Cosmetic Dentistry Orange County | Huefner Sensational Smiles Blog

Erin had porcelain veneers done by another dentist in another state a few years earlier and was displeased with the results. The teeth were not symmetrical and actually one front tooth was longer than the other. Also, she wanted her teeth whiter. It just wasn't the ideal results that she had hoped for.
Erin with her old porcelain veneers that she didn't like.

Erin is a good communicator, so it didn't take much effort for her to express to Dr. Huefner what changes she wanted in her smile. She wanted her teeth whiter, brighter, a little longer, for the teeth to have a more feminine shape and look more "real".
Her treatment went extremely smooth. The old veneers were removed and provisional veneers were made to "test drive" the shape, color, length and position of her new teeth. We call that the "trial smile." After Erin's approval, photos, models and measurements of her approved provisionals were sent to our master ceramist, Dave Stohlman. Erin continued to wear her "trial smile" for two weeks, then returned to our office and had her new porcelain veneers bonded with our argon laser.

Erin's new smile with porcelain veneers fabricated by Dr. Huefner and master ceramist Dave Stohlman.

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Labels: porcelain crowns san clemente, porcelain veneers irvine, smile makeover rancho santa margarita, teeth whitening laguna hills

Caroline was sick and tired of her teeth and smile. Her teeth were discolored, chipped, has multiple old fillings that had stained and changed color over the years, there was spacing between her front teeth.

Caroline's smile before cosmetic dental treatment

Being embarrassed about her teeth made her less approachable and more withdrawn. She would be reluctant to show her teeth when photographed. The kicker was that one day she was holding one of her grandchildren who looked up to her and said, "Nana, why are your teeth so ugly?"

That was it for her! She already knew she could stand some improvement with her old dentistry, but she wanted to look and feel her best and have more confidence in social situations around other people.

What could she do? She came to see Dr. Huefner for a cosmetic dentistry consultation. Caroline expressed her concerns to Dr. Huefner and he in turn asked her what she really wanted? Whiter teeth? Straight teeth? Just to replace the old dentistry? Did she want to look younger and make her image more professional?

She told Dr. Huefner to suggest a treatment that he could do for her that would give her a great smile again, like she felt she had back in high school. Dr. Huefner in turn recommended doing porcelain veneers on her eight front teeth.

She would have her new teeth and smile in just a few weeks and the treatment with porcelain veneers would be much easier and less drilling than the many crowns she had on her back teeth over the years. "Non-metal, all-ceramic dentistry will give you the best looking result", Dr. Huefner told Caroline. "And, if you're ready now, we can start this week and you'll have your new smile for the holidays."

Caroline was excited and began her cosmetic treatment right away. Here is the final result that she received with cometic dentistry utilizing porcelain veneers.

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Labels: irvine porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns mission viejo, smile makeover san juan capistrano, teeth whitening dana point

Most people are "OK" or happy with their teeth and smile, but there are many who aren't. They feel self-conscious when they laugh or meet people for the first time and hide their smile when they are photographed.

Do you realize that your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you? And its said time and again, you only have one chance to made a good first impression. Many people will have a knee-jerk reaction to your appearance, causing them to either like or disapprove of you almost instantly. "Not fair", you say. Yes, but unfortunately that is human nature. We may not like the game, but it is part of the "rules of life".

In this day and age looks do count and people respond measurably more favorable to a nice smile than one that isn't. It's hard enough to get ahead in this world today and a great smile will make you much more confidant and open the doors of opportunity to you. Whether it be business, promotion, social acceptance, relationships or romance, your smile is important! In too many ways an unattractive smile is simply not acceptable in our society today.

The good news....let me rephrase this....the absolutely great news is that today most people can get great looking teeth and many times an absolutely sensational smile with just a few dental visits. No longer is it just about braces and spending two years of orthodontic appointments to get straight teeth. Today it is much more than that, it's about the color, the length of the teeth, their shape and position and the absence of unsightly dentistry. These things cannot be "fixed" with braces, but the word is getting out that today modern cosmetic dentists can create sensational smiles with one or a few simple dental cosmetic procedures - bleaching, veneering, gum reshaping, bonding, tooth-colored all-ceramic fillings and crowns. And, it gets even better. Most of these procedures can be done in just a few visits. Today, 90% of our smile makeovers are completed in 2-6 weeks time.

So, how do you know what cosmetic dental procedures you might benefit from? If you don't already know what you want or need, find a great cosmetic dentist and schedule a cosmetic dentistry consultation. The first thing they should do at your appointment is ASK YOU WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOUR TEETH AND SMILE. After listening attentively to you about that your cosmetic dentist should be able to give you one or more options to solve your problems. Or, if you want a "perfect smile" (the absolutely most beautiful smile that is possible given your face, mouth, lips, gums and teeth), ask your cosmetic dentist what he or she recommends to give you the best to help you look and feel your best.

Now I have to warn you, usually not all cosmetic dentists will recommend the same procedures. This is because cosmetic dentistry is "an art", and the ability to create a sensational smile will depend a lot on your cosmetic dentists training, experience, years of practice, and certainly his or her artistic ability. So if you're thinking of getting a smile makeover it would be an excellent idea to get a few opinions. You should be able to figure out pretty quickly which cosmetic dentist is the best and "fits" with your personality.

So if a new smile will make you feel more confidant and attractive, you owe it to yourself to go out and get one! You are worth it. You only have one go around in this life to look and feel your best. Good luck and here is to your sensational new smile!

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Labels: orange county cosmetic dentist, porcelain veneers irvine, psychology of a new smile, teeth whitening rancho santa margarita

Melanie, a very successful businesswoman, does a lot of public speaking for her business. She had some old veneers on her front four teeth, bus she didn't like the way they looked. They were too dark (matching her side teeth) and using her words "were too thick and short". She wanted a whiter, brighter smile. Teeth that were more attractive and youthful were important too. And, her side teeth leaned in. Was it possible to give her a wider, more full-looking smile too?

Melanie before cosmetic dentistry

She consulted with Dr. Huefner about the possible solutions to her situation. Did she need braces to make her side teeth straighter and not lean in so much? If she redid the four old veneers and added veneers on her side teeth, could she then have whiter teeth? Actually Melanie knew just what she needed and the second question was the solution for her...redoing her four old porcelain veneers and adding new porcelain veneers on her side teeth.

She is the kind of person who doesn't take a lot of time to make a decision and once she knows what she wants, she is ready to solve her problem as soon as possible. So, after discussing her treatment with Dr. Huefner she scheduled her treatment right away. With two more visits and three weeks later, Melanie had the smile of her dreams with new porcelain veneers by Dr. Huefner.

Melanie's new smile with porcelain veneers

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Labels: dana point teeth whitening, how much do porcelain veneers cost, irvine porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns mission viejo

Several factors can cause the darkening of the surface of the teeth. Strain to the teeth, such as normal wear and tear or teeth grinding, can cause small cracks that collect staining materials that darken the enamel. Certain beverages such as coffee or tea can also stain the teeth, as can cigarettes or chewing tobacco.

Avoiding foods and beverages that cause staining, or treating your teeth grinding, might not completely protect your teeth from discoloration over time. The natural aging process can cause teeth to darken, making once white enamel appear yellowish or even brown.

Tooth whitening can correct this kind of discoloration. While many tooth whitening products are available over the counter, you can get much better results from professional treatments only available from qualified dentists. The whitening agents used by dentists, including Dr. Norman Huefner, are much stronger than those available in drug stores or groceries. These stronger agents can lighten your teeth several shades in a single visit, even if you have stubborn or long-standing stains.

Dr. Huefner provides several kinds of tooth whitening options, from in-office procedures to take-home trays to a combination of the two. For more information about Dr. Huefner’s approach to tooth whitening, please contact us at Sensational Smiles with questions or to set up a consultation.

Labels: teeth bleaching aliso viejo, teeth whitening mission viejo

Claire had crooked teeth that actually angled markedly to one side. When she smiled it appeared as if all her upper teeth were pointing at her right hip. Also, her teeth had worn over the years, making her right teeth shorter than her left teeth.

Claire's teeth before cosmetic dentistry

What could she do? Did she need braces again? Even if she did have braces, after they were straight her teeth would still be worn and discolored. Claire wanted a beautiful, more youthful smile and came to Dr. Huefner to see what he recommended.

After discussing with Claire her concerns and evaluating evaluating her teeth and smile, Dr. Huefner recommended conservative porcelain veneers. By doing this he could almost instantly correct the cant of the teeth, making them straight with the rest of her face. Also, he could make her teeth whiter, more proportional and attractive. And, but adding some length to the teeth with new veneers, Dr. Huefner could make her smile look more youthful too!

Claire had Dr. Huefner create porcelain veneers on her upper ten front teeth. It took two treatment visits and she had her new smile is just over three weeks time.

Claire's new smile with porcelain veneers

Notice how Claire's teeth follow the curve of her lower lip now. That is called "following the smile line", a concept that cosmetic dentists try to do. It gives her a full, natural appearance to her teeth and smile.

Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Labels: irvine instant orthodontics, rancho santa margarita porcelain veneers, smile makeover mission viejo, teeth whitening aliso viejo

Laura broke off her upper right cuspid in an accident and desperately needed a "new tooth" to fill the space. Unfortunately the root had broken right below the gum line and could not be saved to place a new crown over.

What were Laura's options? One choice was to have the remaining root removed and then have a porcelain bridge placed, utilizing the two adjacent teeth as supports for the bridge. Unfortunately the tooth in front already had a root canal and was severely weakened and would not support a bridge. Another choice replacing the missing tooth with a removable partial denture. However, that choice was unacceptable. Laura did NOT want any replacement that would come in and out. The third choice was having the root removed and place an implant and porcelain crown. This was the best choice of treatments and Laura was excited about this being the treatment she wanted to solve her problem.

The fractured root was removed and an first implant portion was inserted into the hole left from extracting the remaining root.

A "flipper" (immediate partial denture just for esthetics) was utilized for a few weeks until the implant and gums healed.

Then the second part (top part of the implant) was placed into the first part, which was then immediately covered over with a porcelain crown to give Laura back her smile again!

For more information about implants and replacing missing teeth, call us today!
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Labels: dental implants irvine, implant dentist orange county, mission viejo implants, porcelain crowns rancho santa margarita

Audrey had crooked teeth and a front "cap" that she didn't like at all. She wanted her teeth to be whiter and straight, but was not willing to go through any orthodontics (braces). She consulted with Dr. Huefner to find out what options cosmetic dentistry might have for her particular situation.

Audrey's smile before cosmetic dental treatment

After discussing her concerns with Dr. Huefner, Audrey made it clear that she had very high expectations. What would be the best treatment that Dr. Huefner recommends?
After examining her, Dr. Huefner recommended "instant orthodontics" with porcelain veneers as his treatment of choice. He could make the teeth straight, all whiter with a very consistent natural color (shade), and do the entire treatment in just 2-3 dental visits.
Audrey was not sure whether or not she wanted to have all upper ten front teeth veneered, so consulted with two other cosmetic dentists and an orthodontist. Several weeks she returned to Dr. Huefner for a second consultation. "How will I know that I will like the shape and color of the veneers?", she asked Dr. Huefner. His answer was that we utilize a unique process called the "trial smile" whereby she can see the prototype of her new smile in advance, actually a "test drive", so to speak. Only after making any changes that she might want and getting her full approval, would Dr. Huefner direct his master ceramist on how to fabricate Audrey's final porcelain veneers.
Audrey was very excited about that part of the treatment, as the other cosmetic dentists did not offer her that opportunity.
She proceeded with Dr. Huefner and after three visits received her final porcelain veneers.

Audrey's new smile with "instant orthodontics" with porcelain veneers

Was Audrey pleased? What do you think? Look carefully at both the before and after photos. Notice the shape, color, position and length of all her new teeth with porcelain veneers. See how much more attractive and professional her new smile is! Audrey was a very happy patient with her new smile with porcelain veneers.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Labels: instant orthodontics laguna niguel, porcelain veneers irvine, smile makeover san juan capistrano, teeth whitening dana point

Yvonne was self conscious about her gums. When she smiled, her upper lip lifted up and showed too much of her gums and that kept her from smiling as much as she should.

Before Laser gum reshaping

After she shared with Dr. Huefner her concerns, Dr. Huefner recommended a very simple, quick and painless procedure called laser gum reshaping on her four front teeth. The concept Dr. Huefner presented to her delighted Yvonne and she elected to have the procedure done the next day.

A little local anesthesia as placed around the gums and within minutes Yvonne's gums were reshaped with the dental laser. This is the results that she got.

After laser gum reshaping

Dr. Norman Huefner, Orange County Cosmetic Dentist, Laguna Niguel, CA

Labels: gummy smile, irvine cosmetic dentist, laser gum reshaping san juan capistrano, laser gum reshaping

After breaking several of his front teeth, Jeff had them fixed with plastic bonding filling material back in the early 1980s. But over the next two decades the old fashioned materials of that era discolored significantly and Jeff was ready for a change. He wanted to know what newer and better techniques and materials we had today so that he could finally have a “nice smile without discolored, chipped teeth”? Jeff made it very clear to us that he wasn’t looking for a “perfect smile”, just wanting to fix the front teeth that looked so bad.

BEFORE

Our advice was to first bleach all his teeth (teeth whitening) so that whatever he chose to do, the final result would be matching the other whiter teeth, not the other yellowed teeth. He did that and got a great result with the “home tray method” of teeth whitening.

Then we discussed doing porcelain veneers on his upper front teeth, either four porcelain veneers to match the other teeth, or eight porcelain veneers to create a uniform shaped new smile. Jeff chose to only do the four front teeth with porcelain veneers.

AFTER

The results we achieved for Jeff was great, but it could still be better. If you look closely, you’ll note that the canine (eye) tooth on his right (your left) is inset, and not straight. We discussed that if anytime in the future Jeff wanted to have us place a porcelain veneer on that tooth to make it match the other side, we could do that for him.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

Labels: dana point porcelain caps, laguna hills cosmetic dentist, san juan capistrano porcelain veneers, teeth whitening aliso viejo