When a patient arrives at the dentist ready to repair their teeth and makeover their smile, the first option presented, in most cases, are porcelain veneers. Why? Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, Los Angeles porcelain veneers dentist runs a prestigious dentist office in Beverly Hills and explains this revolutionary resolution for unsightly smiles.

“In most cases, porcelain veneers are the first solution that I consider when I have a patient who wants a natural looking, beautiful new smile.”, says Dr. Maddahi. “They can be done in two, maybe three appointments, in almost every case. Porcelain has the look and strength of the natural tooth structure more than any other material. Veneers can be used to correct discolored or worn teeth and are an excellent solution for uneven tooth spacing or alignment, or to cover chipped and cracked teeth.”

Although sometimes found to be less expensive, composite veneers are often just not the right choice. Veneers are best when created from porcelain, having the advantage of natural looking beauty and minimal tooth preparation. Even though porcelain is by itself a brittle substance, once firmly bonded to something sturdy, it becomes completely durable and strong.

Porcelain veneers are glass-like in structure, ceramic, and their translucent characteristic gives a lustrous appearance, making them the number one dental choice. The correction of flawed teeth, such as making teeth straighter and like-new is expected both professionally and in personal relationships. Porcelain veneers have been found as less likely to stain, much more sturdy when bonded to tooth structure, and they very rarely fracture or chip.

Teeth that over the years have needed to be corrected with braces can also be helped. Braces are known to be painful; they entail a very lengthy process - up to three years, and of course, are quite unsightly. Very often porcelain veneers can be used instead of braces, or sometimes combined with the use of orthodontics, in more severe cases.

One patient illustrates, “I was told my entire life that I needed braces. As a matter of fact, I had such a drastic orthodontic mess, that I had been told that most likely braces would not even fully correct my smile. In two appointments with Dr. Maddahi, one for three hours and the other for less than two, I now have a perfectly natural and beautiful smile. Honestly, it’s best that I waited to meet Dr. Maddahi.”

It’s amazing, time and again it has been reported that when veneers are done right many patients share their friends’ comments, telling us they are frequently asked, “Have you had a face lift?” or “Have you lost weight?” When considering a cosmetic dentist in Los Angeles for a smile makeover, Dr. Maddahi is truly a great choice. His expertise lies with combining aesthetics, high-tech procedures, the latest equipment and gentle dentistry, resulting in completely natural and beautiful new smiles.

At the Los Angeles cosmetic dentist office of Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, located in Beverly Hills, a flawless shape, color, form, and alignment are all in the offing for you, with porcelain veneers.

Everywhere you look these days you see beautiful smiles, of women and men seemingly born with such perfect teeth. Perhaps you’ve wondered why it is that you were not so lucky? Maybe you’ve imagined that they were blessed, unlike you, with parents having perfect teeth genes. Most likely this is not the case.

Porcelain veneers have become the standard in aesthetic dental care. Reasonably priced, with a nearly painless dental procedure and usually taking only a few visits to the dentist, dental veneers have made the perfect smile easy to achieve. Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, is known for his superior and flawless porcelain veneer work.

The word veneer is French in origin and in dentistry means to apply a thin layer of restorative material to the teeth. Emplyed to improve the appearance of a tooth or protect a damaged tooth surface, veneers are the contemporary solution to unsightly or imperfect smiles. 

Veneers are best made from porcelain. These have the advantage of very good aesthetics with minimal tooth preparation. It is also easy to correct teeth that are incorrectly positioned with veneers, rather than correcting with braces, or even in conjunction with braces.  Expert dentistry is required to place veneers so as to enhance one’s appearance.  Done right, patients report that their friends ask if they have had a face lift!

Dental Veneers: Porcelain Veneers vs. Composite Veneers

There are two types of dental veneers, porcelain veneers and composite veneers.  Both porcelain and composite veneers may be created in the laboratory by a technician and are thin layers of restorative material with an aesthetic or protective purpose. 

Porcelain veneers are the veneers of choice for several reasons.  They have the benefit of correcting flawed teeth, such as making them thicker and straighter, without the use of orthodontics.  Sometimes orthodontics is combined with veneers to create the full aesthetic effect. 

Porcelain veneers advertised advantage is that they are less likely to stain, more durable when bonded to tooth structure and will not fracture like composite veneers.  Color, shape, form, and alignment are all possible with porcelain veneers.  But most notably porcelain veneers are the cosmetic dentist’s veneers of choice because they create a very life-like appearance due to their luster and translucency, which is unachievable with composites. 

Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi knows the top reasons that his patients have come to him.  Many want to look healthy or appear younger and to simply look more attractive. 

Dr. Maddahi discusses why people come to his Beverly Hills office for porcelain veneers or tooth whitening, “Many have recently taken a photo or they have looked in the mirror and their teeth look bad.  Many realize that they just don’t smile in order to hide their teeth or they find themselves putting their hand in front of their mouth.  Some even restrict social activities because they feel their teeth look bad and are a bad reflection on them.”

Some are just inspired by what they see on television or what they see in other friends or relatives who have work done.  Dr. Maddahi continues, “They may see a makeover show and before that were hopeless.  They often see that another person had even worse teeth before and they see they can be helped.  The other thing is that sometimes my new patients have been putting off a visit to the dentist for several years.  They have an emergency and once they are here, they come to understand that dentistry has changed and that we can help them without any trauma that has been associated with dentistry.  Then they elect to take care of all their dental needs.”

One patient of Dr. Maddahi, Mrs. B., had this to say about how the dental work made a difference for her, “You can’t put it into words.  It makes such a change in your life.  It made a change not only aesthetically but functionally.  My previous dental work was replaced and aesthetically and functionally it totally improved.  Everyone notices.  ‘How much younger you look!’  I hear it all the time.  ‘You have to be a movie star to look like that!’   That’s a big improvement.  I want people to understand what a difference it can make.”

Our Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, has found that the perception people have of you is actually affected by discolored teeth, poorly shaped teeth, or unattractive gums and is immediately changed when you have a smile makeover.

“I had one patient come in with her gums bleeding, teeth cracked, missing and broken.  In four weeks I did a full mouth reconstruction on her.  She was so elated. She sat there crying, saying you’ve changed my life, you’ve saved my life.’ There’s nothing that would replace that kind of acknowledgment from a patient.  That’s what I love to do.”  Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, is dedicated to creating beautiful, natural smiles. 

A very marked improvement can be made from a simple teeth whitening procedure.  Discolorations can be caused by staining, aging, or chemical damage to teeth. Tooth dullness or staining is an indication that whitening should be considered. Smokers and those who drink coffee and/or tea on a regular basis accelerate the discoloration and require cleaning more often. These are among the most common reasons for teeth whitening.

Dr. Maddahi combines artistry and dentistry, creating beautiful, natural smiles for his patients.  “When I look at a patient, I am not just looking at their teeth.  I am looking at their whole face, how to make that smile to match their personality and the symmetry of their face.”  Further he says.  “I imagine you have seen people with dental work that is unnatural.  Perhaps the teeth are too thick or too long, and push out the lips or the teeth are small or the wrong shape or color.  I concentrate on creating just the right smile for my patients.”

Dr. Maddahi is one of Los Angeles’ leading cosmetic dentists.  He is very interested in what his patients want, what they suggest and are most comfortable with.  The choices are many, including porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns, teeth whitening, cosmetic implants, bridges, recontouring, composite bonding, porcelain inlays, porcelain onlays and dentures.

Using his state-of-the-art digital cosmetic imaging equipment, he and the patient consult to find the best new smile for them. The display will show a computerized split image of the patient’s smile.  The top half of the screen displays the current smile and the bottom display is a digital simulation of the smile as it will be after the work has been completed.  This way they can make an immediate decision on the work to be done.