Your Smile Makeover Journey: From Start to Finish

A lot of you may be wondering what your appointments may entail when you decide to proceed with Porcelain Veneers. Not only could it be a daunting experience but it is also a costly one. You want to know what you’re getting yourself into before you make the financial commitment and that is a very sensible thing to do.

The first appointment, as always, is your consultation. One of our experienced dentists will discuss with you your treatment goals, suitability, and desired outcomes. After this, your treatment coordinators will assist you with making your following appointment times. Below, we go over every step of the smile makeover journey.

Your appointments will generally persist of the following:

At this appointment, all your records are taken so the dentist can begin planning your smile makeover and final veneers. Your photos, X-RAYs, scans and or moulds will be taken for a full smile analysis. This will then be sent off to the lab so the dentist and the technicians can begin your digital smile design and making your temporary veneers for your prep appointment.

At this appointment, a senior dentist will prepare your teeth for your porcelain veneers. You will be given the opportunity to see the recommended shapes and colour to suit your facial features and desired outcomes as well as including your own input on the design of your smile. After your teeth are prepped (Do my teeth need to be shaved in order to get veneers?), the dentist will place your temporary veneers on. This is only a very minor indication of what your final veneers could look like. The main purpose of temporary veneers is to protect your prepped teeth until your final porcelain veneers are ready. P.S. Here are some foods you should avoid while wearing temporary veneers!

We would then see you 1-2 days after your prep for a brief appointment to decide on your final shade and tooth position once you have gone home and thought about what you like. This colour and shape will then be sent to the technicians to refer to and apply.

Side note: Sometimes this appointment can be done when you are being prepped.

Once your porcelain veneers have finally been made, you will then come in for the appointment you’ve been waiting for – gluing them in!

Prior to doing so, however, the dentist will remove your temps and trial your veneers on with temporary glue. You will then be left alone for you to review and decide if you’re 100% happy with the shape and colour before they are permanently glued on. At this stage, we also encourage that you facetime or video call friends and family members for a second opinion to see your smile through someone else’s eyes.

Once you are 100% happy, we would cement them in. If, however, you find there are changes you would like, minor adjustments can be done on the spot. If you decide that you want a brighter or darker shade, your veneers will need to be completely remade and you will be rebooked for another appointment time. There will not be any cementation unless you are truly 100% with your final smile.

Ahhh, the last piece to the puzzle. After your veneers are cemented, we will allow a few days for your mouth and gums to settle before we do a review and clean. Any excess glue will be removed and we will make a protective splint to prolong the life of your veneers. If you have chosen to proceed with one of our smile makeover packages, in-chair whitening is included and will be done at this appointment. Otherwise, you have the option to purchase in-chair whitening at this stage.

We would then recommend a 3-6 monthly check up and clean appointment to maintain your oral health and review your retainer.

This will generally depend on a few factors including;

• How many teeth you’re getting - This can range anywhere between 30 minutes to 3-4 hours (let’s say from 1 tooth to 12 teeth).
• How much prep you need - Minimal to no prep appointments can be 30 minutes to less than an hour. The more prep you need, the longer the appointment (on average, prep appointments are about 3 hours).
• If you have existing restorations - If you do, this will be removed at the prep appointment. As the dentist will need to meticulously shave this one by one, layer by layer, your appointment may be longer than average.

Luckily, each surgery is equipped with ceiling TV’s for patients and unlimited access to Netflix, Stan, YouTube and the internet. We also provide soundproof headphones for your comfort.

After you are prepped, it will take approximately 2-3 weeks to manufacture your porcelain veneers. From start to finish after your records appointment, your smile makeover will most likely be completed under a month.

What I have discussed is what you can expect at Vogue Dental Studios. Each clinical practice does vary and it is important for you to do your own research and know what you’re in for. We like to be transparent so patients are involved with each and every step of the process.