Services / Porcelain Veneers
A smile design plan for proportions, bite, and gum line, built around what you actually see in photos.
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20+ years
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Most people sit down and tell me they hate their smile in photos. I ask what they see first. When a patient asks Dr. Horia Theodore Ionescu about porcelain veneers in Elk Grove, the real request is usually a smile that fits the face better.
I look at the whole smile before I talk about porcelain: tooth proportions, the gum line, the bite, and the way the lower lip moves. A veneer changes one layer. The plan around it decides whether the result looks natural. If the smile plan ignores the bite, the porcelain will not survive it.
Photos, models, and a trial smile before anything is permanent.
A pretty front tooth that hits wrong chips. We check the bite as we design.
Shade matched to your face and the teeth staying in your mouth.
If bonding or aligners get you 90 percent there for less, we say so.
A porcelain veneer is a thin ceramic shell bonded to the front of a tooth. I use it to change shape, position, color, or edges. It works well on front teeth that are healthy but worn, chipped, stained, or slightly uneven.
It will not fix a broken-down tooth that needs a crown. It will not replace a missing tooth. For that, a dental implant is the honest answer, and I say so in the consult. It will not fix a bite that is destroying enamel.
I start with photos and a short video of you talking and smiling. I ask what you crop out of photos. Then I check the teeth, the gum line, the bite, and how the canines support the smile.
We may take a model or a scan. Often I make a trial smile on the model so you can see the proportions before any tooth is touched. We measure in millimeters. Two teeth that look too square by one millimeter can change the whole smile.
Erin schedules this visit for a full hour. Dr. Ionescu wants time to listen instead of looking at the clock. We do not rush that conversation.
Veneers require removing a thin layer of enamel, often about half a millimeter. That enamel does not grow back. If the teeth are healthy and the enamel is thick, the tradeoff can make sense.
If the enamel is thin, if the bite is uneven, or if the teeth are only mildly stained, I may say no. Bonding or whitening may give you more of what you need for less money and no permanent reduction.
A patient with active grinding is usually not a candidate until the bite is managed. I would tell my own family member to wait rather than place veneers that will crack.
Most porcelain veneer cases take two or three visits after the plan is set. Visit one is preparation. I remove a small amount of enamel, take the final impression or scan, and place temporary veneers.
The temporaries matter. They let you test the shape and speech for a week or two before the ceramics are finished.
Visit two is the try-in and bond. I place each veneer with a try-in paste, check the color and edges under natural light, and only then bond them. Leticia or Sarah is usually chairside. If something is not right, we send it back.
Porcelain veneers can last well over ten years when the bite is stable. They resist stain better than bonding, but the tooth behind them can still decay at the edges.
Floss like the veneer is your natural tooth. Use a non-abrasive toothpaste. Wear a night guard if you grind. The porcelain is strong, but it is brittle against lateral force.
The things that break them are simple: opening packages with your teeth, chewing ice, grinding without a guard, and a bite that was never addressed.
If the teeth are healthy but just dark, start with whitening. If the edges are chipped or one tooth is short, bonding may be enough. If the teeth are crowded, aligners may do more than veneers ever will.
Veneers are the right tool when several front teeth need a change in shape, color, and position together. They cost more than bonding and whitening. They are also the most permanent of those options.
That is why I start with the smile design. You can review the range of restorative and cosmetic care on our services page.
Cosmetic veneers are usually not covered by dental insurance. Insurance typically pays for repair of disease or damage, not elective shape and color changes.
Erin can check your benefits and give you a straight answer before we start. If there is no coverage, we have CareCredit financing and a dental savings membership club for patients without insurance. Alyssa keeps the schedule honest so appointments do not stack against each other.
Our office is on E Stockton Blvd in Elk Grove, open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 4:30pm. You can review the full payment and membership options on our financial information page.
Photos, conversation about what you want to change, and what you do not.
Proportions drawn and previewed before the prep appointment.
Minimal enamel reduction, impressions, and temporaries you can wear.
You see and approve the final ceramics in your mouth before cementing.
Cemented, polished, and a care plan that protects the edges.
Dr. Theodore Ionescu has practiced in Elk Grove for more than twenty years and works from the office on E Stockton Blvd. He plans the treatment himself, which means the person who quotes the work is the person in the room when it happens. You can read more about the office and the team or check financing and insurance before you come in.
Related reading
How much do porcelain veneers cost in Elk Grove?
The cost depends on how many teeth, how much design work, and whether the bite needs treatment first. I cannot give an honest number before a consult. Erin checks your benefits and explains costs before anything starts. Cosmetic veneers are usually not covered by insurance.
Do porcelain veneers damage your teeth?
They require removing about half a millimeter of enamel. That enamel does not grow back. Healthy teeth with enough enamel can handle that. Thin enamel, decay, or a grinding habit changes the risk. That is why I examine the teeth and bite before saying yes.
How long do porcelain veneers last?
With a stable bite and normal care, porcelain veneers often last ten years or more. They can fail earlier if you grind, chew ice, or use your teeth as tools. The edges are where decay usually starts, so flossing and regular exams matter.
Are veneers better than bonding or whitening?
Not always. Whitening handles stain, bonding handles small chips or one short tooth, and aligners handle crowded teeth. Veneers make sense when you need shape, color, and position changed across several front teeth. I recommend the option that removes the least healthy tooth.
Do I need temporaries?
Yes. Temporaries let you test the shape, length, and speech before the final porcelain is made. Wearing them for a week or two catches problems that look small in the mirror but feel large when you eat or talk. We adjust from there.
Will insurance pay for porcelain veneers?
Most dental insurance does not cover veneers because they are considered cosmetic. If there is also tooth damage, a portion may apply. Erin checks your plan and gives you a straight answer. Our membership club and CareCredit help when insurance does not.
Sit down with Dr. Ionescu and talk about what you see in photos. Call (916) 685-4662 to schedule the consult at our E Stockton Blvd office.
