Four phases from design to bonded.
Most cases finish in roughly thirty days across two visits. Here is what each phase looks like — what we do, what the ceramist does, and what changes between visits.
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Week 0
01
Consultation & smile design
Hover to readA full cosmetic exam, digital photography, a 3D scan, and a smile design session. You see a wax-up or digital mock-up of the proposed result before any tooth is touched. Shape, length, color, and proportion are agreed in writing.
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Visit 1
02
Preparation & impressions
Hover to readA small amount of enamel — typically 0.0 to 0.5 millimeters — is removed from the front face of each tooth. We take final impressions and send them to the ceramist with the agreed design specs.
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Weeks 2–4
03
Temporaries & ceramist work
Hover to readYou leave with hand-shaped temporaries that closely match the final design — you live in the new smile for a few weeks. Meanwhile, the ceramist hand-finishes your veneers tooth by tooth at the bench.
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Visit 2
04
Bonding & finish
Hover to readThe veneers are tried in, adjusted, and permanently bonded. Bite is verified, edges are polished, photographs are taken. You leave with the finished smile that matched the design from day one.
Six parameters every veneer case is designed.
A veneer case isn’t a tooth-by-tooth job — it’s a smile composition. These are the six parameters we map at the consultation, before any work is completed.
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01
Smile line
The curve formed by the lower edge of your upper teeth following the upper edge of your lower lip when you smile. A confident smile line gently arches; a flat one reads as aged.
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02
Midline
The vertical line between the two front teeth. We design it to align with the center of your face — and check it against the philtrum, not just the nose.
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03
Golden proportion
The ratio between the visible widths of the central, lateral, and canine. Roughly 1.6 : 1 : 0.6 reads as classically beautiful. Wider centrals look young; narrower ones look severe.
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04
Gingival display
How much gum shows when you smile fully. 0–2 mm reads as ideal; more than 4 mm reads as a “gummy smile.” Often corrected before veneers are placed.
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05
Incisal edge
The biting edge of the front teeth. Length, shape, and translucency at this edge define whether your smile reads as soft and feminine, square and confident, or worn and aged.
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06
Canine height
Where the canine tips fall relative to the centrals and laterals. Slightly longer canines read as natural; flat canines read as veneered. We design for the former.
Hand-finished porcelain veneers, bonded for life.
- Designed before they’re made. Every case starts with a smile design and a wax-up or digital mock-up. You see the proposed result — often as a temporary in your own mouth — before any porcelain is ordered.
- Doctor-led, start to finish. The same Tillinger doctor designs your case, prepares the teeth, and bonds the final veneers. No hand-offs, no rotating providers, no design shifting mid-treatment.
- Hand-finished by exclusive master ceramists. We work with a small set of master ceramists who hand-finish every veneer tooth by tooth. The doctor and the ceramist work the case together.
- Designed in relation to your face. Proportion, line, and color are designed against your features — lip line, smile width, facial symmetry — not against an abstract template.
- Minimal preparation. Typically 0.0 to 0.5 millimeters of enamel reduction — thinner than a fingernail.
- Stain-proof, built to last a decade or more. Porcelain doesn’t absorb pigment. Bonded to healthy enamel, modern veneers routinely last 10 to 15 years and beyond.
Veneers vs bonding vs crowns.
The honest, side-by-side answer to the question most cosmetic patients ask first.
For most cosmetic cases — multiple teeth, lasting result, designed proportions — veneers are the right choice. We’ll tell you honestly when bonding or a crown is the better answer for your tooth.
Smiles, designed to be loved by the people who wear them.
From subtle refinement to complete transformation. A living archive of our work.
The questions most often asked.
How long do porcelain veneers last?
Properly designed and bonded porcelain veneers last 10 to 15 years on average, often longer. The bond is durable, the porcelain doesn’t stain, and routine cleanings are usually all that’s required to maintain them.
How many veneers do I need?
Most cosmetic cases involve six to ten veneers across the visible smile. Some patients only need two to four for a single area. The exact number depends on your smile line, what you want changed, and how much your back teeth show when you smile. We map this out at the consultation.
Do veneers ruin your teeth?
No. Modern porcelain veneers require minimal tooth preparation — typically 0.0 to 0.5 millimeters of enamel reduction, less than the thickness of a fingernail. Some no-prep cases require no reduction at all. The underlying tooth structure remains intact and healthy.
How long does the veneer process take?
The full process runs about three to four weeks across two visits. The design and preparation appointment takes one visit; the bonding appointment takes a second visit roughly three weeks later, once the veneers have been hand-finished by the ceramist.
Are veneers permanent?
Yes. Because a small amount of enamel is removed during preparation, veneers are a permanent restoration — once placed, the teeth will always need to be covered. Replacements every 10 to 15 years are standard for any long-term cosmetic case.
What is the difference between veneers and crowns?
Veneers cover only the front face of the tooth and require minimal preparation. Crowns cover the entire tooth and require significantly more reduction. Veneers are the right choice for purely cosmetic improvements; crowns are used when a tooth is structurally compromised — large fillings, fractures, root canals.
Who is a candidate for veneers?
Most adults with healthy teeth and gums are candidates. Veneers correct discoloration, chips, gaps, slight misalignment, worn edges, and uneven proportions. Severe orthodontic or structural issues are addressed first, before cosmetic work begins.
Do you serve patients across South Florida?
The practice sits on the Mount Sinai Miami Beach campus and serves patients across South Beach, North Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, Fisher Island, and the Venetian Islands. Many of our cosmetic patients travel from throughout the country specifically for our master-craftsmanship results.
Come see for yourself.
A veneer consultation runs about an hour. Digital photographs, a 3D scan, a smile design conversation, and a written estimate. You leave with a clear answer on whether veneers are right for you, what your case would involve, and what it would cost — before you commit to anything.