Non-Prep Veneer Review | A Case Naturally Improving Gaps Between the Front Teeth and the Smile Line

Hello. This is Yonsei Baro Dental Clinic, an orthodontic dental clinic in Apgujeong.

When people think of non-prep veneers, most think of a treatment to close gaps between the front teeth or brighten the tooth color.

However, what is more important in aesthetic treatment is the proportions of the teeth and the Smile Line.

Even with the same type of veneers, the appearance of a smile and overall impression can change significantly depending on how the length and shape of the teeth are designed.

Today, we would like to introduce an actual treatment case in which gaps between the front teeth and a flat Smile Line were naturally improved with non-prep veneers.

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This patient visited us for non-prep veneer treatment.

The patient had completed orthodontic treatment a long time ago. Since the retainer had occasionally come loose, a gap had developed between the front teeth.

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The point to focus on in this patient’s treatment is the Smile Line.

What is a Smile Line?

It is the line connecting the edges of the upper teeth.

Sometimes, when this Smile Line is flat as shown in the image above, or when the curve is reversed, the smile can look awkward.

A Smile Line looks most aesthetically pleasing when it runs parallel to the lower lip, as shown in the photo below.

This is also covered in undergraduate textbooks.

Let’s take a look at the patient’s Smile Line.

The line connecting the teeth is straight, isn’t it?

This is called a reverse-flat Smile Line.

It can look awkward when smiling.

When making non-prep veneers, it is preferable to create a beautiful Smile Line by adjusting the lengths from the front teeth through to the canines and adjacent teeth.

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Fortunately, the patient had retainers attached after the previous orthodontic treatment. Although there were gaps, the alignment of the teeth was even, so preparations for the non-prep veneer fitting could begin right away.

We decided to place a total of eight non-prep veneers on the upper teeth, extending from the canines to the premolars behind them.

Now, let’s look at the fitting.

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It is noticeable that the two central incisors have been lengthened.

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The Smile Line can be changed by making the two central incisors longer and keeping the teeth as short as possible toward the canines.

This changes the existing flat appearance into a beautiful curve that runs parallel to the lower lip.

A single Smile Line can make a smile look more natural and attractive.

On the fitting day, we not only made detailed adjustments to the Smile Line, but also reflected the patient’s preference for the degree of roundness at the edges of the teeth before proceeding with the final veneer fabrication.

The patient wanted a somewhat rounder look than the shape of the teeth used for the fitting, so the final shape of the actual veneers was as follows.

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Non-prep veneers are performed 100% without removing tooth structure.

The natural shape and tone of the teeth are given top priority.

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Let’s compare occlusal-view photos to estimate the thickness of the non-prep veneers.

The image above shows the initial visit, and the image below shows the appearance after eight veneers were attached without removing tooth structure.

The fact that the difference in thickness is barely visible shows how thin non-prep veneers are.

They can be made as thin as 0.1 mm at their thinnest points.

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The spaces between the teeth were filled with veneers.

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Let’s look at the front-facing before-and-after photos.

The change in the Smile Line is clearly visible, isn’t it?

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A natural Smile Line can change the overall impression.

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A Smile Line parallel to the lower lip

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Many people worry that placing non-prep veneers only on the upper teeth will create a noticeable color difference from the lower teeth.

This varies depending on the patient’s natural tooth color, but for people whose natural teeth are not dark, whitening treatment on the lower teeth alone can make them blend well with little difference in tone.

​Non-prep veneers are not simply a treatment for filling gaps between the front teeth. More natural and satisfying results can be achieved when the length and proportions of the teeth, the Smile Line, and the overall impression when smiling are designed together. If you are concerned about gaps between your front teeth or the shape of your teeth, consider an aesthetic plan that designs your entire smile rather than simply filling the spaces.