Multiple Options
We not only offer traditional porcelain veneers, we offer numerous alternatives so you can get the results you want, even if you have a limited budget.
Experienced Dentists
With nearly a century of combined experience, our cosmetic dentists know the secrets of getting great results with porcelain veneers.
Helpful Financing
The benefits of porcelain veneers can make them a smart investment. We offer multiple financing options so you can get the procedure that’s best for your smile.
What Are Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers are thin facades of advanced ceramic. These slide over the visible parts of your teeth, creating an attractive new surface. Sometimes veneers fit just on the front of your teeth. Other times, they fit over the front and top of the tooth, giving you a new biting and chewing surface. They can even extend down the back of the tooth to provide even more protection.
Most modern veneers aren’t actually made of porcelain. The original veneers made for Hollywood stars nearly a century ago were made of porcelain, and we call them porcelain veneers the way some people will talk about “tin foil” and “tin cans,” even though these are made of aluminum and steel, respectively, these days. While the first veneers were so fragile that actors had to remove them between takes, modern veneers are incredibly strong. They can be stronger than your natural tooth enamel.
However, modern veneers still have the beauty and whiteness of traditional porcelain, helping your teeth look bright white with the same luster as natural tooth enamel.
What Can Porcelain Veneers Do for You?
Porcelain veneers are a powerful and versatile cosmetic dentistry procedure. Our Houston cosmetic dentists can use them to:
- Whiten teeth
- Repair damage
- Reshape teeth
- Close gaps between teeth
- Straighten teeth
- Whiten teeth
- Repair damage
- Reshape teeth
- Close gaps between teeth
- Straighten teeth
Porcelain veneers can whiten discolored teeth. Because veneers cover your teeth, you aren’t limited by discoloration of the enamel or from within the tooth. Your teeth can be as white as you want.
Veneers can repair damaged teeth, including excessive wear and chipping. Minor cracks in teeth, such as craze lines, can also be repaired. More serious tooth cracks might require different treatments, such as dental crowns.
In the process, veneers can reshape your teeth. Your teeth can be longer, and can have the shape you want. This lets us resize retained baby teeth and give peg laterals a more normal shape. You can get more pronounced canines, or rounder teeth. Whatever shape you want your teeth to be, veneers can help you achieve it.
In reshaping your teeth, your cosmetic dentist can close gaps between your teeth and straighten slightly crooked teeth–no need for orthodontics.
Benefits of Porcelain Veneers
With porcelain veneers, you will enjoy:
- Complete control over your smile
- Beautiful results
- Long-lasting results
- Complete control over your smile
- Beautiful results
- Long-lasting results
With porcelain veneers, you can design the smile you want. You aren’t limited by the size, shape, or color of your natural teeth. You can get the smile you want, within the limits of your facial structure.
With veneers, your Houston cosmetic dentist can deliver beautiful, natural-looking results. Veneers have the same luster as natural teeth, so they will look good in any light.
Veneers deliver long-lasting results. As we mentioned, they are very strong. In addition, they are stain-resistant and acid-resistant. This means that, with proper care, you can expect your beautiful new smile to last more than a decade.
Limitations of Porcelain Veneers
There are some drawbacks to porcelain veneers. They:
- Require tooth preparation
- Can be expensive
- Require tooth preparation
- Can be expensive
Applying traditional veneers means your cosmetic dentist will have to remove some natural tooth enamel to make space for the restorations. This tooth enamel will not grow back, and might mean that your veneer procedure is not reversible.
The cost of porcelain veneers depends on the number and type of veneer you choose. Closing a smile gap with two veneers might be relatively affordable, but getting a smile makeover with a full set can be expensive. Because of the benefits of veneers, it’s often worthwhile to explore financing options and see if you can afford the procedure.
Alternatives to Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are not the only way to achieve many of the effects you want to achieve. At Stephens & Gatewood Dentistry, our Houston cosmetic dentists also offer:
- Teeth whitening
- Dental bonding
- Lumineers
- Invisalign
- Teeth whitening
- Dental bonding
- Lumineers
- Invisalign
These alternatives might be a better option to achieve your cosmetic goals, depending on your situation.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening brightens your smile by breaking down stains trapped in your enamel. External stains like those from food, drink, and tobacco all respond well to teeth whitening. Your teeth will only get as white as your natural enamel allows, but the procedure is inexpensive and you can maintain your results over the long-term.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a composite material that starts as a soft putty. Your Houston cosmetic dentist will apply the putty to the front of your teeth, covering and reshaping it. Using a curing light, your dentist will harden the bonding, then polish it to a bright shine. This is sometimes called a composite veneer or direct veneering. You don’t have to modify your natural teeth, so the procedure is reversible.
The results aren’t as attractive as porcelain veneers, and they don’t last as long, but many people try it because the cost is so low. When bonding fails, people can decide if they want longer-lasting results with porcelain veneers rather than going back to their old smile.
Lumineers
Lumineers are a special type of veneer that is called no-prep or minimal prep veneers. They utilize special materials that can be even thinner than traditional veneers so your cosmetic dentist won’t have to remove much of your natural teeth. Sometimes this means that your procedure is reversible, although your results can be just as long-lasting as traditional veneers.
Invisalign
Invisalign is an orthodontic approach that uses clear plastic aligners instead of metal brackets and wires. It can provide more straightening than veneers, but won’t reshape teeth. We can add whitening to Invisalign treatment to help brighten your smile.
Get Porcelain Veneers in Houston
If you think veneers might be the right choice for you, the Houston cosmetic dentists at Stephens & Gatewood are ready to help you. We offer unequaled training and experience to help you achieve the beautiful smile you desire. Read our reviews and testimonials to see how other patients feel about their cosmetic dentistry at our office, and our before and after gallery will show you the results we can achieve.
Please call (281) 320-2000 or use our online form to request an appointment at one of our two locations in Spring, TX.