A Thoughtful Beginning

Mariana’s maxillary incisors presented with enamel hypoplasia, with areas of missing enamel that affected both appearance and light reflection. Early on, I restored her teeth using glass ionomer and composite, creating a solution that was appropriate for her stage of growth and development.

As Mariana grew, and especially after starting orthodontic aligner therapy, her smile began to evolve. With improved tooth positioning came an opportunity to revisit her original goal and refine her smile in a more comprehensive and lasting way.

Understanding the Foundation: Biology First

Before moving into esthetic enhancement, we carefully evaluated the gingival architecture.

Using a combination of intraoral scanning with the DEXIS IOS and clinical bone sounding, I assessed the position of Mariana’s CEJ and the available keratinized gingiva. This allowed us to determine how much soft tissue could be safely adjusted to enhance tooth display while preserving biological width.

A conservative laser gingival recontouring was performed with our Solea laser to expose the incisors to their full potential, creating a balanced and harmonious foundation for the next phase of treatment.

Before laser gum recontouring

Immediately after laser gum recontouring

Designing Before Doing

With the tissue architecture optimized, we transitioned into digital smile design using Exocad Software.

We designed a proposed smile and translated that into a physical mock-up that Mariana could try in her own mouth. This step is invaluable. It allows patients to experience their future smile before any definitive treatment is performed.

Tooth Dress-Up: A Collaborative Process

During the mock-up phase, we turned the experience into something interactive and fun.

We progressively modified the trial smile, allowing Mariana and her mother to visualize different options:

• Six veneers
• Then four
• Then two

At each stage, we paused, observed, and took photographs. This allowed them to fully understand how each option would look and feel.

Ultimately, Mariana chose to move forward with six maxillary anterior veneers, with a very clear preference: she wanted them to feel natural and not bulky.

Six trial veneers

Four Trial veneers

Two trial veneers

A Truly Conservative Approach

Respecting her wishes and prioritizing tooth preservation, we designed no-preparation veneers, meaning no removal of natural tooth structure was required.

The restorations were carefully thinned to achieve a delicate, natural appearance. Final refinements and polishing were completed by hand to ensure a soft, lifelike finish.

A Smile That Feels Like Her

Mariana and her family loved the result. More importantly, the smile felt like hers—enhanced, not altered.

This case reflects what is possible when we combine:

• Respect for biology
• Digital precision
• Conservative restorative principles
• And true collaboration with teen and family

In the end, this is what modern teen dentistry is about. Not just creating beautiful smiles, but doing so in a way that honors growth, preserves structure, and empowers the patient every step of the way.

Final smile

2018 and 2026

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