For years, this patient felt self-conscious about her smile, even though her teeth were relatively straight.
In her 30s and recently a new mother, she had spent years noticing things about her smile that bothered her every time she looked in the mirror or saw a photograph. The color of her teeth felt dull. The teeth appeared short and worn. Small black triangles between the teeth made her smile look older, and the overall proportions felt unbalanced.
What bothered her most was that her smile never seemed to follow the natural curve of her lower lip. Instead, her upper teeth created a reverse smile arc, making her smile appear flat and less youthful.
Over time, she adapted by smiling with her lips closed whenever possible.
After welcoming her child and spending so much time focused on caring for others, she decided it was finally time to do something for herself.
Before
After
Understanding the Problem
At first glance, many people would consider this patient to have relatively straight teeth. However, a beautiful smile is about much more than alignment alone.
A comprehensive evaluation revealed several factors contributing to her concerns:
Chipping and wear along the biting edges of the upper front teeth
Slight discoloration and loss of brightness
Small black triangles between the teeth
Teeth that appeared too short and undersized for her facial features
A reverse smile arc, where the upper teeth curved opposite the contour of the lower lip during smiling
While orthodontic treatment was discussed, moving the teeth alone would not address the issues that bothered her most, including tooth shape, color, wear, proportions, and overall smile design.
Planning Before Treatment
One of the most important steps in cosmetic dentistry happens before any treatment begins.
Using digital smile design, intraoral scans, photographs, and facial analysis, we developed a custom smile design tailored specifically to her facial features and goals.
A full mockup was then created and placed directly in her mouth, allowing her to preview the proposed outcome before any veneers were prepared.
Digital smile design mockup, previewed before treatment
When she saw the mockup for the first time, her reaction confirmed we were on the right track. She became emotional and immediately expressed that the design was exactly what she had envisioned for her smile.
That approval gave us confidence to move forward knowing that both the patient and treatment team shared the same vision.
Conservative Porcelain Veneers
Treatment consisted of ten minimally invasive porcelain veneers extending from second premolar to second premolar.
Although every tooth required preparation, the goal was to remain as conservative as possible while creating ideal proportions, symmetry, and function.
The veneers were fabricated from IPS e.max lithium disilicate porcelain, a material chosen for its combination of strength, durability, and natural aesthetics.
Before (retracted)
Mockup (retracted)
After (retracted)
Seeing the case side by side — the original teeth, the approved mockup, and the final veneers — shows how closely the finished result followed the plan she signed off on before treatment began.
The treatment was completed over four appointments:
Cosmetic consultation and records
Smile design and mockup approval
Veneer preparation appointment
Final veneer delivery
The Final Result
The transformation went far beyond creating a whiter smile.
The new veneers restored proper tooth proportions, eliminated the appearance of black triangles, corrected the reverse smile arc, and created a more youthful relationship between the upper teeth and lower lip.
Side view of the final result
Most importantly, the smile now reflects the patient's personality and confidence.
For someone who had spent years smiling with her lips closed, the greatest success wasn't measured in millimeters or shade tabs. It was seeing her smile freely again without hesitation.
This case serves as a reminder that cosmetic dentistry is often not about changing who someone is. It's about helping their smile finally match how they feel inside.
If you have been hiding your smile and want to explore your options, porcelain veneers may be right for you. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Wang to talk through a conservative, personalized plan.
