A Smile That Looks Like You — Only More Confident
Porcelain veneers are thin, custom shells bonded to the front of teeth to correct stains, chips, gaps, and shape concerns. At Upper West Side Dental, veneers start with a design conversation: what you like about your smile, what you want changed, and how natural we should keep it. Dr. Shirley is known for work people cannot spot as work.
Conservative Preparation, Careful Matching
The best veneer is the one nobody identifies. We photograph and shade-match against your remaining teeth, review shapes together, and prepare conservatively — enamel preserved because it bonds best. If whitening or bonding would solve it for less, we say that out loud. The realistic timeline: two main visits about two to three weeks apart, with temporaries that let you test-drive the shape in real life before anything finalizes. The material conversation is real here: feldspathic porcelain hand-stacks translucency beautifully-looking but is the more fragile sister; lithium disilicate (e.max) gets incredible strength with good translucency; zirconia outlasts everything but reads slightly opaque. Dr. Shirley will show actual sample shades against your face and explain which does what why in your light conditions — which is why offices with uniform tech approaches produce uniform-looking results.
- Shade and shape designed with your photos
- Conservative preparation focused on enamel
- Porcelain chosen for translucency, not blocky whiteness
- Preview before committing to final
What to Expect
Consult & Design
Goals, photos, shade mapping, and an honest recommendation — veneers or something simpler.
Prepare & Preview
Gentle preparation and lifelike temporaries let you live the look.
Final Bonding
Final veneers seated and adjusted until fit and feel are right.
Why Patients Choose Us
Natural by Default
Blended with your other teeth — or designed brighter only if you ask.
Options Before Obligation
Whitening or bonding first if they reach your goal for less.
Comfort Options
Nitrous available for veneer appointments too.
Thinking about porcelain veneers?
Appointments are never double-booked — first evaluation includes a written plan with estimated costs.
Are Veneers Right for You?
Good candidates have healthy gums and enough enamel, with concerns like deep stains that whitening cannot touch, chips, small gaps, or worn edges. We do not veneer teeth that need orthodontic or gum attention first — order matters for results that last. For tiny chips alone, bonding often wins on cost. A frank consult costs far less enthusiasm than a mis-sold case. Multiples are where veneer craft shows: shapes treated as a set matter more than single-tooth craft. Photogrammetry and temporaries let you live with the shape before finalizing — that is where brief-test-vs-real-life testing sits, and where style feedback adjusts the finals.
- Deep stains or discoloration
- Chipped, worn, or misshapen edges
- Small gaps you want closed
- Realistic, natural expectations
What Veneers Cost in Manhattan
Veneers are typically a cosmetic investment; insurance rarely covers them. Your written plan lists per-tooth pricing before anything begins — no mid-treatment surprises. CareCredit monthly plans are available, and we will always flag a less expensive route when it achieves your goal.
Alternatives We Might Suggest First
Professional Zoom whitening for color-only concerns, cosmetic bonding for minor chips, ClearCorrect for alignment, or a crown when structure matters most. The consult ranks options by your goal — not by price tag.
A Neighborhood Cosmetic Dentist Who Listens
Dr. Shirley earned his reputation on realistic, undetectable results; many patients forget which tooth was treated. Our office is at 992 Columbus Avenue — near Cathedral Parkway (B/C) and 110th (1) — so multi-visit veneer timelines fit around your week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Schedule Your Visit
Appointments are never double-booked — the room is reserved just for you. Book online or call (917) 261-7555.