Before Images
The patient came in with concerns about the wear, chipping, and color of her teeth. Noting these concerns, the doctor suggested getting fitted for custom-made porcelain veneers, and the patient was eager to begin. Veneers are made of very durable and thin ceramic material and are bonded to the front of the patient’s tooth to achieve a beautiful, natural-looking smile.
Creating the DSD 2D Mock-Up
The doctor and assistants began the veneer process by talking to the patient to understand her desires and also underwent an in-depth smile analysis. The doctor utilized the cutting-edge Digital Smile Design (DSD) App which develops a 2D mock-up of the patient’s ideal smile. In this process, the team can refine and make any modifications to give the patient their dream smile.
The 2D design is then transferred to a 3D model that is used to create the Motivational Mock-Up. The Motivational Mock-Up is completed in the patient’s mouth and is used to visualize how the shape and shade of the veneers designed on the app will look in the real mouth. This gives the doctor and the patient the ability to make any adjustments necessary to achieve the most perfect desired improvements.
Creating the Motivational Mock-Up
The Motivational Mock-Up presents the desired outcome on the teeth and smile before completing the final treatment. The mock-up is an essential tool for communication between the dentist and the patient about the end goal of the treatment plan. The mock-up mimics the final product and also is temporary so the teeth can be adjusted however desired before pursuing the final steps. Thus, the mock-up allows the dentist and patient to work together to achieve the most ideal final outcome.
Placing the Temporaries
At this appointment, the dentist removes a minimal amount of enamel off each tooth to create space for the veneer to adhere to. Temporary veneers are then prepared and placed in the patient’s mouth until the final veneers are made, typically in about 2-3 weeks. Think of this like a Trial Smile. The idea of wearing temporary veneers is similar to when you see a shirt you like on a mannequin – you want to be able to try it out to see how it fits and looks on you before committing to it. Temporary veneers serve the same purpose, and ultimately allow the patient and doctor to identify areas of improvement so that the final veneers will eb the most idea version, insuring a happy dentist and a happy patient.
Placement of Veneers
Finally, it is time to place the porcelain veneers. Each porcelain veneer shell is hand-crafted by our experienced master ceramist. The veneers are bonded on to the teeth in a fairly quick process. It is not uncommon to experience mild tooth sensitivity after this procedure, which disappears quickly. The doctor finally ensures the patient is experiencing maximum structural comfort while achieving the most perfect appearance.
