What Are Veneers?
Veneers are thin, custom-made shells, usually made of porcelain, that are bonded to the front surface of your teeth to change their color, shape, size, or length. They’re a cosmetic treatment, part of the broader cosmetic dentistry we offer at Infinity Smiles, designed to correct imperfections while looking completely natural, so the result is a smile that’s better, not just different.
How Does a Veneers Placement Procedure Look From Start to Finish?
Transforming your smile with porcelain veneers is a carefully planned process. At Infinity Smiles, we take the time to understand your goals, design your ideal smile, and plan every detail before your final veneers are placed. Here’s what that process looks like.
- Your Smile Consultation We start by discussing what you like and don’t like about your current smile and what you’d like to improve, then evaluate your teeth, gums, bite, and facial features to determine whether veneers are the right option, along with your goals for shape, shade, and overall look.
- Smile Design and Planning Once veneers are the right fit, we design your new smile using photographs, digital records, and other diagnostic information to plan the shape, proportions, length, and color of each veneer. The goal isn’t just “white teeth,” it’s a smile that looks natural, balanced, and personalized to you.
- Preview Your New Smile Before committing to your final veneers, you may be able to preview the proposed design, seeing how the planned changes will transform your smile and giving us a chance to make adjustments based on your preferences.
- Preparing Your Teeth When necessary, your teeth are carefully prepared to create the space veneers need, taking a conservative, thoughtful approach based on your individual case. Digital scans or impressions are then taken so your custom veneers can be precisely fabricated.
- Your Temporary Smile Depending on your treatment plan, temporary veneers may be placed while your final veneers are being made, letting you experience your new smile and giving us the chance to evaluate appearance, shape, function, and feel along the way.
- Your Custom Veneers Are Created Your final veneers are individually crafted by a skilled dental laboratory based on the design developed for your smile, down to the shade, translucency, shape, texture, proportions, and how they interact with your surrounding teeth.
- The Try-In and Final Approval Before permanently bonding anything, we carefully evaluate the fit, color, shape, symmetry, and bite of your veneers. This step matters because you should feel confident about your new smile before it becomes permanent.
- Permanent Placement Once everything is approved, each veneer is carefully bonded into place using a professional dental bonding system, positioned precisely for a result that’s beautiful, functional, and long lasting.
Why Do We Work With Porcelain Veneers and Not Composite Veneers?
At Infinity Smiles, we use porcelain veneers rather than composite because we think about your smile long term. Porcelain is stronger and considerably more resistant to staining than composite. Composite veneers do cost less upfront, but they tend to need replacing more often, which means more appointments and more money spent over the years than choosing porcelain from the start.
| Porcelain Veneers | Composite Veneers | |
|---|---|---|
| Durability | Very durable, often lasting 10 to 15 years or more | Less durable, typically needs replacement every 5 to 7 years |
| Stain resistance | Highly resistant to staining | More prone to staining over time |
| Natural appearance | Excellent, mimics the light-reflecting quality of natural enamel | Good, but generally less natural translucency than porcelain |
| Upfront cost | Higher initial investment | Lower initial cost |
| Long-term value | Fewer replacements over time | More frequent replacements can add up in cost |
Who Are the Best Candidates for Veneers?
You may be a good candidate for veneers if you’re looking to improve:
- Discolored or stained teeth that don’t respond well to whitening
- Chipped, worn, or fractured teeth
- Small or uneven teeth
- Gaps or spaces between teeth
- Mildly crooked or uneven teeth
- Teeth with irregular shapes or proportions
- The overall symmetry, balance, and appearance of your smile
The best candidates generally have healthy teeth and gums, good oral hygiene, and realistic expectations about what veneers can accomplish. Veneers aren’t right for everyone, conditions like significant tooth decay, active gum disease, insufficient tooth structure, or certain bite and grinding habits may need to be addressed first. During your consultation, we evaluate your teeth, gums, bite, and overall smile to determine whether veneers are appropriate for you and which approach will give you the best result.
A Common Misconception We Hear
When patients first ask about veneers, a couple of assumptions come up again and again, and they’re both worth clearing up before you decide if veneers are right for you.
“Veneers Are Just Covers Over Your Teeth”
In reality, veneers are a custom-designed cosmetic treatment that requires careful evaluation and detailed planning. Depending on your teeth, bite, and alignment, and the result we’re trying to achieve, preparation can range from minimal to more involved, it’s never as simple as just gluing a cover on top.
“Everyone Needs the Same Veneers”
Every smile is different, so the ideal treatment depends on your individual teeth, facial features, bite, and cosmetic goals. We don’t believe in a one size fits all approach, which is why your consultation includes an honest look at what your case actually needs, including whether veneers are even the best option for you.
Our goal is always to preserve as much healthy tooth structure as possible while creating a beautiful, natural-looking smile that fits you specifically.
Real Veneer Transformations
A lot of our patients have chosen veneers to transform their smile, with excellent results, which is part of why Infinity Smiles is a trusted choice for veneers across Flushing and Queens. Here’s a look at some of that work.
Schedule Your Veneers Consultation
If you’re ready to see what veneers could do for your smile, we’re ready to help you plan it. Call Infinity Smiles or book a consultation online today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do porcelain veneers last?
With good care, porcelain veneers typically last 10 to 15 years or longer.
Regular checkups let us catch any chipping or wear early, and avoiding habits like using your teeth to open packaging helps them last as long as possible.
Are veneers reversible?
Veneers are generally considered a permanent treatment, since a thin layer of enamel is typically removed to help them fit properly and enamel doesn’t grow back.
We take a conservative approach to preparation, removing as little tooth structure as possible, but it’s important to go into treatment understanding that veneers aren’t something you can simply undo later.
How do I care for my veneers?
Veneers are cared for the same way as your natural teeth, with regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups.
If you grind your teeth at night, a custom night guard is important for protecting your veneers from chipping or excess wear.
What’s the difference between veneers and crowns?
Veneers cover only the front surface of a tooth and are used for cosmetic changes on teeth that are otherwise healthy, while crowns cover the entire tooth and are used when more structural support or protection is needed.
If you’re deciding between the two, our dental crowns page goes into more detail on when a crown is the better option.
