Dr. Anthony Mobasser is a renowned cosmetic dentist serving the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills areas since 1980. He specializes in cosmetic dentistry services including lumineers, porcelain veneers, dental implants, crowns, extreme makeover, dental makeover, reconstructive dentistry and more.
Patients interested in porcelain veneers often wonder how white the veneers should be.
Teeth are not monochromatic, so using a variety of shades yields a natural look, said Dr. Anthony Mobasser, a Los Angeles dentist who specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry.
Some Background
First let’s address the obvious question and define porcelain veneers.
A porcelain veneer is a thin sheet of porcelain that can be affixed to the surface of a tooth to improve smiles by covering chipped, broken, stained or misshaped teeth. Porcelain is usually thought of as a delicate material, but when bonded to a tooth, it is incredibly strong and durable.
Selecting a Veneer Shade
Mobasser recommends patients undergo a teeth whitening treatment to whiten their natural teeth prior to placing porcelain veneers. Because veneers are extremely thin, a tooth that is dark or deeply stained could provide a shading effect once the veneers are affixed that causes the finished product to be darker than desired.
Why not choose a thicker porcelain veneer?
“The translucency of porcelain veneers gives them the ability to mimic natural tooth enamel and creates a natural appearance,” Mobasser said.
Using more than one color in making the veneers also provides variation and avoids teeth looking fake or artificial. Eye teeth tend to be darker than the others, while front teeth typically are the whitest. Molars most often are a shade between the two.
Another important factor to consider is the surface texture of porcelain veneers, Mobasser said. Adequate texture helps to break up light reflections and make the veneer look more natural.
There is no one standard system in the dental field to measure and determine tooth color, according to (http://www.aboutcosmeticdentistry.com/procedures/tooth_veneers/veneer_color.html) www.aboutcosmeticdentistry.com. The most often heard about, however, is the Vita shade guide. This guide divides tooth color into four basic shade ranges:
A (reddish brown)
B (reddish yellow)
C (gray)
D (reddish gray).
In the A range there are five levels of darkness. Ranges B, C and D each have four levels.
“When I evaluate a patient for porcelain veneers, I am concerned with getting the optimum results,” Mobasser said. “In addition to considering the color of the patient’s natural teeth, I also evaluate their complexion, hair color, and to some extent, their eye color. It is important to me that a feature as dominant as a smile compliments all of their other facial features.”
If you would like to learn more about porcelain veneers or you would like to speak to a professional about cosmetic or reconstructive dentistry services provided by Dr. Mobasser, please call: (310) 550-0383; email: ( http://www.celebritydentist.com/getting_started.php ); or visit his web site: www.celebritydentist.com .
Please take a look at Los Angeles Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Anthony Mobasser’s before and after photos for porcelain veneers, smile makeover, teeth whitening, full-mouth reconstruction, and more.
About Los Angeles Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Anthony Mobasser
Dr. Mobasser offers state-of-the-art cosmetic treatment to his patients in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and around the world. He is one of the pioneers of modern cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry and is one of the most experienced and qualified dentists in the world. Dr. Mobasser offers full-mouth reconstruction, cosmetic dentistry, porcelain veneers, sedation dentistry, porcelain crowns and bridges, implants, TMJ treatment, smile makeover, and more. To complement his dental training, he also holds degrees in mathematics and engineering. Please visit his website at www.celebritydentist.com.
