What is the whitest shade guide color? How do the Hollywood Stars have their teeth? Do they have translucent or opaque veneers?

Question

Hi, I'm looking for the Hollywood Smile. I'm having a tough time getting the right color whiteness with my doctor. Currently I have whiter than OMI on ulta 3D Master in an eMax veneer, which has translucency. My doctor says the only other option I have is to go one shade whiter but it would be completely opaque.

Sarah Thompson, DMD · Answer

I would would actually agree with your doctor.  I would not go to the point where your teeth are so white they are opaque because you do not want them to look like they are glowing because they will likely look fake.  However, for your most anterior teeth, I would ask your dentist about Empress veneers.  They tend to be a tad more cosmetic in certain individuals.   Good luck and I hope this helps. Follow me if you have more questions.Sarah Thompson, DMDSt. Louis, MO area (O'Fallon, IL)

Lance Timmerman, DMD, MAGD · Answer

If you get opaque, the veneers will be noticeably fake.  Empress will be more translucent than eMax, which is more translucent than zirconia (which cannot be bonded so can only be crowns).it is up to you how you want them to appear, but I assume (without photos) that they are very white.

Ira Shapira, DDS · Answer

Beauty as they say "Is in the eye of the beholder" therefore it is most important that you should be happy with your appearance. There are many considerations in creating the look you desire.There are two important concepts to understand;Chroma: the shade of the material and Value or the Whiteness of the material.  This is then complicated by translucency and the underlying color of the teeth.To understand how Chroma and Value intersect consider buy a gallon of blue paint and then adding more and more white paint to the mix.The Chroma is the blue color but the Value or whiteness will considerably change as you continue to add white becoming whiter and brighter blue paint.  The paint will still be blue no matter how many gallons of white you add.  Teeth normally have color so white is actually taking about the value.The position of the teeth also changes how much light hits the restorations so that bringing teeth out will make them appear lighter. This is essential because teeth that are set back are always in the "shade" and appear darker.Translucency vs opaqueness has to do with the amount of light that passes thru the veneer.  Translucent veneers tend to look more natural but when covering dark stain more opaque materials can be given the look of Translucency by layering colors.It is important to understand that when doing veneers of higher translucency they can be whitenened or opaqued by different luting cements.  I find most patients want people to tell them they have a beautiful smile or look great and not say "What white teeth you have"White is the color of toilets not teeth, the trick is to create a beautiful smile that looks like it is completely natural.   Slabs of white porcelain can look pretty awful.  There are some patients who can carry it off.Make sure your dentist uses a great lab.  There are two artists when it comes to veneers, the artistic lab tech and the artistic dentist.  Beautiful Smiles are art created by artists!Ira L Shapira DDSDiplomate, American Academy of Pain ManagementDiplomate, American Board of Dental Sleep MedicineFellow and Regent, International College of CranioMandibular OrthopedicsMember, American Academy Cosmetic DentistryChair, American Alliance of TMD Organizations

What is the whitest shade guide color? How do the Hollywood Stars have their teeth? Do they have translucent or opaque veneers?

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What is the whitest shade guide color? How do the Hollywood Stars have their teeth? Do they have translucent or opaque veneers?

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about Porcelain Veneers

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.