Patient Perspective: Using veneers to get to a more attractive smile

Lisa Holzkopf was always indecisive when it came to making major changes to her smile. She had what she describes as “smaller than normal front teeth.” They had to be shaven down after she chipped her front tooth on the edge of a swimming pool during her high school years, and one tooth slightly overlapped the other one. When she first talked to Dr. Brent Engelberg about her concerns with these teeth, he recommended going through the entire process of an expander for her back teeth and braces. This just didn’t seem worth the trouble for such a minor esthetic concern, Lisa said, especially because these teeth didn’t show when she smiled. But Dr. Engelberg offered Lisa another option that was much more attractive.

The patient’s perspective
When Dr. Engelberg suggested IPS e.max veneers, Lisa wasn’t convinced at first.
“My first reaction was that they would be incredibly expensive and I didn’t want to lose (they shave it down to barely anything) my teeth (because they were healthy),” she said. “But the way the product is made and lasts, and the fact that they ended up being affordable and worth it, I went through with it.”

Lisa’s upcoming wedding was another factor that pushed her to make the decision, a decision she couldn’t be happier she made.

Before the procedure, Lisa’s teeth were chipped and worn, and much of what Dr. Engelberg did was to correct the wear in the incisal edges. Because of the material’s strength, Dr. Engelberg had to remove very little tooth structure, another benefit of using IPS e.max veneers.

She’s had the veneers for about 8 months now and loves that her “front eight teeth are a good size and are straight.” Her smile is more attractive now, she said, and is something she’s noticed in pictures.

“I never had braces or anything done and only had minor problems, but loved the result of the veneers,” Lisa said. “I can’t imagine how happy someone with major cosmetic (or other) concerns would be if they got them. They also will never stain!”

Happy to help
Lisa was so happy with her veneers that she even appeared in advertisements that promoted the benefits of the IPS e.max veneers and encouraged patients to check out Dr. Engelberg’s practice.

“I thought it would be a fun experience and they really worked around my schedule to make the shoots possible,” Lisa said. “The staff was very friendly and if it helps others who are considering the product, I figured why not?”

You make the difference
Throughout the process, Dr. Engelberg took the time to explain all of the options to Lisa, and told her what to expect every step of the way. He told her what would happen during the procedure and talked about the benefits of the durable, esthetic veneers that would give her a more attractive smile. That helped Lisa make the decision to go through with treatment and enabled her to be confident that she was making the right choice.

“Dr. Engelberg did exactly what I wanted and I love the appearance of the veneers,” she said. “He was very helpful and is still patient if I have any concerns.”