We spoke to John, a recent client of Drs. Lowenberg and Lituchy, who lives in Chicago and traveled to New York to get porcelain veneers.

What exactly did you have done?
I had 8 upper porcelain veneers custom made and applied over my existing teeth.

Why did you want a smile makeover?
I had tetracycline poisoning as a child. My teeth were very badly stained and I had a heavy gray horizontal stain across the top of my teeth. I always hid my teeth in pictures and was very self conscious throughout my whole life about smiling. I didn't smile. If I did, I covered my teeth with my lips. My teeth were actually very straight and I had never had a cavity, so the staining really ruined my teeth from being close to perfect.

How many visits did you have to make?
The whole procedure was a two-step process. I was required to make two separate 3-4 hour visits one week apart.

Did the Drs. have to see any pictures of your teeth before you went?
I did take some digital pictures of my teeth and emailed them to Dr. Lowenberg. He was then able to quickly (within minutes of receiving them) email me back and explain that I was a perfect candidate for veneers so I called him to discuss the details of the procedure further and to make the arrangements.

Describe the procedure.
The procedure for the first visit involved making molds from my teeth and the tooth surface preparation. Obviously the doctors had already discussed with me what I wanted and what their opinion was on the best way to achieve my goals. After molds were made they reduced some of the tooth layers, on the eight teeth I was to have the laminates made for, with an electric sanding tool. I received Novocain shots in the gum area around my teeth. I felt nothing and was very comfortable, as the staff and Drs. Lowenberg and Lituchy treated me very well. After they were finished, more molds were made so the veneers could be created by Jason the ceramist and more importantly a temporary plastic cover was made as an exact replica of my teeth to wear until my veneers were ready to be fitted. The funny thing was that the plastic set looked so real and the coloring was white. My teeth looked so good with the temporaries that I couldn't imagine that the final result was going to blow these away.

One week later I came back for the veneers to be fitted. The temporary upper piece was taken off and Novocain was administered. After I was numb, Dr. Lowenberg came in with eight shiny veneers. They looked awesome and the color was actually custom shaded from a color scale based on my complexion and smile area. A cement was applied to the first tooth. The new veneer was then fitted and placed into its exact location. A laser pen was then pointed at this veneer and used to turn the cement into its permanent hard state. I felt nothing and it just looked like blue light. The other seven teeth were done in this same manner. The whole process did not take long and again the doctors and staff made sure I was comfortable at all times. When they had finished the staff all looked and told me, "wait until you see these". They were very impressed at the outcome and I couldn't wait. The mirror came to me from Dr. Lowenberg and I was amazed. They looked so perfect and more importantly real. I am an artist and I could relate to what these doctors and Jason had done, which is definitely an art. Dr. Lowenberg also showed me how the new veneers actually were made slightly wider to stretch the width of my smile. They not only made my teeth perfectly straight but also widened the appearance of my smile since it was slightly smaller than what they thought it should be. The veneer ends were lightly sanded to give a natural line on all the teeth and any areas that I felt cement with my tongue were cleaned up.

How many days did you have to stay in New York?
I had never been to New York so I stayed the weekend each time so I could see Manhattan. My procedures were done on Friday giving me Friday night through Sunday night to enjoy New York. I flew back to Chicago Monday morning. But I could have flown in and out the same day for each of the two visits.

How do you feel about the results?
I can't even begin to explain my feelings. With my teeth now perfect this investment was the best use of my money - I can't put a price on it. I smile now! People smile back! I never had something in my smile to be proud of and now I do. I also am proud and appreciative that I had the best dentists on the globe do them for me. I get compliments from people I know and don't know. The best compliment I got was from the dentist in my hometown where I get my teeth cleaned. He looked at me and said, "Wow, are those veneers?" After he inspected my teeth after the cleaning he said "Whoever did these veneers is a master". He then took me to the front counter, where he had some technicians that he was training for his practice, and made me smile. He looked at them and said "these are porcelain veneers, aren't they beautiful? These are the best ones I have seen and I want you to see these because this is how they should be done."

The funny thing is now I don't have to be afraid of staining. Porcelain does not stain, so my new teeth will stay looking the way they are now for many years to come.

Why would you go to New York when there are cosmetic dentists in Chicago?
Now that the procedure is done and I really see the value in having an "expert" do it, I would travel anywhere to have it done knowing what I know now. A dentist in Chicago told me that he can do veneers but not as well as the ones I have. That is shocking considering I was thinking of having him do them in the first place. It also tells me that you should definitely be sure you get the best cosmetic dentist to apply porcelain veneers if you really care about quality. Like I said it is an art form. No two procedures would look the same because there are too many variables involved. The most important factor is the experience of the cosmetic dentist. No matter where you go, the total cost of the veneers is the same. My two trips to New York, which can easily be done for well under $1000, was a very small additional price to pay when you consider that Drs. Lowenberg and Lituchy work on celebrities and are the best.