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In cosmetic dentistry, clinical skill and artistry are essential but the true foundation of a successful veneer case begins long before the handpiece is ever picked up. Proper case selection determines whether a patient’s expectations can be met, and whether their long-term esthetic and functional results will hold up beautifully over time.
Dentists who master this stage consistently deliver predictable, high-quality outcomes. Those who skip or rush it often face complications in shade, shape, or function—problems that could have been avoided with stronger diagnostic insight from the start.
When evaluating a potential veneer case, attention to detail is key. Factors like occlusion, enamel thickness, lip dynamics, and patient motivation play major roles in whether veneers are the right solution.
A thorough esthetic evaluation should include:
Midline and incisal edge analysis
Gingival symmetry and display
Smile line curvature
Facial proportion and tooth shape harmony
Equally important is communication, educating the patient about what veneers can and cannot do ensures alignment of goals and builds trust throughout the treatment process.
Selecting the right case saves chair time, reduces remakes, and enhances patient satisfaction. It also allows for more accurate treatment planning and smoother lab communication.
This is why Dr. Tejas Patel’s Veneer Blueprint Course emphasizes case selection as one of the most critical early steps in the veneer workflow. The course offers detailed checklists, case examples, and proven systems that help dentists identify the ideal veneer candidates and avoid common pitfalls.
Dentists looking to strengthen their confidence and consistency with porcelain veneers can explore The Veneer Blueprint Course, Dr. Patel’s comprehensive online program that breaks down every stage of the veneer process, from case selection to final delivery.
So what are no prep veneers? No Prep Veneers are Porcelain Veneers that are thin shells of porcelain that are bonded to the front surfaces of the teeth to improve the color, shape, size, symmetry, straightness, and fullness of the smile. True No Prep Veneers means that there are no alterations to the tooth structure so the veneers go directly over the natural teeth. No Prep Veneers are an additive procedure to the teeth. If you’re a Dentist and want to learn how to do veneers, check out https://drtejaspatel.podia.com/ to find out more about my Veneer Courses
ISo how are No Prep and Prepless veneer used? Both No Prep and Prepless Porcelain Veneers are Used to improve the appearance of someone's smile. They are both conservative options and minimally or non invasive. Here’s some ways that No Prep and Prepless Veneers can improve a smile: They can be used to add length to the teeth to make teeth that are short or small longer and bigger. They can be used to add volume or thickness to teeth that need to be built out or to help broaden a narrow smile. They can be used to whiten teeth or change the color of the teeth in a smile. They can be used to make teeth appear straighter and improve the arch form or alignment of teeth when there is minimal shifting of the teeth. They can be used to improve the symmetry of the teeth in a smile as well….. And so much more. When doing a smile makeover using No Prep or Prepless Porcelain Veneers, we are often doing 8 to 10 of the upper teeth as our treatment. If you’re a Dentist and want to learn how to do veneers, check out https://drtejaspatel.podia.com/ to find out more about my Veneer Courses. In my Veneer Blueprint Course we review: How to do porcelain veneers, treatment planning, case selection, case presentation, labs, material selection, veneer reduction requirements, veneers and occlusion, smile design, veneer preparation steps and sequence, recommended burs, no prep veneers, prepless veneers, minimal prep veneers, live video of veneer preparation, veneer temporization and veneer cementation, dealing with complications and troubleshooting, laminate veneer cases from a to z, case reviews, marketing, dental photography, and so much more!
So what are prepless veneers? Prepless Veneers are Porcelain Veneers that are thin shells of porcelain in in that are bonded to the front surfaces of the teeth to improve the color, shape, size, symmetry, straightness, and fullness of the smile. Prepless Veneers means that there is some enameloplasty, contouring, or alterations made to the tooth structure or enamel prior to the veneers going over the teeth. Again, to clarify this contouring is limited to the enamel surface and done strategically and conservatively. Prepless Veneers also are a mostly additive procedure to the teeth. Here are some similarities between no prep veneers and prepless veneers… When doing Both No prep and Prepless Porcelain veneer restorations, we are not drawing any margins onto the teeth. Also, in many cases, the patient does not wear temporaries in the interim time between their first visit and second visit while the permanent veneers are being made by the lab. If you’re a Dentist and want to learn how to do veneers, check out https://drtejaspatel.podia.com/ to find out more about my Veneer Courses. In my Veneer Blueprint Course we review: How to do porcelain veneers, treatment planning, case selection, case presentation, labs, material selection, veneer reduction requirements, veneers and occlusion, smile design, veneer preparation steps and sequence, recommended burs, no prep veneers, prepless veneers, minimal prep veneers, live video of veneer preparation, veneer temporization and veneer cementation, dealing with complications and troubleshooting, laminate veneer cases from a to z, case reviews, marketing, dental photography, and so much more!
Let’s review some important statistics about the size of the market for cosmetic dentistry, social media usage, and video content.
The US Cosmetic Dentistry market size was valued at $3.9 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $8.4 billion by 2033.
We will see the amount spent on cosmetic dentistry to double in ten years.
In 2024, in the United States, there are 239 million active social media users.
Here’s a list of the most used social media sites ranked from highest to lowest in active users.
1.Facebook 2.Instagram 3.TikTok 4.Snapchat 5.Pinterest 6. X (Twitter)
The average amount of time that people in the US spend on social media is
2 hours per day.
Studies show that 95% of viewers retain a message when consumed through video content, compared to a 10% retention rate for text based content.
72% of people expressed a preference for watching a video to learn about products or services that they are interested in.
Social media usage, video content consumption, and the market for cosmetic dentistry are all trending upwards.
Once we determine the size of the centrals that is used to determine the size of the adjacent teeth. The centrals set the tone for the smile.
Here are the steps I follow to pick the size of the teeth or the centrals.
First, I look at the preop length vs how much of the central incisors they show at rest, while speaking, and when smiling.
Photos and videos of the patient talking and smiling are helpful here.
I always measure the preop centrals as reference. Then based on how much the patient shows or doesn’t show I determine the desired length of centrals. Or if we like the length of the centrals or one of the centrals we make a note of that.
Here are some thoughts that help guide me:
Does the patient show enough of their centrals Versus do they wish they showed more?
Which tooth is closest to the right size and position?
How long is too long? How short is too short?
When the patient says “M” do they show any of the incisal edges? When they say “M” this shows the lips resting position.
The average length of centrals that we choose for waxups or the final porcelain is 9mm to 11mm.
Remember we talked about women showing 2-3mm of incisal edge when the lip is at rest, while men show 1-2 mm of their incisal edges at rest.
Another aspect of the sizing is how do we frame the smile with the lips and when the patient is smiling? We don’t always have to cover the lower teeth by 100%
When determining the size of the centrals, I like to consider the height of the patient and the existing size of the teeth. Again, that way it still looks like that person's teeth, just better or more youthful.
If you're starting with veneers, it’s helpful to know what veneers are and what you can do with veneers.
What are veneers ?
Veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are permanently bonded to the front surfaces and edges of the teeth to improve the color, shape, size, alignment, and symmetry of the teeth.
What are veneers used for?
Veneers are used to improve a person's smile.
How are veneers done?
Veneers are planned, prepared, designed, installed, and maintained by a Dentist.
Who makes the veneers?
Veneers are fabricated in a dental laboratory by a Ceramist or Dental technician.
How are veneers made?
Veneers are either milled out of a block, pressed into a mold, or layered by hand…or a combination of these techniques.
What are veneers made out of?
The most popular veneers are made out of feldspathic porcelain or lithium disilicate
Here’s some insights I’ve gained when talking to patients in my office about social media and how they found us and what they liked about our page or content.
Patients do a deep dive and research providers, products, and services that they’re interested in. Patients don’t just look at one thing they look at all the things and as they say “stalk you”.
It’s common for a patient to hear your name from a friend, find you on Google, look at your website, then look at your Instagram, then read all your reviews, and research online to find all the content and videos that there is about you.
They may do all of this before they even reach out to contact you.
Here’s what my patients have said:
“I’ve been following you for years”
“I love that you were transparent”
“You showed everything about the process”
“I feel like I found out everything I needed to know before I reached out to you”
Social media has helped us stop “selling” dentistry and helped our patients understand the services we offer.
The goal of social media is to have a genuine audience and community that comes to your social media page because they feel like they know you, they like you, and trust you.
No Prep veneers have been around in the form of indirect Lumineers and direct composite veneers over the years. Lumineers were a No Prep Veneer launched to the public that gained popularity by DenMat starting in 2004. Lumineers were less durable and less esthetic. They were marketed as “less invasive, potentially reversible, and less expensive than traditional porcelain veneers.” The biggest downside to the average consumer when comparing Traditional porcelain veneers to lumineers is that traditional veneers were more invasive and require more enamel or tooth structure to be removed. So the biggest advantage of Lumieneers was that it was less invasive. The biggest advantage of traditional porcelain veneers over Lumineers is that traditional porcelain veneers last longer, are more durable, and look more natural. With the advancements in technology and dental materials, we are now able to offer long lasting porcelain that is esthetic, is durable, lasts long, and can be made much thinner compared to years prior. So today, No Prep and Prepless Porcelain Veneers bridge the gap between older traditional porcelain veneers and Lumineers by utilizing the best of both worlds. The future of dentistry is moving towards more non-invasive treatments. Patients are wanting better smiles and also want to preserve their natural teeth. This is why it’s so important to understand and be able to offer no prep and prepless veneers predictably. If you’re a Dentist and want to learn how to do veneers, check out https://drtejaspatel.podia.com/ to find out more about my Veneer Courses. In my Veneer Blueprint Course we review: How to do porcelain veneers, treatment planning, case selection, case presentation, labs, material selection, veneer reduction requirements, veneers and occlusion, smile design, veneer preparation steps and sequence, recommended burs, no prep veneers, prepless veneers, minimal prep veneers, live video of veneer preparation, veneer temporization and veneer cementation, dealing with complications and troubleshooting, laminate veneer cases from a to z, case reviews, marketing, dental photography, and so much more!
So what are the differences between prepless and minimal prep veneers? With Prepless Porcelain Veneers, there is only minor enamel shaping, contouring, buffing, or very limited shaving. Most often this is used to reduce the facial thickness or bulkiness of specific teeth like the mid facial of the canines and the distal facials of the centrals. This contouring is limited to the enamel layer. Minimal prep veneers means that we are actually drawing a margin INTO the tooth with a bur and using a bur to create an artificial finish line in the enamel. Generally, with minimal prep veneers we want 0.5mm of incisal space or reduction and 0.3mm of facial space or reduction. With No Prep and Prepless veneers the margin and finish line is created over the existing tooth structure. If you’re a Dentist and want to learn how to do veneers, check out https://drtejaspatel.podia.com/ to find out more about my Veneer Courses. In my Veneer Blueprint Course we review: How to do porcelain veneers, treatment planning, case selection, case presentation, labs, material selection, veneer reduction requirements, veneers and occlusion, smile design, veneer preparation steps and sequence, recommended burs, no prep veneers, prepless veneers, minimal prep veneers, live video of veneer preparation, veneer temporization and veneer cementation, dealing with complications and troubleshooting, laminate veneer cases from a to z, case reviews, marketing, dental photography, and so much more!
1. Use a Digital scanner for a digital workflow 2. Use a Digital camera to take high quality photos of your work to help market your services 3. Understand Smile design to give your patients a smile they will love 4. Understand minimal prep and traditional prep porcelain veneers, so you know when to prep vs not prep 5. Understand how occlusion and function impact your veneers to ensure long lasting results 6. Use a High Quality temp material for Mockups to help show your patients a preview of their new smile design 7. Use a Solid Bonding Protocol to ensure long lasting results 8. Choose a High Quality lab that specializes in No Prep porcelain veneers to work with 9. Use a Soft tissue laser for gum contouring to improve the soft tissues esthetics 10. Use an iPhone for Photos and videos to get content for your cases If you’re a Dentist and want to learn how to do veneers, check out https://drtejaspatel.podia.com/ to find out more about my Veneer Courses. In my Veneer Blueprint Course we review: How to do porcelain veneers, treatment planning, case selection, case presentation, labs, material selection, veneer reduction requirements, veneers and occlusion, smile design, veneer preparation steps and sequence, recommended burs, no prep veneers, prepless veneers, minimal prep veneers, live video of veneer preparation, veneer temporization and veneer cementation, dealing with complications and troubleshooting, laminate veneer cases from a to z, case reviews, marketing, dental photography, and so much more!