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

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 12:08 PM

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Dental Implant Replaces Missing Front Tooth by Dr. Huefner

Breaking and losing a front tooth can be devastating and very embarrasing. Everyone sees it.

Rita broke off just such a tooth at the gum line and it needed replacement. We discussed several options with her (placing a porcelain bridge, a removable partial denture or dental implant). In her case she didn't want to do anything to the adjacent teeth, so a porcelain bridge wasn't chosen. Also, she didn't want a tooth replacement that came in and out like a removable partial denture, so that wasn't chosen either. She wanted something permanent and very strong and accordingly, chose to do a dental implant.

Here is the process that we used to restore her tooth and smile with the dental implant.

First, the remaining part of the tooth (the root) was removed (extracted). A dental implant was placed into the area were the root was.
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Then a zirconia abutment was made.
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It was placed into the metal dental implant.
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A porcelain crown was made that fits onto the zirconia dental implant abutment.
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The porcelain crown was cemented onto the zirconia dental implant abutment.
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This was a successful case, but could have looked better had veneers been done on the two adjacent teeth to cover over the yellow root areas. Notice how beautifully matched the dental implant was to the two adjacent teeth!

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 3:10 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

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Correcting Dark, Discolored Teeth with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Most people would agree that your smile is very important to you. Many might say that it even sends a message to the whole world about you…about your health, about how you take care of yourself, about how good you look, etc. Your smile is about a third of what you see of your face, so to many that is very important.

Wendy’s teeth were very discolored, especially her front tooth. She’s a professional person and knows how important to appear her best in business and in the public.

drhuefner_wendy1.jpg BEFORE

After discussing her personal situation, Dr. Huefner suggested porcelain veneers to Wendy, along with a special procedure (named for cosmetic dentist Dr. William Dickerson, founder of the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies) to disguise the dark root under the dark front tooth. Wendy decided it was time to improve her smile and have the cosmetic dentistry that Dr. Huefner recommended. Here are two photos of Wendy and the sensational new smile that was achieved for her with porcelain veneers on her upper teeth.
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Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 8:13 AM

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Sensational Smile with Porcelain Veneers and a Ceramic Bridge for Uliana

Not happy with her teeth and smile, Uliana wanted to know what options cosmetic dentistry might have for her. Her teeth were very discolored and wearing down on the edges. She also had a crossbite on one side and didn't like the way her porcelain-to-metal crowns and bridge looked.
BEFORE
We recommended porcelain veneers on her front teeth and replacement of her old crowns and bridges with all-ceramic porcelain crowns (non-metal based) and porcelain bridge. She wanted to be involved in the design of the shape and length of her "new teeth" and was particularly concerned about achieving a full smile. The results we achieved for her were sensational!
AFTER

Then a few weeks later we took her post treatment portraits right in our "sensational smiles studio". As you can clearly see, she was very happy with her cosmetic dentistry and porcelain veneers. One of these portraits that we took will be entered in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry annual Smile Gallery competition. Wish us luck!




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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:41 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.

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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.

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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” .

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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

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Almost Instant Smile Makeover with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Nobody likes having crooked teeth and those who do almost always say that the thought of having straight, beautiful teeth is very appealing to them. But the idea of many months or even several years of orthodontics (braces) keeps many adults from doing anything about it.

Kandes was just such a person. She had crooked teeth and definitely didn’t want braces. She was at the point in her life that she didn’t have the time and want a great smile in the quickest way possible, and for her braces were just out of the question.

However, Kandes also had something special going on in her life and now was the time to do something about her smile. She was “Mrs. Southwest 2005? and competed in the Mrs. U.S. Globe beauty pageant.

So, how could she get a beautiful smile without doing the old braces route? The answer of course is that cosmetic dentistry with porcelain veneers is usually a great alternative to orthodontics, especially for adults. Although not technically orthodontics, the results are straight teeth in just a couple visits, which in comparison to the traditional 1-3 years of orthodontics seems to be almost “instant” in comparison.

BEFORE

The photo above shows what she didn’t like about her teeth and smile. Her teeth were crooked, chipped and discolored. She especially didn’t like her upper left eye tooth (canine), which she called her “fang tooth”. The photo below is the beautiful result we achieved with porcelain veneers in three visits.

AFTER

Although there are many circumstances when orthodontics is absolutely the best course of treatment (younger patients, teeth with good color or “bleachable”, teeth not worn, chipped or having multiple fillings or crowns), there are also many times when cosmetic dentistry is a preferably way of getting a sensational new smile (adult, discolored teeth, crowded or spaced teeth, multiple fillings or chipped teeth). Clearly the advantage of a couple visits and the ability to create the color, shape, position and length of the teeth to compliment the patients face gives cosmetic dentistry many advantages to the busy adult.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 6:55 AM

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Smile Makeover with Porcelain Veneers Create Life-changing Appearance by Dr. Huefner

For some people who have misshaped, discolored or otherwise misaligned teeth, smiling can be embarrassing. Absolutely hating and embarrassed with her crooked teeth, Diane wanted to know what could be done for her with cosmetic dentistry. Not only were her teeth crooked, spaced at the gumline and discolored, but worst of all, her one front tooth was turned and stuck out. Not a pretty smile that she could be proud of.

BEFORE
What could Diane do? Did she need braces? The answer more than thrilled Diane, she could have a new smile, a sensational smile, in three weeks and two dental visits with porcelain veneer cosmetic dental treatment.
AFTER

Above is the gorgeous results that we got for Diane. She asked that her teeth be whiter, but have a natural look. She also wanted her porcelain veneers to last as long as possible, hopefully the rest of her life. So, we utilized a semi-translucent Empress porcelain, one that really looks natural and is extremely strong and durable. Many cosmetic dentists believe that Empress porcelain is one of the very strongest porcelains available for porcelain veneers.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 6:15 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

Friday, May 23, 2008

New Porcelain Bridgwork and Porcelain Crowns Transform a Smile by Dr. Huefner

Your appearance is important! It effects your image and the way people see and treat you. And, when appearing your best in public is important, sometimes old dentistry just doesn’t cut it. Rhonda was just such a person and she was ready for a change.

BEFORE

As you might guess from looking at the above photo, her old dentistry was done in the era when dentists believed “natural” (usually meaning yellow) was the best way to go and Rhonda wanted whiter teeth this time around. Also, the bridge on her upper right teeth was breaking and she felt really “looked ugly”.

We replaced her old dentistry (old fashioned porcelain-on-metal bridge and crowns) with new, whiter porcelain bridges and crowns. Also, placing four porcelain veneers on the worn, discolored teeth so that all her teeth were the same color and had a uniform and more youthful smile design. As you might imagine, Rhonda was absolutely thrilled with the results.

AFTER

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:09 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.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:59 AM

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Porcelain Veneers and the Trial Smile, Formula for Successful Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

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.
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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”.

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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.

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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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 8:26 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”?

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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.

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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.

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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

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Porcelain Veneers and Cosmetic Dentistry Create New Smile for Barbara by Dr. Huefner

Your teeth and smile are a huge part of your face and smile and the way the world sees you. having an unattractive smile always really bothered Barbara. She showed too much of her gums, which were very uneven. Her teeth were spaced, crooked, discolored and she didn't like the actual shape of the teeth.

drhuefner_barbara1.jpg BEFORE

What could be easily be done? Well, we suggested she have two things done immediately. Reshape her uneven gums with the dental gum laser and then whiten her teeth. This is the way her smile looked two weeks later after doing those two things.

drhuefner_barbara2.jpg AFTER LASER GUM RESHAPING AND TEETH BLEACHING

Barbara was pleased, but then decided she really wanted a nicer smile. What else could be done? Dr. Huefner recommended porcelain veneers. He could give her the color she always really wanted (much whiter), fill the spaces, give her normal shaped teeth of the appropriate length to follow the smile line of her lower lip. Here is how her new smile looked the following month after Dr. Huefner finished the smile makeover for Barbara with porcelain veneers.

drhuefner_barbara3.jpg AFTER PORCELAIN VENEERS

Barbara looked terrific with her new smile. Amazing how cosmetic dentistry and porcelain veneers can greatly improve someone's appearance so much and so quickly.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:51 AM

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Porcelain Veneers for a Beautiful New Smile by Dr. Huefner

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.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 10:11 AM

Friday, May 2, 2008

Instant Orthodontics with Porcelain Veneers to Correct Crowded, Yellow Teeth by Dr. Huefner

Crowded teeth can many times be corrected with cosmetic dentistry, rather than braces.
John, a gentleman in his 70s, is a great example. He had very crowded and discolored teeth, but had never gotten around to doing anyting about it. Now it was time for him to do something to give him a better and little younger looking smile.

BEFORE

The big questions he asked us was “would we have to pull any of his bottom teeth?” and “would he need braces?” The answer to both questions was “No!”, which was an answer that thrilled him. Here is the result was got for John with porcelain veneers on his lower teeth, and porcelain veneers and a bridge on his upper teeth.

AFTER

Note that no lower teeth were removed. The crowding, color and shape of his lower teeth was corrected with some simple gum recontouring with laser and ten porcelain veneers, which we sometimes call "instant orthodontics". Since his teeth had worn and shortened over the years, we also made his upper teeth a little longer, resulting in a smile that made him look younger.
As you can clearly imagine, he was extremely pleased with the results that we achieved for him and now he beams a great smile everywhere he goes!

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 8:37 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

Friday, April 25, 2008

Tiny Peg Teeth Transformed with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

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.

Drhuefner_AndreaJ_1 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!

Drhuefner_AndreaJ_2 AFTER
Drhuefner_AndreaJ_3

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:52 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

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Severely Discolored Teeth Gets Smile Rejuvination with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

All of Janet's front teeth were different colored and her co-workers had nicknamed her "Heintz 57" because of the huge variety of colors in her smile. She wanted to know what could be done about her smile? Could she ever have normal looking teeth?
BEFORE
After evaluating her situation we discussed with her how six porcelain veneers could be made for her front teeth to make them all the same color. Also, that the space between her front two teeth could be closed as well, but she said that was "her personality" and that she liked the space.
After two office visits this is the new smile we created for Janet with six porcelain veneers (leaving a little space between the two front teeth as she asked). By the way, Janet's cosmetic treatment, porcelain veneers and these two photos were all done ten years ago and they look as good today as they did back then!
AFTER
Janet doesn't have the nickname any more but now she sure smiles with a lot more confidence.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 7:22 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

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Almost "Instant" Correction of Crooked Teeth with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Having crooked teeth really bothered Sylvia. She had always wished that she could have bad braces as a child, but now as an adult she wasn't willing to go through "all that hassle" (she was a busy professional person and multiple office visits over months or years just wasn't an option for her). She had seen "smile makeovers" done on the "Extreme Makeover" TV show, and wanted to know if cosmetic dentistry was an option for her?

BEFORE

Actually, in Sylvia's case, cosmetic dentistry, specifically using porcelain veneers, was the best option and would give her a great result. "But how many visits and how long would it take?", Sylvia asked. She was delighted to learn that she would have her "new smile" in just five week. We would start in two weeks and she would have them three weeks after that. Of course, that is exactly what we did for Sylvia. Here is the beautiful results we achieved for her with porcelain veneers.

AFTER

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 9:01 AM

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Correcting Old Dentistry With Porcelain Veneers and All-ceramic Crowns, by Dr. Huefner

Everyone has seen people from time to time with porcelain-metal "caps" on their front teeth that just didn't look natural. Jenny is one such person. She really didn’t like her smile, especially since the oversize caps still left a space between her front two teeth. Also, the yellow color of her teeth were very bothersome to her, and all the teeth seemed to be disproportionate in size. What could be done?

Drhuefner_jean1 BEFORE

Actually Jenny’s situation is something that cosmetic dentists are regularly asked to solve. The solution for Jenny was very straight forward, replace the front porcelain-metal caps with all-porcelain caps, and then place porcelain veneers on the other teeth. That allowed us to distribute the spacing proportionately and choose a whiter color for her new smile. Making her teeth a little longer and whiter is very appreciated by patients because those are characteristics of more youthful smiles. And who doesn’t want to look more attractive and more youthful?

Drhuefner_jean2 AFTER

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 6:11 AM

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

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Porcelain Veneers and a Fantastic New Smile for Paul by Dr. Huefner

Yellow teeth! This really frustrated Paul and he wanted to do something about it. He had tried bleaching, but his teeth were just too discolored for bleaching to give him the whiter, brighter smile than he had always wanted. Also, his teeth were crooked and he had a number of the mercury-amalgam fillings done in his youth on his side and back teeth. Not only did those discolor his teeth almost blackish, but they were weakening his teeth and they were starting to crack and break. It was time to replace the old dentistry and get a smile that he would be proud of.
Drhuefner_paul1 BEFORE

Dr. Huefner recommended porcelain veneers for Paul, as not only could his teeth be made a lot whiter (as he had always wanted them to be), but they would be straight and even. Also, the veneers on the side teeth could be made so at the same time they would replace the mercury amalgam fillings giving him two benefits....better looking teeth and also stronger.
Drhuefner_paul2 AFTER

Paul’s smile makeover with porcelain veneers was done in just a few visits, beginning to end just three weeks.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 2:49 PM

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

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Closing Big Spaces with Porcelain Veneers by Dr. Huefner

Barbara had a huge gap between her front two teeth that really bothered her. She came to Dr. Huefner to discuss how her smile might be improved with cosmetic dentistry.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 3:23 PM

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Winning Smile with Porcelain Veneers for Miss Teen California-International 2005 by Dr. Huefner

Rachel was Miss Teen Orange County and wasn't extremely happy about the appearance of her upper front teeth. Soon she would be entering other beauty pageants and wanted to look her very best on stage and of course, to impress the judges.

Dr. Huefner suggested cosmetic dentistry with porcelain veneers, and within a few weeks had created a sensational smile for her with 8 porcelain veneers by MAC (see www.macveneers.com).

Not surprisingly, Rachel then went on and won the crown at the Miss Teen California-International Pageant.
Congratulations
Rachel, we're all very proud of you! You look absolutely beautiful.

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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 5:58 AM

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Beautiful Natural Smile for Jackie with Porcelain Veneers and Crowns by Dr. Huefner

Jackie had two old porcelain over metal crowns on her front two teeth and she hated the way they looked. They were opaque and just didn't look natural and real, were Jackie's comments.
BEFORE
After looking more closely, Jackie didn't like the color of her other teeth either. She wanted whiter teeth! Also, her lateral incisors (the teeth next to the front two teeth) were small and one was a little gray. What could she do to have a beautiful, natural smile....the kind that she had always wanted?

Dr. Huefner suggested that she first bleach her teeth (teeth whitening), making all her natural teeth whiter, which she did. Then he suggested replacing the front two crowns with new all-porcelain crowns and making porcelain veneers for her lateral incisors. Thus, all four front teeth would match and be in proper proportion. Jackie agreed to Dr. Huefner's proposed cosmetic treatment and the treatment was completed in just a few visits over a three week period. Here is the results Dr. Huefner achieved for Jackie by just treating her four front teeth.
AFTER
Afterwards, Dr. Huefner took these portraits of Jackie in his studio. As you can see, Dr. Huefner does both cosmetic dentistry and portrait photography for his cosmetic patients.


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

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posted by Dr. Norman Huefner at 8:07 AM

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