Porcelain veneers, designed for your face.
Hand-painted in-house by master ceramist Enrique — not outsourced to a lab. Each veneer customized to your skin tone, facial proportions and personal aesthetic.
Most cosmetic dental practices in Miami outsource their porcelain work to outside laboratories. Art Dental Studio is different. Every porcelain veneer is hand-painted on-site by our in-house master ceramist Enrique — using high-grade lithium disilicate ceramics, customized to each patient's skin tone, facial structure and aesthetic goals. This is the single biggest reason our smile makeovers look natural rather than uniform. With more than 23 years of experience and over 3,000 smile transformations completed, Dr. Vivian Menendez and the Art Dental team have refined the veneer process into one of the most consistent and personalized in South Florida.
What are porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin shells of medical-grade ceramic — typically 0.3 to 0.7 millimeters thick — bonded permanently to the front surface of your teeth. They cover chips, gaps, discoloration, mild misalignment and worn enamel. Done well, the result looks indistinguishable from a natural tooth.
Veneers are different from crowns (which cover the entire tooth) and bonding (which uses composite resin applied directly). Porcelain is significantly more stain-resistant than composite and longer-lasting — typically 15-20+ years vs. 5-8 for composite bonding.
Modern veneers use either feldspathic porcelain (the most aesthetic, layered by hand) or lithium disilicate ceramics (slightly stronger, ideal for patients with grinding tendencies). Enrique selects the material that best fits each patient's anatomy and bite.
Veneers vs. bonding vs. crowns
Three ways to change a tooth — each right for a different problem. Here is how porcelain veneers compare to composite bonding and dental crowns, so you can see where each one fits before your consultation.
| Porcelain veneers | Composite bonding | Dental crowns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Reshaping several front teeth at once — color, shape, chips, worn edges and minor gaps | A single small fix — one chip, a small gap or an uneven edge | A tooth that is heavily damaged, cracked, or has had a root canal |
| Enamel removed | Minimal — a thin front layer (about 0.3–0.7 mm) | Little to none — often no drilling at all | The most — the tooth is reduced on all sides |
| Material | Hand-layered porcelain (feldspathic or lithium disilicate) | Composite resin, sculpted directly on the tooth | Porcelain or zirconia over the whole tooth |
| Coverage | The front surface of the tooth | Only the area being repaired | The entire tooth, all the way around |
| Stain resistance | High — porcelain resists stains better than enamel | Lower — composite can pick up stains over the years | High — porcelain and zirconia resist stains |
| Typical longevity | 15–20+ years with proper care | 5–8 years, then often refreshed | 10–15+ years |
| Reversibility | Not reversible — removed enamel does not grow back | The most conservative — often reversible | Not reversible — significant tooth reduction |
| Made in-house by Enrique | Yes — hand-crafted on-site, shade-matched the same day | Sculpted chairside in a single visit | Yes — porcelain crowns crafted in our in-house lab |
Every mouth is different — which option (or combination) is right for you is confirmed at your free consultation, not from a chart.
Who is a candidate for porcelain veneers?
Most adults with generally healthy teeth and gums are good candidates. The ideal patient typically has:
- Discolored, chipped, worn or slightly misaligned teeth
- Healthy gums and supporting bone (no untreated periodontal disease)
- No active cavities or decay (we treat any decay before veneer placement)
- Sufficient natural tooth structure (heavily damaged teeth may need crowns instead)
- A balanced bite or willingness to wear a night guard if you grind
- Realistic expectations and willingness to maintain 6-month cleanings
The veneer process at Art Dental Studio
- 01
Free consultation with digital scan
We evaluate your case, take photographs and a 3D digital scan. No goopy impression material. The scan is the foundation for everything that follows.
- 02
Digital smile design preview
You see a 3D simulation of your final smile before any tooth preparation begins. You can request changes, see different shapes, and approve the final design — only then do we proceed.
- 03
Wax-up models
For comprehensive cases, Enrique creates physical wax-up models so you can hold and visualize the planned result. This is a step most studios skip.
- 04
Tooth preparation
Under local anesthesia, we gently remove a thin layer of enamel (0.3-0.7 mm) from each tooth that will receive a veneer. The amount is minimal — comparable to the thickness of an eggshell.
- 05
Temporary veneers
You leave the same day with temporary veneers in the new shape. You wear these for 1-2 weeks while Enrique hand-crafts your permanent veneers. This is your final preview before commitment.
- 06
Veneer placement
At your final appointment, we remove the temporaries and bond the permanent porcelain veneers using a light-cured cement. Each veneer is checked for fit, color match and bite before the next is placed. You leave with your final smile.
- 07
Follow-up and maintenance
We see you 1-2 weeks after placement to confirm everything settled correctly, then back to your regular 6-month cleaning schedule. A night guard is provided if needed for grinding/clenching protection.
What recovery is like
Veneer placement is one of the most comfortable cosmetic procedures in dentistry. There's no surgical recovery — just a brief adjustment period as your bite and speech adapt to the new shape.
Most patients experience mild sensitivity to hot and cold for 1-2 weeks after placement, especially if multiple teeth were prepared. This typically resolves on its own. If you experience discomfort, contact us before taking any medication — we will guide you based on your situation.
You can eat normally the same day, though we recommend avoiding very hard foods (ice, hard candy, pen caps) and tough chewy foods (steak, sticky candy) for the first 24-48 hours while the cement fully sets. After that, veneers handle normal eating without issues — though the lifetime habits of not biting hard objects are still important for longevity.
Questions answered.
With proper care — twice-daily brushing, daily flossing, 6-month professional cleanings, and avoiding biting hard objects — porcelain veneers at Art Dental Studio typically last 15-20+ years. Many patients see longer lifespans. Our use of high-grade ceramics and proper bonding technique are the biggest factors in long-term success.
This is exactly why master ceramist Enrique works in-house. Each veneer is hand-painted to match your specific aesthetic — not pulled from a catalog. The most common feedback from our patients is that friends and family notice they look better but cannot tell what changed. We avoid the uniform "veneer smile" look at all costs.
No. A thin layer of natural enamel (0.3-0.7 mm) is removed to bond them, and that enamel does not regenerate. The veneers themselves can be replaced when they reach end of life, but the underlying preparation is permanent. This is why we spend so much time on case planning before any irreversible work begins.
For mild misalignment, yes — veneers can disguise minor crowding or rotation while reshaping the smile. For moderate or severe misalignment, we usually recommend orthodontic correction (Invisalign or braces) first, then veneers. Trying to disguise severe misalignment with veneers alone often produces compromised aesthetics and excessive tooth reduction.
Treatment duration varies depending on the specific needs of each patient. During your free consultation, we will evaluate your case and give you a personalized treatment plan with an accurate timeline.
If your only concern is color, professional whitening is significantly less invasive and highly effective for natural-tooth discoloration. Veneers become the right choice when you also want to change shape, size, alignment or texture — or when whitening cannot lift the underlying color (severe tetracycline staining, internal discoloration from trauma or root canal treatment).
Every case is different, which is why we do not publish prices. Your free consultation includes a transparent, written estimate built around your case. Financing options with monthly payment plans are available.
No — professional whitening only affects natural enamel. Veneers stay the shade they were when they were placed. That is why we whiten your natural teeth first, before the veneers go on, so the match holds over time.
Porcelain is highly stain-resistant — much more than natural enamel. The veneers themselves typically maintain their color for the full lifespan. What can stain is the cement line at the gum if you smoke heavily or consume large amounts of red wine, coffee or tea over years.
Yes. We offer financing options with monthly payment plans. Terms vary with case size. You can review the options that fit your plan during the free consultation.
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Related guides
- → Choosing a cosmetic dentist in Miami
- → How much do veneers cost in Miami?
- → In-house dental lab vs. outsourced
- → Veneer materials compared
- → The smile design process, step by step
- → Multi-specialty care under one roof
- → Are porcelain veneers worth it?
- → How long do veneers last?
- → Porcelain vs. composite veneers
- → What is a master ceramist?
