Ivana came to Sonrisa Italiana – Barranquilla, Colombia to update her smile with porcelain veneers. She had worn composite veneers in the past, and though they had served their purpose, the time had come for something more refined and long-lasting.
The turning point? Years ago, Ivana had suffered a fracture in her upper side front teeth, which was restored with a ceramic crown. Functionally, the treatment worked. But aesthetically, the crown gradually became a mismatch — different in tone, texture, and light reflection from the rest of her teeth. And when framed by composite veneers that had aged over time, the difference became even more noticeable.
Ivana wasn’t looking for a drastic makeover. She simply wanted a smile that looked unified, elegant, and timeless.
Starting Fresh — With Intention
Her case was evaluated by Dr. Daniel Zabaleta and Dr. Paola Zabaleta, who designed a personalized treatment plan based on her facial features, expectations, and dental history.
The plan was clear:
- Remove the previous composite veneers entirely.
- Design and place porcelain veneers for greater durability, translucency, and aesthetic quality.
- And for tooth 22 — which still had the old ceramic crown — perform a highly precise technique: a wraparound veneer over the existing coping (also known as a veneer over crown), to ensure it blended seamlessly with the new smile.
But there was an extra step that made all the difference.
Optimizing the Foundation
Before placing the new veneer on tooth 22, the team reprepared the underlying crown. This involved reshaping the coping and internal structure to create a more neutral and uniform substrate — the key to achieving a flawless optical integration.
Why is this important? Because even the most beautiful ceramic needs the right foundation to behave naturally under light. By optimizing the base, we could control how the veneer reflected and transmitted light, allowing tooth 22 to visually match the rest of Ivana’s smile — in both texture and translucency.
This level of precision is part of what defines artistic and aesthetic dentistry.
The Result: Subtle, Sophisticated, and Fully Aligned
After treatment, Ivana’s smile looked exactly as it should: natural, balanced, and luminous. The materials used — high-quality porcelain teeth — offered a smooth, lifelike surface that elevated her appearance without overpowering her features.
Most importantly, the once-mismatched crown no longer stood out. Thanks to the wraparound veneer and substrate optimization, tooth 22 became part of a cohesive whole.
For us, cosmetic dentistry — it’s about reimagining smiles with care, science, and aesthetic intention. Whether you’re transitioning from composite to porcelain, managing a single crown tooth, or looking to achieve a perfect smile without braces, we’re here to design a result that feels uniquely yours.
Case review written by Dr. Laura Bula, expert in dental and facial aesthetics