Cosmetic Dentistry Orange County | Huefner Sensational Smiles Blog

Serving Laguna Niguel, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Santa Margarita, and Surrounding Areas Of Orange County, California

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Spaced, Crooked Teeth Transformed into Beautiful Smile with Porcelain Veneers and Crowns by Dr. Huefner

Symmetry is one of the most important concepts in facial beauty, and this is oftentimes very important especially with regards to slanted or crooked teeth and their effect on the smile. Spaced teeth that were also crooked and angled to one side really bothered Shannon, as it gave her a “lopsided” smile. In addition to that, she didn’t like the color or the shape of her teeth either. She knew how important nice looking teeth and smile are and soon had some special events coming up that she really wanted to have a nice smile for.

BEFORE

She consulted with us to find out what her options were with cosmetic dentistry. After evaluating her teeth and smile, and finding out more just what kind of smile she wanted, we advised doing her cosmetic dentistry with porcelain veneers. It would only takes a few visits, and Shannon could have her new smile completed in little over a month. Understandingly, she was appreshensive, but couldn’t wait to get started on her new smile.

AFTER

Above is the sensational new smile we created for Shannon with porcelain veneers. Note how symmetrical her smile is now, and doesn’t lean towards one side. Also how the edges of the teeth follow the curve of her lower lip. That is an important concept in cosmetic dentistry, called following the “smile line“. The thing that Shannon like best was the color, how much whiter and brighter her smile was, but still extremely natural looking.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 10:22 AM

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Porcelain Veneers and Smile Design, Part I by Dr. Huefner

When considering cosmetic dentistry and a smile makeover what is the perfect “smile style” for your new porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns? In previous articles I discussed that there are over 30,000 different ways that a cosmetic dentist can create a new smile and that there are over 60 different documented “smile styles” available for cosmetic dentists to use as guide and to better communicate with to the cosmetic dental patient and the dental ceramist. In this article we’ll discuss one of the most popular “smile guides”, Dr. William Dickerson’s “LVI Smile Library. I am particularly fond of this library, as I started my advanced cosmetic training at Dr. Dickerson’s prestigious Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies over a decade ago. And since then, following many of the concepts I learned under his tutelage, I’ve done several thousand porcelain veneers and cosmetic crowns, created sensational smiles for hundreds of my patients. Each smile style is a combination of the teeth shapes for the front six teeth. 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 a uniquely different smile style. Please note, this smile library below is only to choose the basic shape of the front six teeth, and in no way reflect the color, length, surface texture or translucency that the porcelain veneers or crowns will have. Those other things are addressed in other aspects of smile design and choosing the best combination for your “sensational new smile”.

Dickerson catalog

For most females, the “Enhanced” smile style is one of our most popular designs. 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. 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. The “Oval” style might look best on someone with a very round face. Notice how very round the edges of the four front teeth are? The “Aggressive” style has tooth edges that are flat almost straight across. We use it mostly for men and it simulates someone who might be a bit older and have a habit of grinding his teeth. The “Youthful” style simulates the shape of unworn teeth that might be seen in a 14 year old. Although many adults like this name because they think it might give them the illusion of being significantly younger, we almost always utilize this design in much younger individuals. The “Mature” style has squarish edges on the four front teeth and is another design that we frequently use for men. The “Softened” style is a very popular design that we use for those wanting their smile to help make them appear a little younger than their years. It is my preference to use smile designs that have the cuspids (also called canines, the third teeth back on each side) that are slightly round, not flat (too old looking) or pointed (too aggressive looking). It is important that both the patient and cosmetic dentist actively discuss the different smile styles at the beginning of the smile makeover process. Using our technique called “the trial smile” we’re able to make provisional veneers or crowns so that our patient can “test drive” their new smile prior to making any final decision regarding the smile design for their final porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 9:11 AM

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

How a Cosmetic Dentist Chooses the Perfect Length Porcelain Veneers or Crowns for Your Sensational New Smile by Dr. Huefner

When it comes to your teeth and smile the length of your teeth, especially your front two teeth, is a very important aspect on how the world sees your smile. If your teeth are too short, it may make you look older than your years and take a lot away from the power of your smile. If the teeth are too long, because the gums have possibly receded over the years, then the smile can be unattractive or even distracting. Like the story about the Three Bears, the length of the front teeth needs to be “just right” for a great smile. So, when cosmetic dentists create a new smile for their patients, with porcelain veneers, bonding or all-ceramic crowns, what are the criteria that they use?The first test I use is to check my patient when they relax their mouth and face muscles, with the mouth slightly open and separating the back teeth so they aren’t touching together. The upper lip has to be totally relaxed. In general I would like to see 1-2mm (about 1/8”) of the front teeth showing. If I don’t see any teeth showing, the front teeth may be too short producing an older looking smile. If I see more than that, there may be a short upper lip or a large overbite and long teeth that I have to take into consideration.


The left photo shows teeth that are probably too short and the one on the right is of unworn teeth, which is more youthful and attractive.The next test is having the patient give a full smile. How much of the upper front teeth do I see then? If all of the front teeth show, then the next thing I want to see that the tooth is longer than it is wide (rectangular). If the front tooth is as wide as it is long (square), it may be considered too short and/or aged. If it is wider than it is long, the teeth would definitely be considered too short and very aged! The most common reason for short teeth is from wearing away from a grinding habit, which is more pronounced with older individuals.

The left photo shows teeth that are too long for the smile. The next photo shows worn teeth that are now square. The third photo demonstrates severely shortened and worn teeth. The last photo shows teeth that are normal in shape and length for this patient’s smile.
There was a study done once where the public was shown various people smiling and could observe the full length of the front teeth. Almost universally they thought that the most beautiful smiles had front teeth that were 1.29 times longer than they were wide (in dental terms a 78% width-length ratio). Thus, a great starting point for a dentist is to measure the width of the tooth, do the math, and then establish the ideal visual length for the front two teeth. (By the way, one test you can use on that might give you an idea as to how well trained your dentist is with cosmetic dentistry would be to ask “What is the ideal proportion of the length of the upper front two teeth?” Answers of 78% (ideal), 75-80% (acceptable range) or 1.29 times longer than wide are answers that probably indicate that the dentist has studied the finer points of cosmetic dentistry.)This length can be tested to see how the patient likes the length before any treatment is even started. Without needing any numbing medicine or doing any drilling, filling material can be added temporarily onto the short front teeth. Then the patient and dentist can evaluate the length for optimum esthetics when the patient has a relaxed mouth or a big smile. There is another criteria that cosmetic dentists like and that is for the edges of the eight upper front teeth to follow the contour of the lower lip when smiling. Cosmetic dentists call this “following the smile line” .


This photo demonstrates a nice smile that follows the “smile line” and teeth are attractive and normal in length for this patients smile. It should be obvious that this is a post-treatment photo of a lady with 8 porcelain veneers.
The last test that we use is to verify the esthetically determined teeth length with phonetics or “speech function”. If the teeth are too long then they will hit the lower lip to much and affect the ability to produce the “f” sounds. If the patient says the word “fifty-five” cosmetic dentists like to see the upper teeth to gently touch the lower lip. If the front teeth hit too hard and the teeth are too long, making a proper the “f” sounds will be difficult.But more important than all of these cosmetic dentistry criteria is that the patient likes his or her new smile with porcelain veneers and can comfortably and appropriately speak. Establishing the length of the new veneers should be a joint decision between the cosmetic dentist and the patient.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 10:06 AM

Monday, March 16, 2009

Smile makeover for a More Professional Appearance with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Women aren't the only ones who appreciate having a nice smile. About one third of patients having smile makeovers and cosmetic dentistry today are men.
Porcelain veneers are many times the best solution for many patients who have discolored, chipped and otherwise unattractive teeth and are seeking a more professional appearance. This gentleman was a perfect example of that situation. He also wanted a more youthful appearance, slightly longer teeth that also had a whiter porcelain color (“Hollywood white”). On the right you can see the photo of his porcelain veneers and as you might guess, he was absolutely thrilled with the results we achieved for him.
DrHuefner_RD1 BEFORE

DrHuefner_RD2 AFTER

DrHuefner_RD3
It is extremely important that the patients become very involved in the color selection to be very satisfied with the ultimate results. In our cosmetic practice we will make suggestions as to what color veneers will look best in our opinion, but it is the patients who have the final decision.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 11:29 AM

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Sensational Smile Makeover with Porcelain Veneers by Orange County Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Huefner

Amber's crooked and disheveled smile was really starting to embarrass her. She is a very attractive lady in her early 50s and her smile certainly didn't go with the rest of her image. She was ready for a "new smile" and wanted to learn what cosmetic dentistry might be able to do for her.
The first cosmetic dentistry consultation is generally just a fact finding appointment, the patient wanting to find out what possible treatments can be done and if he/she like and trust the cosmetic dentist. The first three questions Dr. Huefner asked of Amber were "How can I help you?", "What do you want changed about your smile?" and "What kind of smile do you want?"
She pretty much knew what she wanted. Her teeth were crooked, and she wanted them straight. Her teeth were discolored, and she wanted them whiter. She had several discolored fillings, and she didn't want her fillings to show. Her teeth had worn down and showed the effects of age, and she wanted slightly longer and more youthful, feminine looking teeth.
Amber's smile before cosmetic dentistry
Amber had bridges and crowns on her back side teeth that she wanted replaced as well, but she didn't want to do that until later. Thus her goals were to first restore her front teeth, giving her a great smile, and later to do her side teeth. Dr. Huefner assured her that he could do her treatment that way if she preferred.
After much discussion and consideration Dr. Huefner recommended that Amber have porcelain laminate veneers on her front teeth. Then later she could have porcelain veneers on her side teeth that would also replace her fillings. Along with that she could later replace her back bridges and crowns.
After discussing the design features that Dr. Huefner recommended for her front teeth (size, shape, length, color, texture and translucency), Amber was pleased to learn that her new smile for her front teeth could be completed in less than three weeks.
Below is the completed smile makeover with porcelain veneers that Dr. Huefner did for Amber's front six teeth.

Amber's new smile with porcelain veneers by Dr. Huefner
Dr. Norman Huefner, Cosmetic and General Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 2:16 PM

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Tierra Gets Cover Girl Smile with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Beautiful Tierra appeared in the MAC calendar for both February and September. Here are the calendar photos as they appeared.

Tierra was Ms. Desert States 2007 from Reno, NV, and was second runner-up in the Mrs. U.S.-Globe Pageant. Prior to competing in the pageant Tierra came to Dr. Huefner for porcelain veneers (of course, done by MAC, Microdental Advanced Ceramics).

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

drhuefner_covergirltierra1.jpg drhuefner_covergirltierra2.jpg

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 8:59 AM

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Why the Appearance of Your Teeth and Smile are Important to Your Success and Happiness by Dr. Huefner, Orange County Cosmetic Dentist

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 6:26 PM

Friday, June 27, 2008

Tierra Gets Cover Girl Smile with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Beautiful Tierra appeared in the 2008 MAC calendar for both February and September. Here are the calendar photos as they appeared.

Tierra was Ms. Desert States 2007 from Reno, NV, and was second runner-up in the Mrs. U.S.-Globe Pageant. Prior to competing in the pageant Tierra came to Dr. Huefner for porcelain veneers (of course, done by MAC, Microdental Advanced Ceramics).

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

drhuefner_covergirltierra1.jpg drhuefner_covergirltierra2.jpg

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 12:08 PM

Monday, June 23, 2008

Smile Rejuvinated by Replacing Old Dentistry with Porcelain Veneers and Crowns by Dr. Huefner

Hating the two old "caps" that had been placed on her two front teeth a number of years ago, Tracy wanted teeth that looked natural and would give her a nicer looking smile.

BEFORE

When we looked closely at Tracy's smile we noticed that there were several other problems besides just having bad looking caps. There was a disproportion of her teeth size (the front two teeth were too wide and thick and the rest of her teeth were too small). She showed too much of her gums when she smiles. The gums and root areas around the front two teeth were dark. Her side teeth leaned in and because of that, didn't pick up much light and made her teeth look darker. Also, she really wanted a whiter, brighter smile.

After much discussion Tracy decided on having her two front caps redone with new all-porcelain crowns and have porcelain veneers on her other teeth. Also, to have some minor gum reshaping with the dental laser so that there would be less of her gums showing and that the gums that did show would be more even. Here is the results we achieved with Tracy's new smile with porcelain veneers and two new porcelain crowns.

AFTER


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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:43 AM

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Smile Makeover with Porcelain Veneers Featured in the MAC 2008 Calendar by Dr. Huefner

Tracy Kemble was recently featured in the MAC 2008 calendar for the month of April. Dr. Huefner did Tracy's smile makeover with MAC porcelain veneers. Tracy's photo also appeared on the cover of the Journal of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Beautiful Tracy with her beautiful new smile....a picture is worth a thousand words, especially if the picture is of someone as gorgeous as Tracy! Of course all of Tracy's veneers were fabricated by one of MAC's (Microdental Advanced Ceramics) award winning ceramists!

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 10:15 AM

Monday, June 16, 2008

How a Cosmetic Dentist Determines the Best Length for Your Front Teeth by Dr. Huefner

The length of the teeth, especially your front two teeth, is an extremely important part of how the world sees your smile. If your teeth are too short, it may make you look older than your years and take a lot away from the power of your smile. If the teeth are too long, because the gums have possibly receded over the years, then the smile can be unattractive or even distracting. The length of the front teeth needs to be “just right” for a great smile. So, when cosmetic dentists create a new smile for their patients, with porcelain veneers, bonding or all-ceramic crowns, what are the criteria that they use?The first test I use is to check my patient when they relax their mouth and face muscles, with the mouth slightly open and separating the back teeth so they aren’t touching together. The upper lip has to be totally relaxed. In general I would like to see 1-2mm (about 1/8”) of the front teeth showing. If I don’t see any teeth showing, the front teeth may be too short. If I see more than that, there may be a short upper lip or a large overbite and long teeth that I have to take into consideration.

huefner_l2.jpg huefner_l1.jpg

The left photo shows teeth that are probably too short and the one on the right is of unworn teeth, which is more youthful and attractive. The next test is having the patient give a full smile. How much of the upper front teeth do I see then? If all of the front teeth show, then the next thing I want to see that the tooth is longer than it is wide (rectangular). If the front tooth is as wide as it is long (square), it may be considered too short and/or aged. If it is wider than it is long, the teeth would definitely be considered too short and very aged! The most common reason for short teeth is from wearing away from a grinding habit, which is more pronounced with older individuals.

huefner_l3.jpghuefner_l4.jpghuefner_l5.jpghuefner_l7.jpg

The left photo shows teeth that are too long for the smile. The next photo shows worn teeth that are now square. The third photo demonstrates severely shortened and worn teeth. The last photo shows teeth that are normal in shape and length for this patient’s smile.There was a study done once where the public was shown various people smiling and could observe the full length of the front teeth. Almost universally they thought that the most beautiful smiles had front teeth that were 1.29 times longer than they were wide (in dental terms a 78% width-length ratio). Thus, a great starting point for a dentist is to measure the width of the tooth, do the math, and then establish the ideal visual length for the front two teeth. (By the way, one test you can use on that might give you an idea as to how well trained your dentist is with cosmetic dentistry would be to ask “What is the ideal proportion of the length of the upper front two teeth?” Answers of 78% (ideal), 75-80% (acceptable range) or 1.29 times longer than wide are answers that probably indicate that the dentist has studied the finer points of cosmetic dentistry.)This length can be tested to see how the patient likes the length before any treatment is even started. Without needing any numbing medicine or doing any drilling, filling material can be added temporarily onto the short front teeth. Then the patient and dentist can evaluate the length for optimum esthetics when the patient has a relaxed mouth or a big smile. There is another criteria that cosmetic dentists like and that is for the edges of the eight upper front teeth to follow the contour of the lower lip when smiling. Cosmetic dentists call this “following the smile line” .

huefner_l6.jpg

This photo demonstrates a nice smile that follows the “smile line” and teeth are attractive and normal in length for this patients smile. It should be obvious that this is a post-treatment photo of a lady with 8 porcelain veneers. The last test that we use is to verify the esthetically determined teeth length with phonetics or “speech function”. If the teeth are too long then they will hit the lower lip to much and affect the ability to produce the “f” and "v" sounds. If the patient says the word “fifty-five” or "victory" cosmetic dentists like to see the upper teeth to gently touch the lower lip. If the front teeth hit too hard and the teeth are too long, making a proper the “f” and "v" sounds will be difficult.

But more important than all of these cosmetic dentistry criteria is that the patient likes his or her new smile with porcelain veneers and can comfortably and appropriately speak. Establishing the length of the new veneers should be a joint decision between the cosmetic dentist and the patient.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 11:15 AM

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Instant Orthodontics Porcelain Veneers and Cosmetic Dentistry by Dr. Huefner

Most people today still think that crooked or spaced teeth can only be treated with braces (orthodontics), however in certain circumstances not only is treatment with porcelain veneers and cosmetic dentistry the fastest way to get a new smile, but in many cases it will give the best looking results. Unfortunately, braces just straightens the alignment of teeth, but does nothing to correct the shape, color or length of the teeth. If your teeth are chipped, worn, misshaped, discolored or otherwise not doing their best to give you a nice smile, then consider "instant orthodontics" with cosmetic dentistry. (Note it really isn't orthodontics, but just the illusion of getting straight teeth. The actual teeth underneath the porcelain veneers, bonding, porcelain crowning, or other cosmetic dentistry isn't changed or moved at all.)

BEFORE

Above are two photos of a perfect example of a situation that, in my opinion, is better treated with cosmetic dentistry and porcelain veneers. Note that the teeth are crooked, but also there is spacing. A couple significant advantages of cosmetic dentistry over orthodontics is no two years of braces, several years more of retainer wear and the constant worry of the spacing opening back up when the braces are removed.


AFTER

In the photos above, note the incredibly natural result we achieved with four porcelain veneers and just a couple dental visits. We even created even gums with laser, something not achievable with orthodontics. These veneers were designed with masculine shaped teeth, different in shape and length than we would have done for a female.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:11 AM

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Spaced Front Teeth Corrected with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Madeline hated the huge space between her front two teeth, which she called "the gap". She wanted "the gap" closed, be was concerned that by making just her two front teeth wider, that they would look too wide and unnatural.

BEFORE

She was right. Dr. Huefner suggested that rather than take a "two teeth" approach, that Madeline consider her whole smile. What did she really want for a smile? What color teeth did she want? How long or short did she want them? What shape of teeth did she want? At what position in her mouth? After carefully evaluating all the things about her teeth Madeline also thought that they were too short, having worn down over the years. She decided that she wanted all her teeth whiter, a bit longer (like they were when she was a young lady), and better proportioned.
After hearing what she really wanted, Dr. Huefner suggested that she consider porcelain veneers on her eight upper front teeth. Madeline decided to follow Dr. Huefner's suggested treatment plan and this is the result that was achieved in about a month's time and five visits over the course of five weeks (treatment planning visit, veneer preparation visit, appointment to finalize smile design and color, visit to place the final porcelain veneers and one post treatment check appointment).

AFTER PORCELAIN VENEERS

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 8:02 AM

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Porcelain Veneers Create Masculine, Younger Smile for Active Man by Dr. Huefner

Jeff is a very active man and the appearance of his teeth never seemed "just right" to him. Could cosmetic dentistry help him?
Most people understand that their appearance, which includes their smile and the way their teeth look are important. Unfortunately, people are judged, and many times relationships are determined by appearance. Jeff understood all this. He came into our office to discuss his options with cosmetic dentistry. He felt strongly that his two front teeth were too big and his other teeth too small. He didn’t like the color of his teeth either. What could he do to get a younger, more attractive smile that didn’t look “too pretty” and still was masculine?

drhuefner_jeff1.jpg BEFORE

Porcelain veneers was the treatment of choice to solve Jeff’s problems. Braces weren’t an option, as that wouldn’t change the shape or color of the teeth. Capping the teeth would be too aggressive a treatment considering his situation. Whitening he teeth alone wouldn’t give him the smile that he wanted. But porcelain veneers would allow us to accomplish all the things he wanted.

Here is Jeff’s new smile with porcelain veneers after just three visits! Notice how much more attractive it is and all the teeth are whiter than before and more evenly proportioned with regard to size, shape and position.

drhuefner_jeff2.jpg AFTER

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:59 AM

Monday, May 19, 2008

Creating a Super Smile for a Rugged Man with Cosmetic Dentistry and Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Your smile is important, whether your a male or female, businessperson, professional person, or any job or profession. Steven realized this.

He is a rugged guy, but as a very successful businessman he was getting embarrassed with the appearance of his smile. Everything else was in order, he dressed well, is in great physical shape (goes to the gym four times a week) and is a good public speaker. It was time to get his smile in shape. What could we do to correct his “smile problems”?

Drhuefner_steven1

The solution to Steven’s unattractive teeth and smile was to place porcelain veneers on his upper and lower teeth, and a porcelain bridge to replace a missing tooth. He also wanted “whiter teeth”, and he chose a color in the bleaching shade range. Since he was very masculine we used a more squarish shaped teeth for his incisors, which was in harmony with his personality.

Drhuefner_steven2

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:44 AM

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Porcelain Veneers and Cosmetic Dentistry Result in Sensational Smile by Dr. Huefner

It is awful when someone hates their teeth and smile. When Jan came to us the first thing she said was, “I hate my two big caps and the darkness at the gumline”. It was obvious that she really wanted cosmetic dentistry. Then she asked, “Is there anything you can do to correct this so I can finally have a nice smile?”

Yes, unfortunately as you can see from the photo below that Jan had a number of dental issues. Her front two caps were too big and after having root canals by her previous dentist, the teeth underneath had turned black. Also, she showed way too much of her gums and her other teeth were disproportionately small. She is single professional person, and she also wanted “whiter teeth“. What could we do to fix her smile?

drhuefner_jan1.jpg BEFORE

First, we recommended reshaping her gums with the dental gum laser so that her smaller teeth would appear longer and there wouldn’t be so much of her gums showing when she smiles. Then we removed the old caps and whitened the black teeth underneath with “composite masking” (putting tooth colored filling over the black tooth). Then we replaced her old porcelain-on-metal caps with all-porcelain caps and placed porcelain veneers on her other teeth. Doing porcelain veneers was very important as it allowed us to create a normal size and shape for all of her teeth that was proportionate to her mouth and smile. We finished by doing teeth whitening on her lower teeth.

Here is her new smile in the photo below just a few days after her new smile was created! Isn’t it an amazing improvement.

drhuefner_jan2.jpg AFTER

One of the other things we accomplished was by doing porcelain veneers on her side teeth (bicuspids) we were able to widen her smile, as her original teeth tilted in way too much. All and all, it turned out to be an incredible improvement for Jan and her smile.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 6:47 AM

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Gold Medal Won by Dr. Huefner for Second Time at AACD annual meeting

At the 12th and 13th annual meetings of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry meeting Dr. Huefner won the Gold medals in the Smile Gallery Competition for portrait photography/smile makeover.

The AACD is the largest international dental organization dedicated to advancing excellence in the art and science of cosmetic dentistry. It has over 8,000 members in over 60 countries worldwide. Dr. Huefner was honored by these prestigeous awards.

Requirements were that the competiting cosmetic dentists not only do the smile makeover (porcelain veneers and/or cosmetic crowns of the upper front teeth), but also take the portrait themselves.

Dr. Huefner is the author of Digital Portrait Photography Basics for Cosmetic Dentists, and lectures nationally to cosmetic dentists on how to take portrait photographs of their smile makeover patients. He is giving three lectures and workshops to cosmetic dentists at the next American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry annual meeting in New Orleans.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:39 AM

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Black Teeth to Great Smile with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 6:15 AM

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Straight Teeth and Instant Orthodontics with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Kathleen had crooked teeth and the fact that they didn't have a normal shape. Also, she didn't like the color of her teeth.

BEFORE
She had seen "Extreme Makeover" on TV and heard that new techniques in cosmetic dentistry made it possible to do smile corrections with porcelain veneers in just a few visits. She was elated to learn from Dr. Huefner that she was a great candidate for porcelain veneers and "instant orthodontics".
How long would it take? How many visits? Dr. Huefner told her that she would have her lower teeth finished with porcelain veneers in less than a month, and if she wanted, she could follow up with her lower teeth as well. After getting an incredible result she did just that, had porcelain veneers placed by Dr. Huefner on her lower teeth as well. Here is the final result of Kathleen's new smile with upper and lower porcelain veneers.

AFTER

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 3:45 PM

Stephanie's Smile Makeover with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Stephanie has crooked, discolored teeth and desperately wanted a nice smile. She didn't like the space between her front two teeth, and the "worn look".

BEFORE

She wanted a younger, more attractive smile and definitely wanted her teeth whiter. We recommended porcelain veneers. Here is the incredible result we got for Stephanie!

AFTER

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 6:46 AM

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Rejuvinating an Older Looking Smile with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Cheryl's teeth were dark, very discolored with many old fillings. She was tired of being embarrassed to smile, and especially hated the way her teeth and smile looked in family photos.

BEFORE

You'll note from the photo that she shows 12 teeth. Because of this, and the fact that she wanted whiter teeth, we recommended that she do 7 porcelain veneers and replace the three old porcelain crowns with whiter all-porcelain crowns. However, Cheryl decided only to do the 7 porcelain veneers. This is the beautiful result we achieved for her.

AFTER

This was an incredible improvement in Cheryl's smile, but you'll note that there are still three back/side teeth that are yellow and don't truly match the whiter color porcelain veneers that Cheryl chose. How much nicer Cheryl's smile would have been by doing all ten teeth in the same color porcelain, rather than just doing the seven teeth.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 5:05 AM

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

A Queen and Her Smile Makeover with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Most people appreciate a beautiful smile, but ladies in beauty pageants really recognize the importance of a great smile and looking one's best. We recently had the privilege of treating Dolores Couceiro from Madrid, Spain, who won the title of Mrs. Spain, and later Mrs. Globe.

She actually came to Dr. Huefner’s cosmetic practice in Laguna Niguel for porcelain veneers and a smile makeover before the beauty pageant. Dr. Huefner did her smile makeover in two visits before the pageant finals. Dolores’s teeth were crooked and discolored and she wanted her new smile to have whiter, more perfect teeth, which was achieved by Dr. Huefner using MAC Empress Veneers (Microdental Advanced Ceramics laboratory).

Dolores_151_BLDolores_158_BLDolores_161_BLDolores_3902_BL Dr. Huefner with Dolores Couceiro, Mrs. Globe
Dolores_5574_BL Dr. Huefner with Dolores Couceiro, Mrs. Globe

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 6:59 AM

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Fang-like Teeth and Gummy Smile Correction with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Teeth that stick out too far or are too pointed often produce an unattractive smile. Monica has this problem and hated her teeth and smile. She called it her "fang teeth" and along with it she had an excessive gummy smile!

drhuefner_monica1.jpg BEFORE

Her teeth were so crowded that orthodontics was the best treatment, but she said "No way! I never would go through braces." She then asked me, "Is there any other way you can help me with cosmetic dentistry?" Fortunately for her, the answer was "Yes." We gave her the option of laser gum recontouring to correct her "over gummy smile". After that was healed, we could give her straight teeth by placing porcelain veneers, a procedure we oftentimes call "instant orthodontics". Below is a photo three days after reshaping away her excess gums with the dental gum laser.

drhuefner_monica2.jpg THREE DAYS AFTER LASER GUM RECONTOURING

We recommended 8 or 10 porcelain veneers, but she could only afford to do the six front teeth at this time. Here is the amazing photo of Monica with her new smile with six porcelain veneers. Notice....no more fang-teeth!

drhuefner_monica3.jpg AFTER SIX PORCELAIN VENEERS

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 2:35 PM

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Porcelain Veneers and a Sensational New Smile for Stacy by Dr. Huefner

Many people realize that their smile is very important for them and Stacy was the type of person who always wants to look and feel her very best. She had old plastic bonding done years ago, but it kept chipping and staining over the years. Finally, she was ready to do something better and more permanent to correct her smile.

drhuefner_stacy11.jpg BEFORE

Dr. Huefner also pointed out that her teeth all angled and weren't really straight in alignment with her face. He suggested replacing the old plastic bonding with porcelain veneers, which would also correct her misaligned teeth.

As you can clearly see, Stacy was very pleased with her new smile with porcelain veneers. A beautiful smile for a beautiful lady!

drhuefner_stacy2.jpg AFTER

drhuefner_stacy3_resize.jpg

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 1:15 PM

Friday, April 4, 2008

Discolored Teeth Corrected with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

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".

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:22 AM

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Tracy Gets Smile Makeover with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Having discolored, crooked teeth bothered Tracy. As a healthcare professional, businesswoman and former Mrs. Globe beauty pageant winner, Tracy wanted to look her very best and knew it was time to consider cosmetic dentistry.

BEFORE

After considering the options of braces vs. cosmetic dentistry, it was very obvious to Tracy that porcelain veneers were the way to go for her. Not only could she have straight teeth, but she could get them whiter and in just a few dental appointments. After having porcelain veneers on her upper teeth, Tracy decided to have her lower teeth veneered as well.

AFTER


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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 6:28 AM

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Transforming Tiny Teeth Into Normal Size Teeth With Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Andrea hated her tiny teeth and gummy smile and it affected her image in the workplace. Although she had graduated with honors from college, her co-workers and clients treated her like she was still in high school. She wasn't taken as serious as she should have been.

BEFORE
What she wanted was a mature, adult-looking smile. Braces weren't the answer, she needed larger teeth. And she didn't want to show as much of her gums either, could that be fixed?
Fortunately for Andrea her problems could be corrected with cosmetic dentistry. First, we used a gum laser to remove some of the excess gums around her teeth. That made her teeth look a little longer. Then we placed porcelain veneers on her upper teeth, making them longer and in normal proportion to her face and mouth. Also, we made her veneers whiter and with a more natural unworn feminine shape. The results were fantastic for Andrea! She loved her new smile and reports that she get compliments everywhere she goes.
AFTER


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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 6:02 AM

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