The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia in several stages.
The consultation
The dentist develops a treatment plan tailored to the patient’s needs and wishes.
He then performs a clinical examination in the mouth and a panoramic x-ray to check the general condition of the teeth and gums. In case of cavities and/or periodontal problems, they must first be treated before the dental veneer is applied.
First session
During the first session, the dentist makes an impression of the patient’s teeth. This will allow the dental technician to create a wax-up / mock-up.
- The wax-up is a model of the patient’s ideal teeth.
- The mock-up is a preview of the wax-up in the mouth and gives the patient an idea of the final result.
Second session
Eight days later, the second session takes place during which the dentist shapes the teeth, makes an impression of the peeled teeth and applies the temporary veneers.
The dentist first validates the wax-up with the patient. Then, using a burr, he very gently removes a thin, homogeneous layer of enamel from the outer surface of the tooth by 0.3 millimetres.
He then makes an impression of the patient’s prepared teeth. This will allow the dental technician to sculpt each veneer to ensure perfect compatibility with the patient’s current dentition.
In most cases, apart from very damaged teeth, the teeth are kept alive in order to maintain a natural gum without retraction and thus ensure an almost indefinite longevity of the reconstructed tooth with the dental veneer.
The dentist then uses the wock-up to self-mould the temporary resin veneers. He then places them on the patient’s teeth.
The patient can brush his teeth quite normally but he will not be able to use dental floss because the temporary veneers are attached to the teeth. He should avoid hard foods (apples for example) or foods that are too colourful.
Third session
Eight days later, the dentist places the final veneers. The session lasts one and three hours depending on the case.
He begins by placing the temporary veneers, then he has the patient try the permanent veneers and checks that they are well adapted to the dentition, especially from an aesthetic point of view. If necessary, improvements can still be made at this stage.
To ensure perfect mechanical anchoring between the inner face of the veneer and the outer face of the tooth, the dentist first makes a surface treatment to create adhesion sites, then he applies a bonding agent and glue. Finally, he carefully fits each veneer one by one in the patient’s mouth.
