Veneers · San Ramon
Veneers, when they’re genuinely the right answer
A thin shell of porcelain that changes a tooth’s shape and color for a decade or more. Worth being certain about.
Who this is for
- A front tooth that’s the wrong shape, or noticeably darker than its neighbors
- Bonding that’s been redone several times and keeps chipping
- Worn or uneven edges from years of grinding
- Small gaps you’d rather close without orthodontics
What a veneer is, and what it costs you
A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain bonded to the front of a tooth. Done well it’s indistinguishable from enamel, resists staining better than your own teeth, and lasts ten to fifteen years or more.
The honest trade-off: a small amount of enamel usually has to come off for it to sit flush, and enamel doesn’t grow back. Once a tooth is prepared for a veneer it will need a veneer or a crown from then on. That’s not a reason to avoid them — it is a reason to be sure before you start.
Why we often suggest something smaller first
A lot of people who arrive asking about veneers don’t need them. Whitening resolves color complaints on its own more often than you’d think. Bonding fixes a chipped edge in one visit, costs a fraction, and removes little or no enamel.
So we start there. If bonding will give you the result you want, we’ll do bonding and say so — and if it genuinely won’t hold up for what you’re asking of it, we’ll tell you that too.
Getting them to look real
Natural teeth aren’t uniform. They’re translucent at the biting edge, warmer near the gum, and no two are identical. Veneers that ignore that read instantly as dental work.
We shade-match in natural light, not under the operatory lamp. You’ll wear provisionals for a couple of weeks and live with the shape before anything is final — eat with them, talk with them, see them in your own bathroom mirror. Then tell us honestly what you’d change, and we change it before the porcelain is made.
We also whiten first where it’s relevant, because porcelain can’t be whitened later. Matching to a shade you’re about to move away from is the most common way this goes wrong.
Questions
Answered before you ask.
How long do veneers last?
Ten to fifteen years is a reasonable expectation, often longer. They can chip, and the bond can eventually fail at the margin, which is why we keep checking them at your routine visits.
Will they stain like natural teeth?
Less so — porcelain is more stain-resistant than enamel. But they also can’t be whitened, so if your natural teeth darken over the years the match will drift. That’s worth planning for.
Do I need to do all my front teeth?
Usually not. Most of our cases are two to six teeth. Doing more than the problem requires is how a smile ends up looking manufactured.
Is it painful?
The preparation appointment is done under local anesthetic and is generally uneventful. The most common complaint afterwards is cold sensitivity for a week or so.
In their words
Thirty years of families who stayed.
Every quote below is a patient's own, unedited, from our reviews.
“We LOVE LOVE LOVE Avalon Dental! Dr. B is the best dentist we’ve ever gone to”
Cassondra H. “Dr B. always does a great job and you don’t feel the work getting done”
Marie T. “The staff always make my experiences with them the best and most comfortable”
Rebecca C.