Thinking about getting porcelain veneers in Plano? You’ve probably looked at before-and-after photos, read about materials, compared prices, and noticed that many Plano dentists offer veneers. So how do you choose? Who’s actually designing the smile?
Veneers are custom restorations designed around your face, bite, and goals. The person designing them matters as much as the material, and that’s where a prosthodontist brings something most dentists can’t.
Dr. Sara Chen is a prosthodontist at Aesthetic Dentistry Centre in Plano. She completed a three-year specialty residency beyond dental school, and only about 2% of dentists achieve that level of training. Here’s why that matters for your veneers.
What a Prosthodontist Actually Is
The American Dental Association recognizes nine dental specialties. Prosthodontics is one of them. It focuses on restoring and replacing teeth, and it’s the only specialty that combines surgical, restorative, and laboratory training.
Becoming a prosthodontist requires three additional years of training after dental school. That training covers advanced aesthetics, occlusion, materials science, and the relationship between teeth and facial structure.
Dr. Chen’s path to prosthodontics is unusual. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Brain and Cognitive Sciences from MIT, then earned her D.M.D. at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. After that, she completed her three-year prosthodontic residency at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She’s internationally certified as a prosthodontist in both the U.S. and Canada.
She also won the American College of Prosthodontics John Sharry Award for her research on minimally invasive all-ceramic crowns. She has published in peer-reviewed dental journals, including research on the fracture resistance of lithium disilicate crowns.
That’s not a typical background for a dentist. It’s a specialist’s background, and it shapes how she approaches veneer design.
What Most Dentists Miss
A general dentist can place veneers that look good. Many do excellent work. If your case is straightforward, a skilled general dentist can deliver a great result, but a prosthodontist evaluates things a general dentist might not, including:
- Bite Function: Veneers change your teeth’s shape and thickness. That changes how your teeth meet when you bite. If you don’t evaluate and adjust the bite carefully, you can end up with uneven wear, jaw pain, or restorations that chip or come loose. Dr. Chen’s prosthodontic training includes advanced occlusion studies. She designs veneers that work with your bite, not against it.
- Facial Proportions: A veneer that looks beautiful on a model might look wrong on your face. The size, shape, and shade of each veneer need to work with your facial features. Prosthodontists are trained to evaluate these relationships. Dr. Chen doesn’t just design teeth. She designs smiles that fit the face they’re on.
- Gum and Bone Health: Veneers sit on top of your teeth and gums. If your gums aren’t healthy or you have underlying bone loss, the veneers won’t last. Dr. Chen evaluates the full foundation before recommending treatment.
- Long-term Wear Patterns: With good care, veneers can last 10 to 15 years. But if your bite is off, or you grind your teeth at night, they can wear out faster. Dr. Chen plans for the long term, not just the day of placement.
- Complex Cases: If you’ve been told your case is too complicated for veneers, or if you’ve had disappointing results before, a prosthodontist may be able to help. Dr. Chen handles cases that general dentists often refer elsewhere.
Why This Matters in Plano
Plano has a lot of dentists. Many offer veneers, and few provide excellent cosmetic work, but the area has few prosthodontists. Even fewer design veneers with this level of training.
When you choose Dr. Chen for your veneers, you’re not just choosing a dentist who offers the service. You’re choosing a specialist who’s spent years studying how teeth, bites, and faces work together.
That doesn’t mean every veneer case needs a prosthodontist. If your teeth are healthy and your bite is balanced, a skilled general dentist can do a great job. If your case is complex or you want the highest level of expertise, it’s worth seeing a prosthodontist.
The Collaboration With Dr. Sowell
One thing that sets Aesthetic Dentistry Centre apart is the team. Dr. Chen works alongside Dr. Mark Sowell, who’s one of only 40 dentists worldwide to achieve both Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry and Accredited Membership in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Dr. Sowell is a visiting faculty member at Spear Education, where he teaches other dentists advanced reconstruction and cosmetic techniques. D Magazine, Texas Monthly, and Woodward/White Publishing have recognized him as one of the country’s top cosmetic dentists.
Together, Dr. Chen and Dr. Sowell bring two different but complementary skill sets to every veneer case. Dr. Chen’s prosthodontic training ensures restorations are functionally sound and built to last. Dr. Sowell’s cosmetic expertise ensures the result looks natural and beautiful.
They also work with Master Ceramist James Chung, who runs the practice’s in-house ceramic lab. That means the design, fabrication, and placement of your veneers all happen under one roof, with direct collaboration between the dentists and the ceramist.
What to Expect When You See a Prosthodontist for Veneers
If you come to Aesthetic Dentistry Centre for veneers, here’s what the process looks like:
- Comprehensive Evaluation: Dr. Chen and Dr. Sowell will examine your teeth, gums, bite, and jaw. They’ll take digital imaging and photographs. They’ll discuss your goals and what you want to change.
- Smile Design: Using digital tools and a mock-up, they’ll design the shape, size, and shade of your new smile. You’ll see what the result could look like before any treatment begins.
- Preparation: We remove a small amount of enamel from the front of your teeth to make room for the veneers. You’ll wear temporary veneers while we make the permanent ones.
- Fabrication in the In-house Lab: James Chung crafts your veneers in the lab, working directly with Dr. Chen and Dr. Sowell to precisely match the shade and shape.
- Placement and Approval: At the final appointment, you’ll see your new smile and approve it before we permanently bond the veneers. If anything needs adjustment, we can do it on the spot.
Serving Plano and the DFW Metroplex
Aesthetic Dentistry Centre is at 1200 Village Creek Drive #102 in Plano, TX. We serve patients from Plano, Dallas, Frisco, Southlake, Collin County, and across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. We also welcome out-of-town patients who travel to Plano for advanced cosmetic and implant care.
If you’re considering veneers, we’d love to talk. Dr. Chen and Dr. Sowell will evaluate your smile, explain your options, and give you honest advice about what’s possible.
Call us at (972) 382-6855 to schedule your consultation, or request an appointment online. We look forward to meeting you.