Finding Your Perfect Smile: A Guide to Veneer Color Selection
The choice of shade for dental veneers is of crucial importance, as it will have a significant impact on the final appearance of your smile and your long-term satisfaction. Dental veneers are a wonderful aesthetic dental treatment that can radically transform the appearance of your smile. The reason it offers so many benefits is that there are protocols and rules to follow, particularly when it comes to choosing the shade and fitting your future dental veneers. So how to choose the right color for your dental veneers?
Can my dentist help me choose the color of my dental veneers?
Yes, Dr. Pierre Comeau, D.M.D., general dentist, is the professional you can trust to guide you in your choice of dental veneers. His high level of competence as a dental health professional enables him to assess your oral situation, discuss your specific aesthetic goals and guide you in the selection of appropriate dental veneers. More than two decades of solid experience in dental veneering, his use of modern dental techniques and his ability to keep pace with technological advances offer valuable peace of mind.
“Especially since the conversations that lead up to the choice of shade and hue of white are fundamental to the process,” he points out, “because you need to be aware that the porcelain color chosen will change very little for the next 30 years in the majority of both male and female patients.”
How do you determine the precise color of white for your dental veneers?
“The most important factors are the choice of color of the porcelain itself and its level of translucency. Another factor to consider is the color of the glue used to fix the veneer, which can go from a very opaque white to a very warm color. The final factor is the color of the tooth beneath the dental veneer. For example, with a patient with very dark teeth, I’d tend to use a whiter porcelain and a white, opaque glue,” says Dr. Comeau.
How many shades of white are there for dental veneers?
Dental veneers are generally designed in different shades of white to suit the aesthetic needs of each individual patient. The shades of white used for dental veneers are classified using the Vita (Vita Classical Shade Guide) color rating system or the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) color rating system.
Here are some of the shades of white commonly used for dental veneers:
- A1: This is a very light white shade often chosen to achieve a very white, luminous appearance.
- A2: This shade is slightly darker than A1, but still quite light and natural.
- A3: Darker than the previous shades, A3 is chosen when a more natural look is desired, better matching the color of surrounding teeth.
- B1, B2, B3: These are white shades slightly tinged with yellow, which can help achieve a warmer, more natural look.
- C1, C2 C3: These shades have a slight grey tint, which can be useful for achieving a fresher or cooler appearance.
- D1, D2, D3: These white shades are darker and more pigmented, which may be appropriate for those who desire a more colored result or who have darker natural teeth.
Which shade to choose for your smile?
Over the past 20 years, Dr. Comeau has been able to identify three popular shades of white that represent the majority of smile designs that have been created at Spa dentaire Laurier.
Natural style
It’s the color I chose for my own smile,” says Dr. Comeau. When I have to specify the color, I always ask my patients: “Do you want a whiter smile than mine, or less? The Natural choice accounts for 40% of new smiles at Spa dentaire Laurier. It’s also generally the result you get without dental veneers, but with orthodontics and teeth whitening,” concludes Dr. Comeau.
Urban style
This very popular choice at our cosmetic dentistry clinic may still pass for natural, but less so with patients over 60. In an urban environment like ours, Montreal’s Outremont district, it’s a popular result, accounting for 40% of patient choices.
Hollywood style
The name of this white speaks for itself. It’s definitely not a choice made to achieve a natural look. It looks great on some people, as you can see from the photo below. It represents 10% of our patients’ choices.
Can a smile simulation help me see what my smile will look like after treatment?
Yes indeed! The Spa dentaire Laurier smile simulation service is perfect for those who want to achieve a beautiful, natural, long-lasting smile, but want to get a glimpse of the final result before taking action. Smile simulations are performed using image capture and processing software as well as 3D modeling techniques to create a virtual representation of your smile after the procedure. And it only takes 30 minutes!
The dentist, the doctor who looks after your mouth
Dentists are health professionals who prevent, detect, diagnose and treat deficiencies and abnormalities of the dentition, mouth, maxilla and surrounding tissues. Discover the Ordre des dentistes du Québec (ODQ) information site: My Healthy Mouth, the oral health reference.
Discover other interesting articles about Dental veneers:
When were dental veneers invented? The history of dental veneers.
Can dental veneers correct crooked, cracked or misaligned teeth?
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