Everything You Need to Know About Dental Veneers
If you’ve ever looked at your smile and wished a few things were different, porcelain veneers may be worth exploring. These ultra-thin porcelain shells are custom-crafted and bonded to the front surfaces of the teeth, correcting a wide range of cosmetic concerns in as few as two office visits.
At Hardin Advanced Dentistry, Dr. Tara Hardin brings nearly two decades of experience to every smile she designs. She holds accredited fellowship in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, an honor granted only to those who demonstrate superior performance in cosmetic and restorative dentistry, and holds a Las Vegas Institute fellowship that requires a minimum of 278 hours of advanced education in aesthetics and physiologic science.
Read on for a complete overview of what veneers can address, what your options are, and whether you might be a candidate.
What Dental Veneers Can Address
Each set is custom-crafted to match your natural tooth color, and because modern dental porcelains are semi-translucent, skilled placement can make them virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. Veneers are particularly well-suited for:
- Stained or discolored teeth that haven’t responded to whitening
- Chipped, cracked, or worn enamel
- Gaps between teeth
- Misshapen or uneven teeth
- Mild misalignment that affects the overall appearance of your smile
With regular brushing and flossing, they’re easy to maintain and tend to hold up well over time.
Understanding Your Options
Not all veneers are placed the same way, and at Hardin Advanced Dentistry, patients have more than one path to consider.
Traditional porcelain veneers require removing a thin layer of enamel, roughly one millimeter, to create a surface for bonding. For patients who prefer a more conservative approach, two no-prep alternatives are available: Lumineers® require little to no enamel removal, while DURAthin veneers, approximately the thickness of a contact lens, can often be bonded with no preparation at all.
Both deliver natural-looking results, and before any treatment begins, Dr. Hardin uses Digital Smile Design technology to show you exactly what your new smile will look like before a single tooth is touched.
Are You a Good Candidate for Veneers?
Veneers perform best when the underlying oral health is in good shape. You may be a strong candidate if:
- Your teeth are free from active decay
- You don’t have untreated gum disease
- You don’t habitually clench or grind your teeth
- Your bite is properly aligned
- You have sufficient enamel to support bonding
If any of these factors are a concern, Dr. Hardin will recommend the right next step before any treatment is planned.
See What’s Possible with Dr. Tara Hardin
Dr. Hardin’s dual fellowships, in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and at the Las Vegas Institute, place her in a distinct tier of cosmetic dentists. Her Hardin Advanced Dentistry team serves patients throughout Greater Cincinnati, Mason, Dayton, Southeast Indiana, and Northern Kentucky in a spa-like office designed with comfort at its center. Schedule a consultation to find out what a custom-designed smile could look like for you.
