Tel: 301-652-9505

March 15, 2024

From Fake to Fantastic: The Secret of Natural-looking Veneers

Have you ever wondered why certain dental veneers look better than others and why certain veneers look fake while others look very natural? Let me share the secrets I’ve learned over the last twenty years doing thousands of veneers.

Before we reveal the secrets of successful dental veneers, let’s look at the veneers themself and see what they are made of. Veneers are a thin layer of porcelain that gets bonded with the tooth. Suppose you want to compare them to conventional restoration, like crowns. In that case, you’ll see that the tooth requires less preparation because we only prepare the outside of the tooth versus the crown preparations, where we need to prep all the way around. So what makes a veneer, and what is the big secret of a successful veneer? It all comes down to how we build the porcelain. So when the lab technician makes the porcelain veneer, he can add the color by painting the characteristic on top of the tooth. That’s called surface coloring. That’s the fastest way, and that is how most labs and technicians make those veneers because they’re quicker and more economical.

Before
After

The best way to make a natural-looking veneer is by using the layering technique. The layering technique is where the lab technicians build the color by adding layers of porcelain one at a time. So, the color gets to be built from the inside out. It will never fade away, and you can maintain that color longer. Also, that technique will provide a more natural look and requires higher skills from doctors regarding the case selection and the technician’s ability to do the layering technique. Let’s look into how we use this secret and apply it to our natural life dentistry. The most significant example is teeth trauma. So, doing a veneer or crown without the layering technique is tough when you have tooth trauma. The layering techniques will provide a naturally looking veneer and get you the result you’re looking for without needing to prepare the teeth for a crown.

Also, when you use the veneer to close the spaces between teeth, it’ll be a perfect application for a veneer. The layering technique veneers and the more sophisticated veneer will provide better results than the conventional ones. An old, non-layered porcelain veneer will look flat after being used for a few years. That superficial color will be gone, and you end up with the dull, monochromatic, not eye-pleasing veneer. You’ll see the difference when we replace it with the more sophisticated veneer using the layering technique. The color will last for a very long time and will last for the duration of the veneer. You can immediately tell when you see someone with an old or low quality and one patient with veneers done correctly.

Before
After

We can always create veneers and a bright smile. But even with those veneers, it would be best to use the layering technique. So, as much as possible, we provide the patients with a great, healthy, and natural-looking smile. The biggest compliment you get is that you have a great smile, not who your dentist is. If you still have questions and want to see us, please call us and ask for a complimentary consultation. We’d love to see you and help you with your next veneer case. If you’re interested in dental veneers, please don’t hesitate to call Obeid Dental about the benefits of digital dentistry for your specific needs.

Please call Obeid Dental at (301) 652-9505 if you have any questions or to set up an appointment. We serve the Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Rockville, Potomac Silver Spring, MD and Washington D.C. area.

From Fake to Fantastic: The Secret of Natural-looking Veneers

At Obeid Dental, we are dedicated to providing our patients with exceptional care and top-quality cosmetic dental treatments. As a specialized prosthodontics practice, our team is committed to helping patients achieve optimal oral health and stunning smiles.

We offer in-office CT scans for better implant diagnosis and treatment planning, with surgery and restorations done in the same place by the same doctor. We perform CT scan-guided surgery that reduces appointment times, expedites recoveries, and ensures the best implant outcome. Fully digital impressions and design are integrated with our full in-house lab and complete the digital workflow. We offer full implant services from single to full mouth implants, including all ceramic implants and teeth-in-a-day smile makeovers.

With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Obeid and our team of dental professionals create personalized treatment plans that cater to each patient’s specific needs.

Dental Implant Services

The indications for dental implants can vary. These can include:

• Trauma – any injury to the face can lead to the loss of the teeth. Simple trauma such as a fall or accident can result to the immediate loss of a tooth
• Caries or Decay – decay (also known as caries) is the number one reason for tooth loss and can occur at any age. If left untreated under an existing filling or crown it will cause the tooth to fail and require an implant
• Failing Root Canal – If left untreated, an infection from a failing root canal can lead to bone loss, complicating any future implant placement
• Infection – A lingering infection will begin to dissolve the bone that retains a tooth. The most common causes for infection are lingering caries, periodontal disease and failed root canals.
• Congenitally Missing Teeth – Ideally all your baby teeth will be replaced by strong adult teeth. In cases where this does not happen, an implant is the treatment of choice to replace the missing tooth
• Failing Crowns and Dental Restorations – All restorations have an inherent shelf life. Decay or caries can occur under the restoration resulting infection. An implant may be needed results in an extraction.
• Previously Extracted Tooth or Teeth – There are many reasons why a patient may have delayed replacing missing or extracted teeth. Even after many years implants can still be placed.

Dental Implants Before & After

Full Mouth Implant rehabilitation with 6 implants on

the upper, 5 implants on lower.

Full Mouth Implant rehabilitation with 6 implants on the upper, 5 implants on lower.
Full Mouth Implant rehabilitation with 8 implants on the upper, 6 implants on lower.

Full Mouth Implant rehabilitation, 8 implants on

the upper, 6 implants on the lower.

Replacing missing teeth with dental implants.

Dental Implants Videos
Dental Implants FAQs

Dental Implants

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Dental implants are a tooth replacement option. To understand what an implant it helps to
think of the dental implant in its three distinct parts:

  1. The dental implant body that is inserted into the bone of the jaw. The dental implant body is usually screw
    like and is made of either pure titanium, a titanium alloy or zirconia, which is all ceramic. The implant body
    typically is hollow in the middle, which helps retain the future crown that will be paired with it.
  2. The fabricated crown that will act as a replacement for the tooth. The crown can be made of metal, porcelain
    fused to metal, or all ceramic.
  3. The abutment, an intermediate piece that connects the crown to the implant. The abutment is a customizable
    piece that can be made of titanium, gold alloy, or a combination of titanium and all ceramic crown.

As with any surgery, you should expect some amount of discomfort immediately following the dental implant placement. This ranges from mild to moderate in most cases and many patients easily regulate their pain with over the counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen (Tylenol or Advil). If needed we can prescribe a stronger pain medication.

After the dental implant is placed, 2-3 months is needed to allow the bone to heal around the implant. Once healed, the dental implant is ready for placement of the final restoration.
At Obeid Dental we understand that patients do not want to have the appearance of missing teeth! We will fabricate a temporary device to replace the missing tooth before you leave the office. We prefer a fixed temporary or if possible, a removable device. In some cases we can use the implant to immediate place a temporary device and this procedure is called ‘Teeth in A Day’.
Your dental maintenance schedule should not need to be changed once you have the dental implant. Like your regular teeth, the areas around the implant will need to be cleaned. Implants can develop periodontal disease, gradual bone loss and infection or develop space with the other teeth if not maintained. There are treatments available for these of these complications but regular checks with your provider help avoid them.
For longevity, it’s important to think of the dental implant as two separate parts. As with any the implant or the can fail completely or partially. The restoration, whether a crown or even denture, can fracture. In these instances, a new restoration can be fabricated and placed on the existing dental implant body. If there is an issue with the implant body itself, such as an implant infection, implant fracture or implant rejection, the dental implant surgery process must be done again. At Obeid Dental our 20 year success rate is 95% for both dental implants and restorations.
You can be too young for dental implants, but you can’t be too old!

The bones of your jaw need stimulation to retain their size and shape. The bone of your
jaw gets this from adhering to the roots of your natural tooth. When a tooth or multiple
teeth are lost, the bone tissue of the jaw begins slowly disappearing around that area.
Over time this can alter the shape of the jaw and the fit of the dentures. An implant
replicates the roots of your teeth and maintains facial structure. Implants help maintain the
bone value, add to the the stability of dentures and provide a non removable option – fixed
bridges.

Your final restoration will mimic your natural teeth and most patients report significant
improvement with their eating, especially the types of foods that can be consumed with
their implant restorations

People lose teeth for a variety of reasons. Once the tooth is removed from your jaw, the bone beneath it is no longer stimulated and begins to reabsorb. If too much time was allowed before replacing the available bone may be insufficient for the implant placement and you may require a bone graft to stabilize the implant.

As with any surgery, you should expect some amount of discomfort immediately following the dental implant placement. This ranges from mild to moderate in most cases and many patients easily regulate their pain with over the counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen (Tylenol or Advil). If needed we can prescribe a stronger pain medication.

Dental implants can seems like a pricey venture but are usually more economical in the long term because of their longevity. Other tooth replacement options such as a bridge or dentures will often need maintenance or replacement multiple times and ultimately these options lead to bone loss.
Obeid Dental is a fee for service practice. We are considered an out of network specialist provider for insurance carriers. We will submit for any dental procedures to your carrier and the company will reimburse you directly based on their fee schedule and your annual member benefits. For more information about Dental Implants or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Obeid, call our office in Chevy Chase, MD at Obeid Dental Chevy Chase Phone Number 301- 652-9505.
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