Author: Ami Patel

How to take care of veneers. Brush twice a day, floss once a day or use the waterpik once a day.

Visit your local dentist at least twice a year for regular cleanings. Rinsing with a non alcohol based mouthwash twice a day is recommended. Cleaning your tongue twice a day is recommended as well.

Use the Periosciences gel from our amazon link to help with any gum inflammation you may experience.

If we have recommended a retainer or guard to wear at night please do so to help with grinding or clenching and also to help prevent teeth from shifting over time.

If you grind or clench your teeth, I would recommend wearing your retainers/ guards every night when you sleep.

If you have a history of ever having braces or invisalign i would also recommend wearing your retainer/ guard every night.

If you don’t grind your teeth or if you’ve never had braces or an invisalign, then I’d recommend wearing your retainers/ guards just a few times a week, again at when you sleep.

If you just have upper veneers and want to whiten your lower teeth, you can use the lower tray and whitening gel to whiten your lower teeth.

Your gums may need several weeks or months to completely heal after getting your permanent veneers. This means that they may be irritated or go thru changes as they are healing.

You may also experience sensitivity to cold and hot for a few weeks or even a few months.this can be normal.

After 4-6 months your veneers should feel normal. Most people need a few months to really get used to their veneers.

After the final veneers are placed we like to see you the following day.

At this appointment, we check your bite and check the aesthetics and look of the finals.

We will make any needed adjustments to bite and look

We take our after photos and videos and then can scan for a retainer/ guard if that was recommended.

This appointment is about an hour.

Here’s what to expect during your veneer seat visit

First, We review your final veneers on the models and get your initial feedback.

We then will make you comfortable with nitrous and valium as options.

We give you headphones and let you pick something to watch on hulu or netflix.

Once you’re comfortable, we place topical numbing gel and then we give you the local anesthetic
or numbing shots.

This usually only takes a few minutes.

Once you’re numb we take off the temporaries and put some medicine on the gums.

We then try on the permanent porcelain veneers onto the teeth. T

Then we take photos and video or give you a mirror to see the veneers before we glue the
veneers on.

As long as everything fits good and looks good and Once approved,

we go through the process of bonding the veneers on.

After we complete the bonding process, we then clean up the extra glue around the teeth and
gums.

We then make sure your bite feels good and adjust the bite as needed.

We take x-rays of your teeth and clean any extra glue.

We then let you look at them and get more feedback.

Since you are numb it’s often hard to tell how good the veneers look because the upper lip can
look a bit swollen

The numbing usually goes away a few hours after the procedure is done.

We give advil at the end of the appointment, then prescribe light pain meds as needed

If you’re more sore at this visit, then we offer to numb you again to help with any discomfort.

This appointment is about 3-4 hrs depending on how many teeth we are doing.

The post op of the temporaries can be done in person or virtually.

Once you’ve lived with the temporaries for a few days or a week, we like to get your feedback
on how things are going and looking.

If done virtually we like getting an email with photos of you smiling with the temps. Like a headshot selfie type photo with any notes or comments you have about the temps.

We then will discuss any changes you may want to make for the final veneers.

We may or may not adjust the temporaries in the mouth.

We take photos and review the changes requested.

This appointment is usually about 30 min

Congratulations on starting the veneer process!

Here are some things to keep in mind for your temporaries for the next few weeks.

Average time in temporaries is about 3 weeks. In this 3 weeks period we will be working closely
with our lab ceramist to perfect the detail of your smile and the veneers. The lab is custom
crafting each porcelain veneer.

The temporaries are one piece. They can often feel tight and uncomfortable. Half of our patients
are fine, whereas the other half may have to take OTC advil or tylenol to alleviate this
discomfort.

We sometimes will prescribe a pain reliever as well. If we did, you can take the pain medication that we prescribed every 4-6hrs as needed for pain relief.

The temporaries can feel rough and not smooth.

The temporaries may stain.

Again they are one piece,

Your porcelain on the other hand is smooth, won’t stain and are individual.

Any soreness or tightness you feel in the temporaries, will go away when you get your
permanents.

Especially avoid turmeric, yellow curry or bright green liquids. These can stain the temporaries.

If you do get stains on the temporaries that don’t come off with normal brushing, then you can
make a paste with hydrogen peroxide liquid and baking soda powder and brush the stain off with
that. This can only be used on the temps, not the permanents.

If we did laser gum contouring the gums may still go through changes while in your temps.
Make sure to waterpik twice a day to get the gums super healthy. If you experience bleeding
gums or sore gums, continue with brushing twice a day and waterpiking twice a day to overcome
the gum irritation. Oftentimes patients stop using the waterpik when they feel or see gum
bleeding, but you actually should continue the waterpik to get over the gum irritation. Also, look
into using the periosciences gel or salt water rinses to help sooth the gums along with the
waterpik and brushing.

Avoid biting and chewing with the front teeth, cut your food up and push it towards the molars or
back teeth, try not to put direct pressure on the front teeth, this will help prevent temps from
chipping or breaking.

If temps chip or break, if it’s in the back and not visible, it’s usually not too big of a deal, that
area may be sensitive, but just keep it clean.

If there is a very sharp corner you can take a clean emory board and smoothen it out.

If you chip or break a temporary in the front and it’s visible or sensitive, let us know and if
you’re local we can get you in to repair that area…

If you live out of town, then you can see a local dentist to have it repaired.

There are some amazon temporary beads that can be an option as well..

If you have any concerns about the design of the veneers, please email us with some photos of
you smiling in your temporaries and any notes about any questions or concerns you have.

Here’s what to expect during your veneer preparation visit.

At the beginning of your appointment we will have you complete any paperwork

Then we will take your before smile photos and videos.

We will take time and then review your smile goals.

During this time we talk about the things you like and dislike about your smile.

We also talk about what you want your new smile to look like vs what you don’t want your smile to look like.

We then review your wax up which is the rough draft of your temporaries. We show you a model of your teeth before versus the model with the design of the temporaries so you can start to visualize the changes we will be making.

We then take x-rays of your teeth and any other impressions we need to get started.

After we examine your teeth and x-rays, we review the prep style that we will be doing.

We go over Minimal prep, or if we have to prep between the teeth, or if crowns are needed.

The more that is going on with the teeth, the more we may have to do to the teeth to improve them. For example if the teeth are very crooked and have large fillings that will not be minimal prep.

We then get you comfortable with nitrous and valium as options.

We give you headphones and let you pick something to watch on hulu or netflix.

Once you’re comfortable, we put topical anesthetic gel on before we do the numbing Then we give you the local anesthetic or numbing shots.

This usually only takes a few minutes.

Once you’re numb, we take more photos and videos close up of the teeth.

We then laser gum contour and then prep or shape the teeth to get them ready for the future veneers

We take impressions of the teeth and several impressions of you biting down and impressions to get the level of the smile corrected.

Then we make the temporaries and clean and shape them and make sure your bite feels good.

We then let you look at them and get your initial feedback.

Since you are numb it’s often hard to tell how good the temps look because the upper lip can look a bit swollen

The numbing usually goes away a few hours after the procedure is done.

We then will review the details of your case. We will go over Measurements or sizing of the teeth, the desired shapes of the teeth and then we will help you pick the color for the final veneers.

We will give some ibuprofen at the end of the appointment, then prescribe light pain meds as needed.

This appointment is about 3-4 hrs depending on how many teeth we are doing

Your consultation will be with Kelly and myself.

During your consultation we will ask about your goals for your new smile. We’ll talk about what you like vs what you don’t like about your smile. We ask if there are any inspiration pics of smiles you like. Even showing a smile you don’t like can be insightful as well.

We will then review your options to improve your smile.

We will review the steps to complete your smile, the time and number of appointments, the cost, steps, and we can answer any questions that you may have.

After your consultation, if you are ready to start the process, you will then meet with Carmen, our financial and scheduling coordinator. Carmen can help determine financing, payment options and appointment dates.

We also can take impressions and review your smile design to start the process.

Thank you again for choosing to do a consultation with us and I look forward to hopefully working with you soon!

Hi I’m Dr Tejas Patel and thank you for submitting your information for your virtual consultation. We’re excited to meet you and discuss your goals with your smile. I just wanted to share what to expect during your video consultation.

At your consultation you will meet with my treatment coordinator and smile designer Kelly Brown. Me and Kelly have worked together for the past 10 years. She started as my lead assistant assisting me for all of our cosmetic procedures and for the past few years she meets with all of our patients for their virtual consultations and helps with their smile design.

Before your meeting with Kelly, Me and Kelly will review your photos and I will share my recommendations and ideas on how to improve your smile with Kelly.

Your consultation will be with Kelly and she will be familiar with your smile and my recommendations.

During your consultation with her, she will ask about your goals for your new smile. She will
review the steps to complete your smile, the time and number of appointments, the cost, travel, and she can answer any questions that you may have.

After your consultation with Kelly if you are ready to start the process, you will then meet with Carmen, our financial and scheduling coordinator. Carmen can help determine financing, payment options and appointment dates.

Carmen will also help coordinate the visit for your impressions for your smile design or help coordinate if we need to mail you an impression kit so you can do your impressions at home if you’re out of state.

Thank you again for choosing to do a consultation with us and I look forward to working with you soon!

One of the most important parts of managing porcelain veneer cases successfully is preparing your patients for the temporary phase. Most patients don’t realize that temporaries are an essential transition step between preparation and final cementation and misunderstandings can lead to unnecessary worry, after-hours messages, or dissatisfaction.
This guide helps dentists explain temporary veneers clearly and confidently so patients know
exactly what to expect.

1. What Temporary Veneers Are & Why They Matter
   Educate patients that temporary veneers:
   • Are a prototype of the final smile design
   • Protect the prepared teeth
   • Allow patients to “test drive” esthetics, phonetics, and bite
   • Are not meant to feel or look like the final porcelain
     
     Explain that temporaries are made of acrylic/composite, are usually connected in one unit, and are held on with temporary cement so they are functional, but not perfect.
     
2. Setting Expectations About the Look of Temporaries
   
   Let patients know:
   
   • Temporaries often look blockier, less detailed, and less smooth than porcelain
   • They are not as glossy or lifelike
   • They are meant to preview shape and general style final precision
     
     Encourage them to give feedback:
     
   • If the patient is local: schedule a post-op check during the temporary phase.
   • If the patient is traveling: have them email photos (headshots + close-up smile photos from multiple angles) with notes on desired changes.
     
     This helps patients feel included in the design process and reduces surprises on delivery day
     
     
     
3. Sensitivity & Soreness: What’s Normal
   Prepare patients ahead of time so they don’t panic when sensitivity shows up. Communicate that:
   
   • 70% of patients feel fine in temporaries
   • 30% experience some sensitivity, soreness, or tightness
   • Hot/cold sensitivity is common because temporaries do not insulate teeth like porcelain
   • Mild to moderate tenderness after prep is expected
     
     Recommend they manage discomfort with:
     
   • Ibuprofen 600 mg every 6 hours as needed (max 3200 mg/day)
   • Tylenol if they cannot take ibuprofen
     
     Let them know to contact you if pain escalates beyond 6–7/10 or becomes constant and throbbing this could indicate the need for further evaluation.
4. Eating With Temporary Veneers
   Teach patients to protect their temps:
   
   • Avoid hard, sticky, or chewy foods
   • Cut food into small pieces
   • Chew with back molars only
   • Do not bite into foods with the front teeth
     
     The clearer the instruction, the fewer emergency repairs you’ll need.
5. Brushing & Cleaning Temporaries
   Explain that oral hygiene changes slightly:
   • Brush normally with an electric toothbrush twice daily
   • Since temporaries are connected, flossing between them is not possible
   • Use a WaterPik along the gumline with water or mouthwash to keep the area clean
     
     This prevents gingival inflammation and helps final seating go smoothly
6. Gum Care During the Temporary Phase
   Especially when laser gum contouring is performed, gums will feel:
   • Raw
   • Tender
   • Slightly swollen or “sunburned”
   • Occasionally peel or look red
     
     Recommended regimen:
     
   • CloSYS rinse + CloSYS toothpaste
   • Vitamin E gel massaged onto irritated gum areas
   • Expect gum improvement within a week
     
     When patients understand this ahead of time, they worry significantly less.
7. Sores or Ulcers After Longer Appointments
   Educate patients that retractors can cause minor irritation:
   • Small sores
   • Red areas
   • Ulcers
     Let them know this is normal and that CloSYS and Vitamin E help soothe it
     
8. Staining on Temporaries
   Temps will stain porcelain will not.
   Advise patients to limit:
   • Red wine
   • Berries
   • Marinara
   • Turmeric
   • Dark sauces
     
     If staining occurs:
   • Have them brush only on the temporaries with a paste of peroxide + baking soda.
     This reassures patients that discoloration is normal and fixable
     
     
9. Bite Alignment & Soreness
   Bite changes are one of the most common temporary-phase concerns.
   Explain to patients:
   • The bite may feel “high” once anesthesia wears off
   • A high spot can bruise the ligament of a tooth and cause sensitivity
   • This is very common, especially when both upper and lower arches are prepped
     
     Tell them:
   • If they’re local, come in for an adjustment
   • If they’re traveling, a local dentist can adjust the temps (your office can communicate directly if needed)
     
     Reassure them that early adjustments prevent long-term discomfort.
10. When Pain Is More Concerning
    Most discomfort is normal.
    Severe, constant, unprovoked pain is not.
    
    Educate patients:
    • If pain is >6–7/10 and throbbing, you need to evaluate the tooth
    • The main concern is whether a root canal is needed
    • Teeth with large fillings, decay, or significant movement during prep have higher risk
      
      If they clench more during the temporary phase, recommend an over-the-counter night guard
11. Chipping, Cracking, or Losing a Temporary

Set expectations clearly:

• Temporaries are acrylic and held on lightly
• Small chips (not visible and no pain) are usually not urgent
• Large chips or loose units need to be fixed

Provide guidance based on their location:

• Local patients: call your office for a repair
• Traveling patients: a local dentist can repair temps; you can coordinate
• Emergency fixes: patients can use Fixodent, temporary cement, or “Temp Cem” from a pharmacy
  
  If traveling, recommend a small “temporary emergency kit” that includes:
  
• Temp cement
• Moldable repair beads (available on Amazon)
• Small mirror
  
  This reduces patient anxiety and prevents unnecessary urgent visits.

Final Talking Point to Give Patients
“It’s normal for temporary veneers to feel tight, sore, uneven, or uncomfortable at times. They’re
only worn for a few weeks and are meant to protect your teeth and preview your new smile—not
feel perfect. If something feels severely painful or something breaks, call us. Otherwise,
everything you’re experiencing is part of the normal process.”

One of the most common concerns patients bring up is:
“Do you have to shave my teeth down for veneers?”

As cosmetic dentists, part of our role is educating patients on what modern veneer preparation truly involves and ensuring we’re using conservative, biologically responsible protocols. This blog breaks down how to explain veneer tooth preparation to patients while reinforcing clinical best practices.

Tooth Preparation: The Goal Is Always Minimal

High-level cosmetic dentistry is built on conservative enamel preservation. We want to remove the least amount of tooth structure needed to achieve the esthetic and functional goals.

However, the amount of preparation depends on clinical variables such as:

• Tooth position (crowding, rotations, proclination)
• Existing restorations
• Fractures or wear
• Occlusion/bite dynamics
• Space requirements for final design
• Desired changes in form, contour, architecture, and color

Some cases allow for no-prep or minimal-prep veneers, while others require more traditional preparations or even crowns.

“Do Veneers Require Shaving Teeth?”

Patients use the word shaving because of what they’ve seen on social media. It’s our job to clarify:

• Porcelain veneers typically require 0.3–1.0 mm of enamel reduction.
• Most preparations are additive-driven reshaping and smoothing, not aggressive removal.
• Modern ceramics and adhesives allow us to be more conservative than ever.
• Experienced cosmetic dentists can often offer prepless or minimal-prep options depending on the case.

Each smile is unique there is no “one prep fits all.”

What Are Prepless Veneers?

Prepless (or no-prep) veneers require little to no removal of enamel before bonding. These cases are ideal when:

• Teeth are small, narrow, retruded, or spaced
• The smile needs added volume or width
• Minimal contour changes are needed

These cases are additive, not reductive

What Happens to the Tooth Under a Veneer?

A veneer acts like a protective shell:

• The natural tooth stays intact beneath the restoration.
• The veneer is bonded using resin adhesives, creating a strong, sealed interface.
• The tooth remains healthy as long as the patient maintains good home care and routine hygiene.

Veneers do not ruin teeth poor planning, poorly executed preparations, or using the wrong material for the case does.

Addressing the “Turkey Teeth” Misconception

This topic is essential in patient education.

What many people show on social media as “veneers” are actually full-coverage crown preparations teeth shaved to nubs. This typically happens when:

• The dentist is inexperienced in cosmetic veneer techniques
• A cheaper, weaker material is used that requires aggressive reduction
• Crowns are used but marketed as veneers
• Clinics are maximizing speed instead of precision

This results in unnecessary removal of tooth structure and long-term complications.

Real porcelain veneers should not require full removal of tooth structure.

How Much Tooth Is Removed for Porcelain Veneers?

For most veneer cases:

• 0.3–1.0 mm on facial surfaces
• 0.3–1.0 mm on incisal edges (if needed)

Thickness depends on esthetic goals (shape, color, translucency) and the baseline tooth position.

Preparation Categories for Teaching Patients (and Team)

1. Additive / No-Prep
   Teeth are small, retruded, spaced → little to no reduction
2. Minimal Prep
   Teeth are straight, limited issues, minor contour refinement, replacing old bonding/composite veneers.
3. Traditional Prep
   Moderate rotations, crowding, or significant color change needed.
4. Wrap-Around / More Aggressive Prep
   Severe crowding, large restorations, fractures, bite issues, or when a crown is more appropriate.

When More Prep Is Needed

In cases with:

• Large restorations
• Endo-treated teeth
• Significant wear
• Structural breakdown
• Complex occlusal issues

…a full-coverage restoration may be more appropriate than a veneer. Proper case selection
protects the tooth and the esthetic outcome.

Helping Patients Choose Wisely

Encourage patients to ask:

• Are they a candidate for minimal-prep veneers?
• What type of porcelain is being used and why?
• Which lab and ceramist will fabricate the case?
• What preparation design will be used?

Educated patients choose better clinicians and appreciate conservative treatment philosophy

Teaching Dentists to Do This Predictably

Mastering prep design, case selection, smile design, and minimally invasive workflows is essential for predictable cosmetic results.

If you’re a dentist looking to elevate your veneer skills, my Veneer Blueprint Course teaches:

• Case selection (no-prep, minimal prep, traditional prep)
• Ideal preparation steps
• Smile design planning
• Adhesive protocols
• Lab communication
• Step-by-step systems for predictable cosmetic dentistry

It’s everything I use daily to deliver consistent smile makeover results.