Are Veneers Right for Just One Tooth?

You might have a full set of 31 perfect teeth, but one right at the front is smaller or larger than its neighbors, or misshapen, chipped, cracked, crooked, or discolored in a way you can’t seem to change. Or maybe there’s a gap that makes you hesitate to fully smile. What to do?

You’ve no doubt heard of veneers, plural, as a popular way for everyday Joes and Jills to get a gleaming Hollywood smile at a non-celebrity price. But what if you feel you only need to repair or cover one tooth?

Dental veneers are made of thin, but strong, biocompatible porcelain. Manhattan Dental Care Studio works with a top dental laboratory to craft whatever veneers you need–even a single one–to exactly match the size, shape, and shade of its neighbors. No one would ever know you weren’t born with that new smile that is the result.

Having the confidence that comes from a perfect smile can improve your life in many ways, whether it is socially (like that crucial first date), at work (with customers or colleagues), or volunteering for a worthy cause (yes, even humanitarians sometimes make unconscious snap judgments if you don’t flash a friendly grin).

The first step to this new smile requires a full dental exam, including a digital x-ray (which emits minimal radiation), to be sure there are not more important issues to address first. You may also need to have the tooth or teeth being treated professionally whitened first, so the translucent veneer doesn’t reveal a tooth that is too dark (a thin enamel surface can reveal the yellow dental layer below it). 

If proceeding, Dr. Erick Gutierrez and his team will shave down the tooth to be covered slightly, so that when the veneer is placed it doesn’t stick out and look unnatural (this also helps the veneer adhere). A putty mold impression will be made of the area to be sent to the lab to create the final veneer. It will also be used to provide a temporary one to place over the tooth, to protect it from sensitivity to cold or hot drinks, to test drive the feel of the new bite, and so that your smile looks good while waiting.

When the veneer arrives a week or so later, you will return to have Dr. Gutierrez place it on and refine the fit and feel until it is perfect. With proper care, a veneer can last 10 years or more. For the first step in starting your veneers treatment, contact our team today for a consultation. We service the areas of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Lawndale, South Bay, Gardena, and more.