In our last blog, we spoke about minimal prep, prepless or prep “less” veneers, and an actual case study from Dr. Brent Engelberg (jointly written with Brad Jones, FAACD) which was published in the May issue of Spectrum dialogue. The preliminary work for the veneers in this specific case were extremely minimal on some teeth, and completely prepless on others.
Precision for Cosmetic Realism
The porcelain veneer restorations needed to be pressed with the goal of filtering out some of the light yellow-orange prep discoloration which normally happens with veneer procedures. The highly skilled ceramist on the case chose IPS e.max Opal 2 ingot material. This provided terrific aesthetic results for the patient. Dr. Engelberg was able to forgo all preparations on four of the teeth receiving veneers. When teeth are too tiny or only a few teeth are being worked on,
Before the Procedure
prepless or minimal prep veneers are quite possible, as with this case. There was no drilling and no anesthetic necessary on those teeth.
Just the Right Look
As with all cosmetic procedures in Dr. Engelberg’s office, the ultimate goal was to mimic the internal effects found in natural teeth so that no one could tell the patient had veneers. To attain this goal, a cutback for placement and a mixture of carefully blended powders were applied to simulate the look and texture of a natural smile. Cutback areas marked the place where residual overspray of powders would be removed when the entire procedure was done. Going the extra mile, Dr. Engelberg used a laser on the gums to make everything completely symmetrical. The patient in this case was young, so a conservative approach was agreed upon to save as much natural tooth structure as possible. While this technology means that dentists have to work a little harder on such a case, it is worth it to be able to deliver high-caliber aesthetics in a minimally invasive way.
After the Procedure
Porcelain Veneers in Northbrook
In part three of this blog series, we will look at the final shaping, contouring, and evaluation of the patient’s new veneers. If you would like to arrange a consultation to discuss porcelain veneers with Dr. Engelberg, schedule an appointment with our 60062 dentist office by calling 847-259-8030. We are happy to serve patients in Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Northwest Chicago Suburbs, and Northern Chicago Suburbs.
