Crowded teeth and extremely gummy bothered Monica. And she really hated what she referred to as her “fang teeth”!
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.
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!
AFTER SIX PORCELAIN VENEERS
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
June 26th, 2008
Kathleen had misaligned, misshaped, discolored teeth and wanted a nice smile. As an adult in her late 40s, she didn’t want to have to go through years of braces. Is there another way, she asked? Would cosmetic dentistry correct her problem and give her a great smile?
BEFORE
The answer for her was “yes”, we could correct her tooth problems with porcelain veneers on both her upper and lower teeth. Kathleen was excited as her entire treatment was completed in less than two months! See the photo below for her final results! Straight, white, beautiful teeth and smile without braces.
AFTER
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
June 25th, 2008
Your teeth and smile are important. They are one way the the world around you sees you and remembers you. Stacy’s smile was very important for her and she was the type of person who always wants to look and feel her 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.
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 (see photos below with her new smile). A beautiful smile for a beautiful lady, all done in just a few dental visits!
AFTER
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
June 24th, 2008
Andrea has tiny “peg teeth”, and hated the shape, color and spacing. A college student working on her modeling and acting career, Andrea knew how important her smile and appearance were to her success, and came to Dr. Huefner to discuss her options.
BEFORE
Would she need braces? Would bleaching do the trick? What was the solution to giving her a beautiful, and of course “normal” looking smile?
Dr. Huefner recommended bleaching her lower teeth, and then placing porcelain veneers on her upper teeth. Her entire treatment could be done in just a few visits!
AFTER
Well, her cosmetic dentistry must have helped, as since getting her smile makeover by Dr. Huefner she has been on TV and co-stared in one movie!
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
June 23rd, 2008
Sometimes busy people wait years to “finally” do something that they really need, like fixing up their smile. This patient of ours was just such a person. She had several issues with her teeth and gums that embarrassed her….a missing tooth, a remaining baby tooth, short worn teeth, too much gums showing and crooked, discolored teeth. Now was the time to get her smile fixed up!
BEFORE
We started her correction by using the dental gum laser to even out her gums and reduce the gumminess. Then we bleached (whitened) her lower teeth. Next we placed porcelain veneers and an all-ceramic bridge (to replace the missing tooth). She was elated with the result, an attractive, more youthful and feminine new smile! From start to finish took just over a month.
AFTER
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
June 22nd, 2008
Steven was 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”?
BEFORE
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.
AFTER
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
June 18th, 2008
Some people were just born with “tiny teeth” and Adrea was just such a person. Her teeth measured in the smallest 2% of the population and hated the way she smile looked. She told us that it actually 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. As a results of her very young look she felt that she wasn’t taken as serious as she should have been by her co-workers and customers. 
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 
Clearly, what we achieved for Andrea is a beautiful, adult-like smile and she was incredibly pleased with the results of our cosmetic dentistry.
June 17th, 2008
When a patient gets a smile makeover with either porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns, the dentist wants to be sure that in the end everyone is pleased with the results, especially the patient. After all, patients loving their new porcelain veneers and smile makeover is the cosmetic dentist’s benchmark of success. If the patient isn’t thrilled with their porcelain veneers, then the whole dental team of cosmetic dentist, ceramist and cosmetic dental assistant are disappointed as well. Is there a way to make sure that the patient will love the final results? Porcelain veneers have been used by dentists since 1985 and over the years cosmetic dentists have developed an almost foolproof way to insure that each of their patients will love their new smile. It used to be that most general dentists would prepare the teeth, take the impression and the ceramist (who may have never seen the patient) made the veneers as they saw fit. The dentist would choose a shade and sometimes give the ceramist the length to make the front teeth, but most of the design was usually left up to the ceramist. The dentists would often hope and pray that “somehow” the ceramist would “guess” correctly the design that they patient would like. Unfortunately, this technique had a lot to be desired and many patients and dentists were disappointed with the final results. However, today most cosmetic dentists who have gone through advanced training in cosmetic dentistry and porcelain veneering utilize a very sophisticated approach to their “smile design”. This involves the patient and actually gives the patients an opportunity to “test drive” their new smile. Test drive? Yes, the patient can wear specially made temporary veneers called the “trial smile” to make sure that they like the shape, color, length and overall design of their temporary veneers. After wearing the “trial smile” for a few days the patient returns to the cosmetic dentist and together they discuss the design and any changes that the patient might want. The dentist will ask the patient about the color, the length and shape of the veneers, general design, their bite and speech with the new veneers. Also, very important, the dentist can evaluate the symmetry of the new veneers and how it relates to the patient’s face, lips and smile.
“TRIAL SMILE”
This is Jill with her “trial smile”. We asked her to evaluate the color, length and shape of the teeth, and we particularly wanted the edges of her upper teeth to follow her “smile line” (the curve of her lower lip) when she smiled. If there are any changes desired by either the dentist or the patient, they can often be made to the trial smile. The trial veneers can be lengthened or shortened, and the shape of the teeth can be changed as well. Also, and this happens quite frequently, many times patients change their mind as to the desired shade or color of their veneers, most often wanting them a bit “whiter” then they had originally requested. If this is the case it is much better to learn the patient’s wishes in the trial smile stage, so that the final veneers will be the color that the patient wants and will be happiest with. After the “trial smile” smile design is finalized, the dentist will make final measurements of the lengths of the approved veneers, final shade determination, new photos and models to document the patient’s wishes. All this information is sent to the ceramist, who now has a detailed “blueprint” of the patient’s approved design. The ceramist then can proceed with confidence to create beautiful porcelain veneers that the patient will love! Then, the patient wears the “trial smile” for a couple of weeks while the ceramist creates the veneers. This is a transition time, and most patients happily look much better with their “trial smile” than they did with their natural teeth. When the veneers are finally ready, the temporary veneers (“trial smile”) are removed that the new veneers are placed for the patient to preview. The patient can evaluate the veneers in different lighting situations (incandescent, fluorescent, natural sunlight). After the patient accepts the veneers for final cementation and gives the dentist permission, the veneers are bonded (cemented) onto the teeth, finalizing the new smile! If there is something that needs to be corrected (which rarely happens when cosmetic dentists follow this protocol), the dentist can make those changes before bonding the veneers. What is so nice is that this technique of utilizing the “trial smile” and involving the patient in the design process is that it renders a very predictable approach to smile makeovers and porcelain veneers with a very high rate of success and happily satisfied patients!
AFTER, PORCELAIN VENEERS
This is Jill with her beautiful new smile and final porcelain veneers.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
June 16th, 2008
Jenny has two caps on her front teeth. She didn’t like her smile especially because they left a space between her 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?
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?
AFTER
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
June 12th, 2008
His extremely yellow teeth really frustrated Paul. 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.
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.
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
May 23rd, 2008
One of the most frequent questions we get from new patients wanting to improve their smile is “how many visits will it take?” Here is a brief description of the process and number of appointments for a smile makeover with porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns:
1. The first appointment for new porcelain veneers is a diagnosis and treatment planning visit, about 1 hr. 15 minutes. This consists of a full examination with x-rays, models of your teeth, photographs of your face and teeth, gum length and facial analysis, and smile design analysis. No local anesthetic is needed or given at this appointment.
2. Tooth preparation and “trial smile” (temporary veneers) appointment, about 2-3 ½ hrs. A gentle local anesthetic is given to numb the teeth. Sometimes a tranquilizing medicine in the form of a pill is given to make the patient more relaxed and comfortable. The patient leaves that visit with their “trial smile”, the “test drive” of the new smile with temporary veneers. During the next few days the patient evaluates the shape, length, contour and color of the trial smile for esthetics, comfort and phonetics (how the teeth might effect speech, especially the letters “f”, “v” and “s”).
3. “Trial Smile” approval for the final shade, length, contour and color. This visit is done 2-4 days after the tooth preparation visit and lasts about 45 minutes. No local anesthetic or tooth drilling is done at this appointment. Patient and doctor finalize all aspects of the smile design, especially the color and length of the porcelain veneers. Approved smile design is photographed, teeth measured for length and models are taken for the master ceramist to use in fabrication of the final porcelain veneers. Patient signs written approval of smile design and their final choice in porcelain veneer shade.
4. Porcelain Veneer placement appointment, about 2-3 hrs. Local anesthetic is given, the temporary veneers (“trial smile”) are removed, permanent porcelain veneers are placed for the patient to preview and approve. Patient sees veneers on their teeth in three lighting conditions (fluorescent, incandescent and natural sunlight) as part of the approval process. Patient signs written approval accepting final porcelain veneers prior to final placement (bonding the porcelain veneers onto the teeth with laser).
5. Porcelain veneer check appointment, about ½ hr, 2-5 days after placement. No local anesthetic needed or given at this appointment. Veneers and bite are checked and any adjustments indicated are done.
6. Portrait appointment (optional, no fee for this appointment), 1-4 weeks after placement. Dr. Huefner, gold medal winning portrait photographer, takes your portraits of his porcelain veneer patients as part of “the celebration of your new smile”. A DVD or CD is given to the patient that included all photographs taken.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 22nd, 2008
Showing too much of his gums and having teeth that were too small was bothersome to this patient. As a professional man, his image was very important to him and he certainly wanted to look his very best. 
BEFORE
What could be done? Braces weren’t the answer. How could he get a great smile, whiter teeth, with less of a gummy smile and teeth of normal size? Fortunately for him, the solution was pretty straight forward and could be accomplished in a few weeks with porcelain veneers and laser gum recontouring ( a relatively easy non-invasive gum reducing procedure with little discomfort). 
AFTER
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 21st, 2008
Cindy was particularly concerned because her front tooth was so discolored, not matching the rest of the teeth in color. She 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
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 20th, 2008
Earlier this year Dr. Huefner did a smile makeover with porcelain veneers for beautiful Courtney. Dr. Huefner took these portraits in his studio. As you can clearly see she now has a “very sensational” new smile. Her original concerns were that her teeth were too yellow and small. Along with Dr. Huefner, she 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. Look in the current issue of Orange Coast Magazine for Courtney’s photo in black. 
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 18th, 2008
Dr. Huefner, along with the distinguished Orange County plastic surgeon, Dr. Juris Bunkis, give seminars to the public here in Orange County on a regular basis. Their next one is at the El Niguel Country Club in Laguna Niguel on Wednesday, May 21st at 6:30PM. This informative program is free and discusses with photos and examples the many life changing procedures with plastic surgery and cosmetic dentistry available today.
Dr. Huefner’s program is entitled “Changing Lives and Changing Smiles with Cosmetic Dentistry” and Dr. Bunkis’s program is on the latest plastic surgery for a more youthful and beautiful you. Call Orange County Plastic Surgery at 949–888–9700 to reserve your seat.
Dr. Juris Bunkis (on the left), Orange County Plastic Surgery, Rancho Santa Margarita, Orange County, CA
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 16th, 2008
Crooked smiles can be slightly, or very distracting to one’s facial features. We’ve all seen people with this problem, who unfortunately have a crooked smile. Sometimes it is because their face is asymmetrical and virtually no amount of plastic surgery will correct that. However, how about when the teeth are canted in one direction? Can that be fixed? Yes, however, it might require a combination of orthodontics and jaw surgery to the facial bones. Is there anything that cosmetic dentistry can do? Fortunately the answer in many cases is yes. Using
porcelain veneers there are many situations when we can correct the distracting appearance of an asymmetrical smile and teeth.
BEFORE
In the photos above, note this lady and her crooked smile. If I were to show you a photo of entire face you would see that it is perfectly symmetrical, but the smile isn’t because of the alignment and direction of her teeth.
AFTER
Note how with porcelain veneers on ten teeth we created an even, beautifully symmetrical and balanced smile. Pay particular attention as to how the teeth are now aligned with her lips. This is something that sharp cosmetic dentists strive to accomplish, creating well balanced symmetrical smiles with their cosmetic dentistry that compliments the face and lips.
May 15th, 2008
The patients loving their new porcelain veneers and smile makeover is the cosmetic dentist’s benchmark of success. If the patient isn’t thrilled with their porcelain veneers, then the whole dental team of cosmetic dentist, ceramist and cosmetic dental assistant are disappointed as well. Porcelain veneers have been used by dentists since 1985 and over the years cosmetic dentists have developed an almost foolproof way to insure that each of their patients will love their new smile. It used to be that most general dentists would prepare the teeth, take the impression and the ceramist (who may have never seen the patient) made the veneers as they saw fit. The dentist would choose a shade and sometimes give the ceramist the length to make the front teeth, but most of the design was usually left up to the ceramist. The dentists would often hope and pray that “somehow” the ceramist would “guess” correctly the design that they patient would like. Unfortunately, this technique had a lot to be desired and many patients and dentists were disappointed with the final results. However, today most cosmetic dentists who have gone through advanced training in cosmetic dentistry and porcelain veneering utilize a very sophisticated approach to their “smile design”. This involves the patient and actually gives the patients an opportunity to “test drive” their new smile. Test drive? Yes, the patient can wear specially made temporary veneers called the “trial smile” to make sure that they like the shape, color, length and overall design of their temporary veneers. After wearing the “trial smile” for a few days the patient returns to the cosmetic dentist and together they discuss the design and any changes that the patient might want. The dentist will ask the patient about the color, the length and shape of the veneers, general design, their bite and speech with the new veneers. Also, very important, the dentist can evaluate the symmetry of the new veneers and how it relates to the patient’s face, lips and smile.
This photo above is Jill with her “trial smile”. We asked her to evaluate the color, length and shape of the teeth, and we particularly wanted the edges of her upper teeth to follow her “smile line” (the curve of her lower lip) when she smiled. If there are any changes desired by either the dentist or the patient, they can often be made to the trial smile. The trial veneers can be lengthened or shortened, and the shape of the teeth can be changed as well. Also, and this happens quite frequently, many times patients change their mind as to the desired shade or color of their veneers, most often wanting them a bit “whiter” then they had originally requested. If this is the case it is much better to learn the patient’s wishes in the trial smile stage, so that the final veneers will be the color that the patient wants and will be happiest with. After the “trial smile” smile design is finalized, the dentist will make final measurements of the lengths of the approved veneers, final shade determination, new photos and models to document the patient’s wishes. All this information is sent to the ceramist, who now has a detailed “blueprint” of the patient’s approved design. The ceramist then can proceed with confidence to create beautiful porcelain veneers that the patient will love! Then, the patient wears the “trial smile” for a couple of weeks while the ceramist creates the veneers. This is a transition time, and most patients happily look much better with their “trial smile” than they did with their natural teeth. When the veneers are finally ready, the temporary veneers (“trial smile”) are removed that the new veneers are placed for the patient to preview. The patient can evaluate the veneers in different lighting situations (incandescent, fluorescent, natural sunlight). After the patient accepts the veneers for final cementation and gives the dentist permission, the veneers are bonded (cemented) onto the teeth, finalizing the new smile! If there is something that needs to be corrected (which rarely happens when cosmetic dentists follow this protocol), the dentist can make those changes before bonding the veneers. What is so nice is that this technique of utilizing the “trial smile” and involving the patient in the design process is that it renders a very predictable approach to smile makeovers and porcelain veneers with a very high rate of success and happily satisfied patients!
This is Jill with her beautiful new smile and final porcelain veneers.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 14th, 2008
In September Dr. Huefner taught two cosmetic dentistry programs at the annual meeting of the American Dental Association. The first was a workshop for cosmetic dentists, and the second (pictured here) was Education In the Round, a new concept in dental education. In addition to the ADA meeting, Dr. Huefner has lectured to, or is scheduled to lecture to the following dental meetings: American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Academy of General Dentistry, Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics, Academy of Laser Dentistry, The Star of the South Dental Meeting and the annual meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 14th, 2008
Introducing Ms. California-Globe 2006, Jennifer Belle, who competed in the Ms. U.S.-Globe Pageant. Dr. Huefner did a smile makeover for her with porcelain veneers by Microdental Advanced Ceramics (MAC)before the competition.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 13th, 2008
1. The first appointment for new porcelain veneers is a diagnosis and treatment planning visit, about 1 hr. 15 minutes. This consists of a full examination with x-rays, models of your teeth, photographs of your face and teeth, gum length and facial analysis, and smile design analysis. No local anesthetic is needed or given at this appointment.
2. Tooth preparation and “trial smile” (temporary veneers) appointment, about 2-3 ½ hrs. A gentle local anesthetic is given to numb the teeth. Sometimes a tranquilizing medicine in the form of a pill is given to make the patient more relaxed and comfortable. The patient leaves that visit with their “trial smile”, the “test drive” of the new smile with temporary veneers. During the next few days the patient evaluates the shape, length, contour and color of the trial smile for esthetics, comfort and phonetics (who the teeth might effect speech).
3. “Trial Smile” approval for the final shade, length, contour and color. This visit is done 2-4 days after the tooth preparation visit and lasts about 45 minutes. No local anesthetic or tooth drilling is done at this appointment. Patient and doctor finalize all aspects of the smile design, especially the color and length of the porcelain veneers. Approved smile design is photographed, teeth measured for length and models are taken for the master ceramist to use in fabrication of the final porcelain veneers. Patient signs written approval of smile design and their final choice in porcelain veneer shade.
4. Veneer placement appointment, about 2-3 hrs. Local anesthetic is given, the temporary veneers (“trial smile”) are removed, permanent porcelain veneers are placed for the patient to preview and approve. Patient sees veneers on their teeth in three lighting conditions (fluorescent, incandescent and natural sunlight) as part of the approval process. Patient signs written approval accepting final porcelain veneers prior to final placement (bonding the porcelain veneers onto the teeth with laser).
5. Porcelain veneer check appointment, about ½ hr, 2-5 days after placement. No local anesthetic needed or given at this appointment. Veneers and bite are checked and any adjustments indicated are done.
6. Portrait appointment (optional, no fee for this appointment), 1-4 weeks after placement. Dr. Huefner, gold medal winning portrait photographer, takes your portraits of his porcelain veneer patients as part of “the celebration of your new smile”. A DVD or CD is given to the patient that included all photographs taken.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 4th, 2008
Mrs. Texas, Catherine Blades, came to Dr. Huefner’s Sensational Smiles cosmetic dental practice in Orange County, California, for porcelain veneers prior to competiting in the Mrs. U.S.-Globe beauty pageant.
Catherine wanted to look her very best, and trusted that Dr. Huefner would create a beautiful new smile for her. The beauty pageant was held at the Westin Mission Hills Resort in Rancho Mirage, CA, and Catherine did extremely well. A few months later Dr. Huefner was giving a course at the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics annual meeting in Dallas, Texas, and Catherine modeled for the dentists. Here are some of her beautiful portraits that Dr. Huefner took of her that clearly shows her beautiful smile with porcelain veneers:
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 3rd, 2008
Jenny hated her excessively gummy smile and was desperate for some way to reduce the amount of gums she showed, and make her teeth appear larger.
BEFORE
Actually Jenny had more than just an over gummy smile, she had a short upper lip and long upper jaw bone (excess vertical maxillary height). We discussed that ideal treatment for her was to see an orthodontist and a maxillofacial surgeon. However, like many people, Jenny said that she would never consider having braces or jaw surgery. Was there anything at all that I could do to help her? My answer is that I could use a very safe, effective and relatively non-invasive technique called “laser gum recontouring”. She understood that by doing this I couldn’t fix her other problems, but that I could reduce the amount of her gums that she showed when she smiled, and by doing this that her teeth would then look longer and more normal in length. The procedure with laser took less than half an hour, required a little local anesthetic, had no bleeding and very little post treatment discomfort. Look at this photo below, which is her post operative photo taken just TWO DAYS LATER! 
TWO DAYS AFTER LASER GUM RECONTOURING
Needless to say, Jenny was ecstatic with the improvement. Note how she shows considerably less of her upper gums and how much longer and more normal her upper teeth now appear. For many people with “excessive gums”, short appearing teeth and not willing to go through extensive surgery or treatment, laser gum recontouring (”gum lifts”) are a great conservative way to get an almost immediate improvement in the way the smile appears!
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 2nd, 2008
There have been some interesting studies with regard to the perception of facial beauty and the results are that symmetry was much more important than individual features. Since teeth and the person’s smile are the strongest focus area (where your attention is drawn when speaking to or looking at), the symmetry of a smile is incredibly important! However, most people have at least some inherent asymmetry: an eye higher than the other, a nose that is off, one side of the face longer than the other, lips that are move differently on one side than the other or show more teeth on one side than other when the person speaks or smiles, etc. Most of the time this isn’t a significant problem, but for others like this patient of mine, her crooked smile really bothered her.
BEFORE
Note how the teeth all point down to her lower right (her right is on the left of the photo), as seen from the five black lines. Also, that the bottom edges of the teeth cant (lean to one side) as well, as seen on the red line. Together, these all threw off her smile and detracted considerably from much of the beauty of her face.
To make things more interesting, this patient had some old dentistry that she didn’t like. The teeth and gums appeared as having different lengths. She wanted a whiter, brighter smile that would be even and symmetrical and offset her facial asymmetries. So, taking all aspects and features of her face in consideration here is the beautiful result we achieved with porcelain veneers and a new all-ceramic bridge (replacing her old-fashioned porcelain-to-metal bridge).
AFTER
I can’t emphasize enough that in order to create a superb smile and result like this necessitated I pay particular attention to all of her facial features. I fine tuned the gum symmetry and length, shape of the teeth using provisional (temporary) restorations, which allowed her to “test drive” her new smile first. After achieving her full approval at this stage I was able to give my ceramist very specific and precise instructions on how to complete the final porcelain veneers and bridge. End result: A VERY SATISFIED AND HAPPY PATIENT!
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 1st, 2008
This is a question that I am often asked by my patients before they consider their smile enhancements with cosmetic dentistry, and with a smile on my face I assure them that by using porcelain veneers we almost never see this happening. Porcelain veneers are dense and smooth as glass, and as such rarely pick up any stain. In placing porcelain veneers for over 20 years I have only had one instance where my patient had veneers that were staining, and that was because he was an avid cigar smoker. After polishing off the cigar stain and showing him a few techniques to improve his brushing habits, his veneers never seemed to pick up any stain after that. However, natural teeth and the older fashioned plastic veneers (which we used to use a lot in the 1980s when cosmetic bonding was first introduced into dentistry) will pick up stain and will often times darken over the years. To help overcome this, natural teeth can be polished in the dental office and bleaching treatments can be used. Old fashioned plastic bonding used to get a yellowish discoloration over the years because of the hardener incorporated into it, but with newer hardeners used today this rarely happen any more, but they still tend to stain and chip more than porcelain. However because of the superior color stability and increased strength of porcelain veneers, most dentists doing significant smile enhancements prefer using porcelain rather than plastic bonding for their patients. Here is a photo of a patient who returned to my practice 19 years after I did porcelain veneers on her upper front four teeth. Notice that the veneers still match her other upper teeth, no wear or chipping, and they still have a great shine.
It is interesting that this patient returned to my practice because she now wanted all her teeth whiter. This brings up a very important point, that since
porcelain veneers don’t discolor it is essential that the cosmetic dentist and patient together choose an appropriate color for the new veneers. Back in 1986 when I originally placed those four porcelain veneers almost all patients and dentists tried to make teeth look natural and not too light in color, as those were the times before teeth whitening procedures became so common. But these days most all patients want whiter and brighter smiles, and choose colors to make them look younger, cleaner and more professional. Thus, when patients have darker teeth, like this lady, today we would generally recommend to do porcelain veneers on 8-10 teeth, to create a more esthetic and homogenous smile that goes along with the lighter color. These are some examples of more current smile makeover with veneers that we are doing in our practice. Note the lighter, more attractive colors currently in vogue.
May 1st, 2008
How many porcelain veneers does a cosmetic dental patient have done largely depends on the particular problems and the patient’s expectations of “perfection”. Oftentimes there is one problem that overshadows other problems that aren’t seen until the first problem is corrected. So the astute cosmetic dentist and patient really should look at “all the problems” before making any decision on how many porcelain veneers to do so that the ultimate result doesn’t disappoint the patient.
This is a patient had a chipped right central incisor (#8) and only thought he needed one tooth veneered. Upon questioning him further, he confessed that he would really like whiter teeth too.
Looking closely at the other front tooth (#9) we discovered that tooth was smaller than the chipped one, and hence by only doing one front tooth would result the two teeth being different widths, which would produce an unnatural end result. The patient elected to do two veneers to solve his problem.
Before proceding I pointed out that after the two porcelain veneers were done the patient would then notice more the other two adjacent teeth, one (#10) being shorter and recessed compared to the other (#7). Also, that the left canine tooth (#11) was shorter than the opposite one (#6). I call this “next worst thing syndrome”.
The patient understood that by only doing two teeth that we would only be correcting two teeth, and not all other problems that made up his entire smile.
This is the result we achieved by bleaching his teeth and doing two porcelain veneers.
He was extremely pleased with the result, but as expected he did now notice “the next worst thing”, that being the smaller lateral incisor (#10) and plans on doing two more porcelain veneers in the future.
What is very important in cosmetic dentistry is that the dentist communicates on a very high level with the patients, understanding “next worst thing syndrome” and being properly informed to make appropriate choices in their treatment.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
April 29th, 2008
Sue was ready for a “new smile”. She had several issues with her teeth and gums that embarrassed her….a missing tooth, a remaining baby tooth, short worn teeth, too much gums showing and crooked, discolored teeth.
BEFORE
We started her correction by using the dental gum laser to even out her gums and reduce the gummyness. Then we bleached (whitened) her lower teeth. Next we placed porcelain veneers and an all-ceramic bridge (to replace the missing tooth). She was elated with the result, an attractive, more youthful and feminine new smile! From start to finish took just over a month.
AFTER
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
April 29th, 2008
Here is the sensational smile that we created for Jen with porcelain veneers. Jen is the former Ms. California-Globe and competed in the Mrs. U.S.-Globe Beauty Pageant.
After creating Jen’s new smile Dr. Huefner did her photoshoot in his office and entered the photo on the left in the Smile Gallery competition at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and won his second gold medal.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
April 29th, 2008
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. 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. 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
April 25th, 2008
When porcelain veneers were first introduced to dentistry back in 1985, how long they might last wasn’t known and was a question that both dentists and patients wanted the answer to.
As a young dentist over two decades ago I took one of the earliest training courses on porcelain veneers at the UCLA Study Club for Cosmetic Dentistry, and since that time doing cosmetic dentistry with porcelain veneers has been the most enjoyable part of my dental practice. This important question was partially answered for me last year when a lady whom I had done six porcelain veneers for in 1986 returned to my practice. She had moved away, but drove a considerable distance back to our office to have me do “more porcelain veneers” for her. Upon examination I found that all six porcelain veneers had held up extremely well, with no breakage or discoloration. What the patient really wanted was “whiter teeth”, for me to replace the six veneers I had done ninteen years earlier, along with four more so that when she smiled all of her upper teeth would be whiter. The porcelains we use now, the bonding techniques and materials have gone through some revolutionary changes and improvements since then. Thus it is easy to reassure our patients that using good materials and porcelains, a great lab and state-of-the-art techniques, that porcelain veneers could last two, three or even four decades. A better explanation on how long they might last might be compared to how long an automobile might last? It would certainly depend on what type of automobile, what kind of conditions one drove the vehicle, how often and by whom it was services or repaired and if the vehicle was involved in any accidents. Similarly, how long porcelain veneers might last would most likely depend to the answers to these questions:
- How well trained is the dentist?
- What techniques and materials did the dentist use?
- How well did the patient maintain their mouth (brushing, routine dental check-ups and cleanings)
- What type of porcelain was used (some porcelains are stronger and longer lasting that others)
- Did the patient get into any accidents?
- Does the patient have any “grinding” or “clenching” habits? But the short answer to the question is “porcelain veneers can last a long, long time!”
Porcelain veneers can last as long as any other type of permanent dentistry, with possibly the exception of gold crowns (which are the standard for longevity on back teeth). In this day and age, by going to a reputable and properly trained cosmetic dentist, patients should feel confidant that their cosmetic dentistry with porcelain veneers will last a long time. And the best news is that porcelain veneers don’t stain or discolor, and in general they don’t wear down like plastic bonding or natural teeth.
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
April 24th, 2008
John had a rugged smile, worn and discolored teeth, and actually congenitally missing two of his incisors. Over the years his gums had receded which left gaps between his teeth as well. It was time for a change.
BEFORE
Dr. Huefner treated his smile with just four porcelain veneers, making his two front teeth a little longer and by making his cuspids look like lateral incisors so that he would have a natural looking smile. Also, the color of the veneers were made just a little lighter than the other visible teeth. The result, a younger, more healthy looking, more attractive and professional looking masculine smile! John was thrilled with the result.
AFTER
Dr. Norman Huefner, General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Laguna Niguel, CA
April 23rd, 2008
BEFORE 
