Dr. Driscoll's Veneer Process

first appointment - the design appointment

At the design appointment, Dr. Driscoll will evaluate your teeth, facial balance, and establish our goals for your smile makeover. We will collect photos, measurements of your teeth, and a 3D scan to design your new smile. The records from this appointment are used by Dr. Driscoll to design the smile. Please bring any specific requests or photo examples to this discussion. If you’ve chosen to do whitening before the veneers, the whitening treatment must be completed two weeks before this appointment to allow for color stabilization.

Second Appointment – Prep / Veneer Prototypes

The next appointment, scheduled two weeks after the design visit, is the most significant and longest, lasting 3 to 7 hours depending on the number of teeth involved. During this visit, teeth are prepared by removing old restorations, addressing cavities, and reshaping them for final veneers. Impressions or scans are taken, and prototype veneers—plastic versions of the final porcelain—are placed and customized for aesthetics, function, and speech. These temporary veneers, lightly bonded and splinted together, allow for adjustments that will inform the final design. You’ll receive a clear retainer for nighttime protection and an antioxidant gel to aid gum healing. Due to the temporary nature of the prototypes, it’s important to be gentle with them and understand that changes are still possible at this stage. Dr. Driscoll advises allowing time to adjust before forming strong opinions about your new smile. Anti-anxiety medication may be prescribed for this appointment.

Third Appointment – Prototype Approval

After wearing the temporary smile for two weeks, you return to provide feedback on the look and fit of your veneers. This appointment is typically combined with the second appointment unless we recommend a separate visit to “test drive” the smile before ordering the final veneers. At this appointment, come prepared to notify Dr. Driscoll of any issues with the veneers, including speech, biting, or appearance, as we can still make modifications. Once you approve of the design of the prototype veneers, we order the final porcelain. It takes 4-5 weeks for our master ceramist to create the porcelain veneers.

Fourth Appointment – Porcelain Veneer Try-In

The prototype veneers are removed, and the final porcelain veneers are tried in. You are numbed again, so you will not feel the temporary veneers being removed or the new ones tried in. Dr. Driscoll evaluates the final porcelain and determines if any changes are needed. Once she is satisfied with the veneers, you have the opportunity to see them on your teeth before they are permanently cemented. After cementation, a scan is made of your teeth for either a night guard or a retainer. You continue using Perioscience gel and return to brushing and flossing as normal. This is the second-longest appointment.

Fifth Appointment - Final Veneer Adjustments

During the final appointment, Dr. Driscoll refines the smile, makes any adjustments to the bite, and tries in the retainers. Photos are taken of your new smile once your gums have healed, and you’ve gotten used to your new smile. You are encouraged to look nice for this day, as we will take final photos in the studio. We can email these photos to you if you want copies!