Irvine patients drive 25 to 30 minutes on the 405 to Safari Dentistry and Implants in Huntington Beach for porcelain veneers planned on a digital scan. The consultation covers the design, the trial smile and a gum check by the periodontist, and ends with a written fee per tooth.
Veneers, bonding or crowns: which does the tooth need?
Veneers suit front teeth that are healthy but the wrong color, shape or length. Bonding suits a single small chip or gap and costs less. A crown suits a tooth that is cracked, heavily filled or root canal treated, because it needs full coverage rather than a front shell. Irvine patients are told which of the three each tooth needs, and a plan often mixes them.
- Porcelain veneer
- 2 visits, 10 to 15 years, resists stain
- Composite veneer
- 1 visit, 4 to 8 years, repairable
- Bonding
- 1 visit, 3 to 7 years, single chips and gaps
- Ceramic crown
- 2 visits, 10 to 15 years, for broken or filled teeth
- Enamel removed
- 0.3 to 0.7 mm for most veneers
Who is not a good candidate for veneers?
Veneers are not the right choice on teeth with untreated decay or gum disease, on teeth with very little enamel left, or for heavy grinders who will not wear a night guard. Crowded teeth are usually better straightened first with Invisalign, which means less enamel removed and sometimes fewer veneers. You will be told this at the consultation rather than sold a full set.
Why Irvine patients choose Safari for veneers
Irvine patients usually arrive having researched veneers thoroughly and wanting specifics: how much enamel comes off, which ceramic, how many teeth. The office answers with numbers from your own scan and will say when straightening first with Invisalign would mean less drilling. Because the drive is longer, the consultation, scan and photographs are done in one visit, leaving two more for preparation and bonding.
How much are porcelain veneers near Irvine?
Per-tooth veneer fees vary across Orange County with the ceramic used, the lab and how much planning is included. Safari quotes porcelain and composite side by side in writing so the two can be compared, and a plan can mix them: porcelain on the front teeth that show most, composite or bonding further back. Veneers are not an insurance benefit; monthly payment plans are available.
What to bring to your first visit from Irvine
- Photos of a smile you like, and one of your own smile from a few years ago.
- Any veneer quote or plan from another office, to compare tooth by tooth.
- A note of whether you grind or clench; it decides the ceramic and whether a night guard is part of the plan.
- Your insurance card; veneers are not covered, but a crown or gum treatment in the same plan often is.
Getting to the office from Irvine
Safari Dentistry and Implants is at 16511 Goldenwest St, Unit 101, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, about 14 miles from Irvine and usually 25 to 30 minutes by car. From Irvine take the 405 north to the Goldenwest St exit, then head south about two and a half miles to Heil Ave. The office is on the corner at 16511 Goldenwest St with free parking. Outside rush hour the trip is 25 to 30 minutes; appointments are between 10 AM and 4 PM, so the drive rarely hits the worst of the 405.
- Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10 AM to 4 PM. Same-day emergency time is held each open day.
- Parking: free, in the lot at the door, with a level entrance.
- Patients come from: Woodbridge, Northwood, Turtle Rock and University Park near UCI and the Irvine Spectrum and Great Park neighborhoods.