Cosmetic Dentistry Orange County | Huefner Sensational Smiles Blog

Labels: laguna beach, lake forest, orange county cosmetic dentist, porcelain veneers, smile design

Cosmetic dentists strive for patient satisfaction, especially when doing a smile makeover for their patient with porcelain veneers. One challenge is the ability of the dentist and patient to actively and effectively communicating between each other. Oftentimes it is hard for the patient and dentist to verbally describe the smile they have in mind. But, as we’ve all heard a million times, A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS! That is where the “trial smile” comes in.
Let’s use my patient John here as an example. Here is the teeth and smile he presented with at his first appointment. It’s obvious that his teeth were crowded and misaligned and with these teeth he isn’t showing his best face to the world.

I knew what I had in mind with regard to the smile I want to make for him, but what is the best way to communicate it to him? The answer is that I create a “trial smile” for John. I prepare his teeth for the “trial smile”, but first make him temporary veneers in the size, shape, color and arrangement that I think will make him happy and look his best. Here is his John with his “trial smile”.

After wearing the “trial smile” for a few days, or as long as it takes to make up his mind, John returns for our final decision. If there is something he is concerned about, he can point to it or look at the photo on the computer monitor and tell me what he likes or dislikes (color, shape, length or position of the veneer/teeth). Then I make the appropriate adjustments or corrections. Then after that’s done and we’re all in agreement I take photos, models and measurements of “his approved trial smile”, which go to my ceramist as an accurate blue print for the design of John’s final porcelain veneers.

The photo above is John’s new smile with his final porcelain veneers. What a difference compared to the smile he had just a few weeks previously. The “trial smile” is a very important tool which many cosmetic dentists use to eliminate a lot of the “guess work” with regard to porcelain veneers and smile enhancement procedures. That, along with very clear communication, are some of the very most important elements we use to insure successful treatment and patient satisfaction.

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

Labels: instant orthodontics, laguna niguel, lake forest, porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening

Very concerned that her teeth were too yellow and small, Courtney was considering cosmetic dentistry to have a much nicer smile. Dr. Huefner designed a smile for her with porcelain veneers. Along with Dr. Huefner, Courtney also chose to have slightly longer teeth that followed her “smile line” (i.e. lower lip line) and whiter color for her new porcelain veneers.

What Courtney really liked about the porcelain veneers that Dr. Huefner did for her was that they looked so natural and “real” and that they don’t stain or discolor over the years.

Earlier this year Dr. Huefner did a smile makeover with porcelain veneers for beautiful Courtney and these are the portraits that he took of her in his "smile design and portrait studio" in his dental office. As you can clearly see she now has a “very sensational” new smile. Look in the current issue of Orange Coast Magazine for Courtney’s photo in black.

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

Labels: cosmetic dentist, lake forest, porcelain veneers, san clemente, teeth whitening

There are approximately 25 different shades (colors), three different surface textures (how the light reflects off of the front of the porcelain veneers), several different porcelain types which each has different translucencies (ability of the light to pass through the veneer to render a “life-like” appearance), several different lengths that each veneer/tooth could be made and at least 60 different documented smile styles. Do the math and you’ll note that there are probably 30,000 different ways that your cosmetic dentist could create your new smile. This can be pretty confusing. So how do you know you’re getting the best combination for your face and smile?

Mrs. U.S.-Globe Jill Frick and her “Enhanced” smile style with ten porcelain veneers by Dr. Huefner.

The short answer is for you and your cosmetic dentist to communicate on a very high level so that your expectations can be met. Your cosmetic dentist wants your input because he/she certainly wants you to love your new smile. Success is dependent on the skill, care and judgment of the dentist, but also on the ability of both the patient and dentist to communicate and work together on deciding key issues.
This article concentrates on one of the huge variables that there is, choosing the smile style. Most cosmetic dentists will involve the patient in this selection process, but offering input and suggestions to help guide the patient in the selection based on the shape of the face, age, personality type and other factors. There are three commonly used “smile guides” that cosmetic dentists have available to them to show patients. Dr. William Dickerson’s “LVI Smile Library” (12 different styles), Dr. Loren Berland’s “Loren Library” (18 different styles) and Dr. William Dorfman’s “The Smile Guide” (36 different styles). One question a patient might ask their cosmetic dentist is which smile guide does he use and specifically what smile style does he recommend? If the dentist is experienced in cosmetic dentistry you should be able to see one of these guides and the cosmetic dentist should discuss by name a smile style that he/she advises using. There are different acceptable variations in shape that each porcelain veneer can be made. For example, the four front teeth (incisors) could be either square at the corners, square at one corner and rounded at the other, or rounded at both corners. Similarly, the cuspids or eye teeth (third tooth back) could be pointed, rounded or flat. Combining these different shapes each produces significantly different smile styles. Here are three examples from the Loren Library:

The design above is round, round, pointed. It is very youthful and oftentimes used when the patient has a very round face.

The above is a design quite the opposite, square, square, flat. It is a much older and oftentimes much more masculine smile style.

This one is in between the first two, being square, square-round, round, and is a very popular design.

Here are two popular smile styles from the Dickerson “LVI Smile Library”:

This is the “Enhanced” smile style, very popular with many of the beauty pageant contestants that I’ve created porcelain veneers for over the years. Note that the second teeth from the center are a little shorter than the front teeth. This is a youthful effect we call “the gull wing” that really looks nice on females. See first photo in this article with of Mrs. U.S.-Globe and the “Enhanced” smile style I used with her 10 porcelain veneers.

The “Hollywood” style above is a little more “toothy” and works well for males and especially those wanting to show off a little more teeth.

It is important that both the patient and cosmetic dentist be aware of the differences in tooth shapes and smile styles and have active communication between each other in choosing the best smile style for the patient’s new porcelain veneers.

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

Labels: cosmetic dentist, irvine, lake forest, newport beach, porcelain crowns, rancho santa margarita

Nobody would ever think that "blackish" teeth like Tina had gave her an attractive smile, especially Tina! She was born in an area of the country that had a very high mineral content in the water, and so as her teeth formed and came in they were the color you see here below.

BEFORE

A beautiful smile is what she wanted and she wanted her teeth "WHITE"! Actually, she wanted them whiter than most people would, but our goal was to give her the smile that she had always dreamed of having. We suggested porcelain veneers on her upper teeth and teeth whitening (bleaching) on her lower teeth. She was thrilled to learn that she could have a new smile with porcelain veneers in just a few appointments. Here is a photo of the results we achieved for Tina.

AFTER

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

Labels: lake forest, orange county cosmetic dentist, porcelain veneers, santa margarita, teeth whitening

BEFORE

AFTER

Labels: dana point, dental implant, lake forest, orange county cosmetic dentist, porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers

Your teeth and smile are a good part of your appearance, and generally most people understand that. This is especially appreciated by those who find that their chosen profession is one that involve many people looking at them. Andrea, was just such a person. She had tiny “peg teeth”, and hated the shape, color and spacing. She was also a college student working on her modeling and acting career and knew how important her smile and appearance were to her success. She came to Dr. Huefner to discuss her cosmetic dentistry options.

BEFORE
Would she need braces? Would bleaching do the trick? What was the solution to giving her a beautiful, and of course “normal” looking smile?

Dr. Huefner recommended bleaching (teeth whitening) her lower teeth, and then placing porcelain veneers on her upper teeth and some bonding on her lower teeth. Her entire treatment could be done in just a few visits!

AFTER

Well, her cosmetic dentistry must have helped, as since getting her smile makeover by Dr. Huefner she has been on TV several times and co-stared in one movie!

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

Labels: lake forest, newport beach, porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers, san clemente

BEFORE

AFTER

Labels: cosmetic dentist, irvine, lake forest, newport beach, porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers

Most people who have discolored teeth are very conscious of it, especially in photos. Many times that means that they won't smile for photos, or even in public. Cindy was one such person. She went on to say that she actually "hated the way her teeth looked", especially since her front tooth didn't match the rest of the teeth in color.

Cindy now wanted a “whiter, brighter smile”, and came to me asking if I could treat her problem with porcelain veneers. She was a good “dental consumer”, having done enough research on the internet to be familiar with choices of treatment that might be available to her.

BEFORE

Yes, she was an excellent candidate for cosmetic dentistry with porcelain veneers. Here is the new smile we created for her in just two visits.

AFTER

As you might have guessed, she was very pleased with the result achieved "for her new smlle".

Labels: dana point, lake forest, orange county cosmetic dentist, porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers, san clemente

BEFORE

After carefully evaluating her smile, Barbara expressed that she also didn't like the color of her teeth (they were too yellow for her) and she though she would like her front teeth a little bit longer. "Could you do that for me and how would you do it, Dr. Huefner?"

Dr. Huefner suggested that he place Empress porcelain veneers on her front and side teeth, thereby controlling the size, length, proportion, shape and color of all her upper teeth that were visible when she smiled. Below is the results that were achieved for Barbara with Empress porcelain veneers.

AFTER

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

Labels: aliso viejo, cosmetic dentist, dana point, lake forest, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening