By Charlie Ward, DDS,

You’ve done your digital planning, printed your models, and created a mockup. That’s great! But before you start prepping those teeth, we need to make sure that mockup is spot on. Why? Because a precise mockup ensures that our preparations create enough space for the restorative material. 

Here’s where the magic happens: digital calipers. Yep, those little measuring tools are our secret weapon. We measure the distal-most tooth on each side and one in the middle. Then, we compare those measurements to the ones we took from the model. If they’re within a tenth of a millimeter, we’re good to go! 

A quick tip: If you’re right-handed like me, be mindful of applying even pressure when seating the matrices. You don’t want to push harder on one side than the other. 

The next step is the prep stage. When working with veneer patients, we must be very intentional while removing tooth structure from our mockup so that we can create adequate room for restorative material. On Restorative Nation, Veneers Tips and Tricks Prep With Intention – Restorative Nation, I demonstrate various burs. It’s through a thorough understanding and careful selection of burs that we can guarantee an accurate preparation.