Three visits to the dentist are usually needed for a dental veneer – one for a consultation and two for making and applying them. Diagnosis and treatment planning Your dentist will discuss the procedure and some of its limitations with you to ensure that dental veneers are right for you. The dentist may take X-rays and take impressions of your mouth and teeth. Preparation To prepare a tooth for a veneer, the dentist will reshape the tooth’s enamel surface by an amount that is roughly equal to the thickness of the veneer. You and your dentist will decide whether to numb the area before trimming off the enamel. Then, your dentist will take an impression to make a model of your teeth. Your veneer is made by a dental laboratory using this model. Veneers usually take 2-4 weeks to return from the laboratory. While waiting for this to finish, a temporary veneer is installed to protect the teeth. Bonding Dentists place veneers on your teeth to examine their fit and colour, removing and trimming them repeatedly to achieve the correct fit before permanently cementing them. Veneer colour can be adjusted by choosing the cement shade. You will then have your teeth cleaned, polished, and etched to prepare them for the veneer. The veneer is placed on the tooth with special cement. When the veneer is properly positioned, the dentist will use a special light to activate chemicals in the cement, causing it to harden very rapidly. The final steps include removing any excess cement and checking your bite. In a couple of weeks, your dentist may want to check your gums and the veneer’s placement.