Today is the day! My appointment with Dr. Byars to start my smile transformation!

Now we're ready for the next step! Dr. Walters, the periodontist, gave us the okay to continue with my case, noticing that my gum tissue is evenly contoured and healed. Now its Dr. Byars turn!

Today I will have my 6 old veneers removed, and two more additional teeth will be prepared so that the lab can design and fabricate my veneers and 2 crowns. I will now have a total of 6 veneers and 2 crowns. I have chosen to have 8 front teeth included in my case because I have a wide smile and at least 8 teeth are visible in my smile.

You might be wondering, what exactly is a veneer? A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain, made by a dental laboratory. Veneers are custom made and bonded to the front side of the tooth. A veneer can be used to treat dental conditions such as a slightly crooked teeth, discolored teeth, chipped teeth or they can even be used to close spaces in between the teeth. This is an example of a veneer.

I personally have small teeth. I chose to have veneers to change the size of my teeth and to enhance my smile. I also liked the idea that I could choose the shade of my veneers. I wanted a shade that was even lighter than my existing veneers and natural teeth. Everyone knows that whiter teeth are much more youthful! As we all age, teeth tend to darken and can chip and stain. I really like the thought that the veneer shade will not change color, so the shade that I choose, is the shade that I will have for life!

On with the procedure. Now, I am going to be honest, I was very nervous about this next step. I knew I would need to get numb and working in a dental office, I know what this involves! My worst fear with this is to feel pain. Even worse, to lay there and anticipate the possibility of pain. Dr. Byars knew that I had concerns about this and was very understanding about this. After having the opportunity to discuss every detail about my treatment and what I could expect, Dr. Byars really put me at ease! He used a topical anesthetic gel on my gum tissue for at least 2 minutes. I was so numb after the topical gel was applied, that I felt minimal discomfort when he gave me a few drops of anesthetic. What a pleasant surprise! This made all the difference in the world!

I've waited for several minutes and I'm really feeling numb! All of my fears have been put to rest. I'm ready to go!!! Dr. Byars is ready to begin!

Check back in a few days. I will continue taking you through this great experience of mine!!