Veronica's Veneers after braces

Veronica from the United States came to The Oaks Dental Clinic through Seoul Guide Medical to correct the look of her teeth. She first underwent the Korean version of Invisalign treatment, which has similar effects as braces. Some people are better suited to the Korean version, and some are better suited to the Invisalign system.

In Veronica’s case, the analysis before the treatment showed that, due to the shape and size of her teeth, alignment was possible, but there would still be a gap between her front two teeth. It was recommended that she get veneers for the front two teeth to close this gap and to correct the size and shape of her teeth after the braces treatment, which would take about eight months. As predicted from the statistical analysis, there wasn’t a gap after the braces treatment, and Veronica came to have two veneers created and placed at The Oaks Dental Clinic.

Veneers can be created in under 60 minutes, as this clinic has its own in-house lab and technicians. Most clinics send out molds to outside labs, who then process them and send them back. By eliminating that little step, the patient gets faster and more accurate treatment. If you need one to two veneers only, then we recommend one to two clinic visits. If you have multiple veneers, then we recommend giving yourself more time. If you want to adjust the veneer shape, then that will take time.

What are veneers? They are thin shells which go over prepared teeth or minimally prepared teeth to improve the color, size, and shape. Many famous actors and celebrities around the world get veneers to have their perfect Hollywood smile. There are versions of veneers which are made of resin or weaker materials, but in general they are not recommended for long-term stability. Often, if the veneer type is too thin, then the underlying color will show up, which makes your veneer look dark, and you will need to replace it. If resin is used, the material is too weak and it is not as translucent. With today’s current technology, porcelain veneers are the best.

Dr. Charim Bae, the head dentist at The Oaks Dental Clinic, is the most well-known dentist in Korea, having graduated number one from Korea’s top school, Seoul National University, and having advanced degrees from both Germany and Finland. Today, he is preparing Veronica’s teeth to receive her veneers.

In cases like Veronica’s, there is already a gap, which means only minimal tooth preparation is done. These cases are known as no-prep or minimally prepped veneers. If you have average-sized teeth, then more of the tooth enamel will need to be removed to make space for the veneers. Without removing the enamel, you are simply placing the veneer on top of the original tooth, which will cause it to look and feel bulky.

Not everyone qualifies for porcelain veneers. If your teeth are too badly damaged or there is too much bite force or pressure, zirconia or a similar harder substance may be better for you. There is even zirconia fused to porcelain, which is a porcelain exterior with a zirconia base. Although you may lose a bit of strength, the translucency gained may be a more appealing option.

Dr. Bae uses a dental surgical microscope to perform the veneer work. We highly recommend using a dentist who has this equipment. You will get a much more accurate result.

After the preparation work has been completed, the veneers are designed on the computer system and created in the clinic. They are then placed on Veronica’s teeth without bonding them to check how they fit. Adjustments are made at this time. It is important to note that the color and material must be chosen before the veneers are produced. The color and material cannot be changed after they are made. The shape can be adjusted, but if you don’t like the color or translucency, there is no way of changing it unless you reproduce them again.

In most cases, it should also be noted that temporary veneers may be given while you wait for the real veneers to be made. This happens in cases where you will come back another day to receive the veneers. Don’t worry about how the temporary veneers look and feel; they are nothing like the finished product.

Lastly, please note that the veneers may look bigger at first. If you have undersized teeth, the veneers will be made according to the golden ratio of the face. This means they are the correct size and shape for your facial structure according to the measurements taken. If you had smaller teeth, then you will have bigger teeth afterward, but in the right proportions, and this will take some time to get used to.

There are also limitations on veneers. Some people do not qualify for them unless they have had braces treatment first. The look of the veneer depends on you and the look of the teeth adjacent to the veneer. If you have slightly darker teeth, then it is recommended that you let us whiten your teeth first. They can then be color-matched. You cannot whiten veneers after they are made. The color matching will be done as close as possible, but it will not be 100%. If you want 100% accuracy in color matching, then you should do all the visible teeth in your smile line as veneers. Patients who want the absolute best results and have the budget for it can get both the upper and the lower teeth done. This will produce the absolute best look.

Like dental team, like my mom, kind of. She had veneers, and she’s eating... Wow, yeah, because she... He said she had some teeth.

Although genetics determines which kind of teeth we have, we no longer have to live with what we were given through the genetic lottery. If you wish to have more pleasing teeth, then veneers are a great option for you.