Birmingham, AL Porcelain Veneers

A set of porcelain veneers is a quality, long-lasting investment in your personal and professional life. Veneers can give you a complete smile makeover and resolve a wide range of aesthetic concerns. At Alabaster Aesthetic Dentistry, your new smile will be custom-designed by nationally renowned cosmetic dentist Dr. Thomas Dudney.

Our Porcelain Veneers

As the name implies, veneers cover your teeth as a façade. Each veneer is like a shell made of a very thin layer of porcelain. When placed over the tooth, it replaces the old tooth surface — imperfections and all — with a surface specifically designed to enhance the beauty of your smile and overall appearance.

We select porcelain for this function because of its unique ability to mimic the color variation, light reflectivity, and translucency of real teeth. Not only can it produce a smile that is as natural-looking as it is breathtaking, but it is also highly durable: a quality set of porcelain veneers can last 10-20 years or more.

But quality materials only produce quality results under experienced design and craftsmanship. In his over 40 years of practice, Dr. Dudney has garnered acclaim across the country for his work in aesthetic dentistry. He has served as director of the Pacific Aesthetic Continuum, which provides training to cosmetic dentists, and is often invited to speak at major dental conventions.

The photo at right shows one of our patients who received porcelain veneers. Like her new smile, yours will be custom-designed by Dr. Dudney and crafted by our trusted master ceramist. To see more examples of Dr. Dudney’s work, view our Smile Gallery. Read on for further details about our process for designing, creating, and applying your veneers.

Our Process

Step 1: Smile Design

Your initial visit will involve meeting with Dr. Dudney to establish the smile design that is right for you. We will take photos and optical scans in order to obtain all necessary measurements and visual indicators. You are also welcome to bring in photos that exemplify your ideal look. Dr. Dudney will synthesize all of this information, taking into account your unique facial shape and aesthetics, to design your veneers.

For smile makeovers, he’ll create a wax model to show you what your new smile will look like. He’ll also craft a set of provisional veneers for you by hand. This way, you’ll have the chance to try them on and make sure you love them before your permanent ones are created.

Step 2: Teeth Whitening

We’ll send you home with a complimentary teeth whitening kit to brighten your entire smile in preparation for your veneers. The kit will include bleaching gel and a fitted plastic tray for applying the gel to your teeth. You’ll wear the tray with the gel inside it for a set period each day for two weeks. This will allow the bleaching agent to seep deep down into your teeth. To learn more, visit our Teeth Whitening page. With your smile design established and your teeth at your desired level of whiteness, we’ll schedule your first veneer appointment.

Step 3: Preparation

At this appointment, Dr. Dudney will prepare your teeth for your finished veneers. Our veneers require only minor enamel effacement in order to sit flush against your teeth for a seamless smile. Dr. Dudney will create a finishing margin in your enamel and roughen the surface of each tooth to facilitate its adhesion to the veneer. He’ll then take an impression of your prepared teeth to allow the master ceramist to customize the fit of your finished veneers.

Step 4: Try-In

With your teeth ready to go, Dr. Dudney will place your temporary veneers. You’ll get to wear them home and keep them on for a try-in period so you can fully experience the look and feel of your new smile. During this “test drive” of your new smile, Dr. Dudney will make any necessary adjustments to your provisionals until you are perfectly happy with how they look. He will then have his master ceramist duplicate that look in porcelain.

Step 5: Bonding

When your finished veneers arrive from the ceramist, we will be ready to bond them on. Dr. Dudney will apply a permanent adhesive agent to each veneer to affix it to your tooth. Your new smile will be complete, an asset to your life for years to come.

Your New Smile With Porcelain Veneers

“Dr. Dudney perfected my smile and my teeth are now a work of art! They’re perfectly color-matched, naturally shaped, and two years later still shiny and spectacular! Dr. Dudney truly transformed my smile and restored my confidence!” — Amy Kearley

To schedule your smile design appointment, give us a call at (205) 663-6545. If you prefer, you may request an appointment online to receive a call from us for scheduling. We look forward to partnering with you to achieve your image aspirations!