canines should only take up about .618 of the space. These very specific numbers can separate artificial “chicklet” looking teeth from a well rounded and robust natural smile. When performing cosmetic procedures such as crowns and bonding, we always work our hardest to preserve and develop these dimensions.

These ideas and principles dictate how our office works towards creating beautiful and esthetically pleasing smiles. Most people are not born with these ideal dimensions and still have beautiful faces. What these numbers do, however, is establish a guideline for how we approach crowns, dentures, implants and restorations to the anterior teeth. Don’t measure your own smile and become disappointed! These numbers do not take into account a number of other factors that can alter your facial appearance. Everyone has a unique smile and deserves a unique treatment!

At Thousand Oaks Family dentistry, we offer a wide range of services that can create mild to dramatic changes to your smile. As with any procedure, we can only decide what treatment is appropriate for you with a full consultation and exam. If you would like to learn more about facial esthetics and cosmetic dentistry, please contact our office!

Specialist Spotlight- Opus One Dental Lab

When having a crown or bridge placed, your ultimate goal is to have it look, feel and function like the natural tooth that was there before it. While this process is never “easy,” it becomes even more difficult when dealing with anterior (front of the mouth) teeth. For these complicated lab cases, we are proud to work with Opus One Dental Lab and it’s owner, Uri Yarovesky.

Uri standing with his many awards and honors. 

Uri has over 40 years of experience in the dental field as a technician, lab owner and world recognized lecturer. He has made crowns and bridges for celebrities, heads of states and even as prosthetics for blockbuster movies. His credentials include countless awards from the most prestigious dental publications and institutions. Opus One Lab was designed as an extension of his years of experience- cutting edge techniques with a personal touch. In addition to the typical technologies and instruments you would find in most labs,this office houses a research facility used to develop and manufacture new ceramic technologies. For some of the services the lab offers, they are the only location in the entire world with this technology available.

Crowns on anterior teeth need to be a near identical match to the surrounding teeth. Small deviations in coloration, shape, size or translucency can translate to a product that looks “fake” or out of place. It takes careful examination and years of experience to deliver a perfect prosthesis that feels great. Opus One delivers this by offering customs shade matching appointments, where you meet with Uri one on one to design and perfect your dental crown. He and his team have a deep appreciation for dental restorations and can meet your desires on shade, feel and even age appropriateness.

We love working with Opus One because they are both a local business and a global leader in dental technology. Uri’s lab understands the importance of both esthetics and function in delivering a quality product. Their crowns and bridges fit and look great, which results in happier and more satisfied patients.