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Applications for Dr. Gordon Chee’s Veneer & Aesthetic Dentistry Mentorship Program close TODAY. Comment “Veneer” for the link to apply.

Excess cement removal might be one of the most stressful parts of the veneer workflow. You’ve seated the veneer, but leave cement around the cervical or proximal margins, and the finished case can come back with irritated gingiva.

Here’s the cleanup sequence:

1- Seat and stabilize the veneer with controlled pressure.
2- Clear the initial excess while maintaining its position.
3- Spot cure briefly until the cement reaches a firm, peelable gel stage. Timing depends on the cement and curing setup, so follow its instructions.
4- Lift the bulk excess from the accessible facial, cervical and proximal margins.
5- Complete the cure, then check again. Remove any remaining cement, finish and polish the margins, inspect under magnification, and confirm floss passes through every contact.

The veneer isn’t finished when it’s bonded. It’s finished when the margins are clean, smooth and accessible.

Looking for a mentor in aesthetic dentistry? 👀

Deadline to apply is Sunday!

Comment “Mentor” and I’ll DM you a link.

Here’s a look at Dr. Gordon Chee’s veneer cementation workflow, from isolation all the way through to seating the veneers:

1. Rubber dam isolation: Mark the tooth positions, punch the dam, and make one straight cut for a split dam technique.
2. Seal the split dam: Trim a Dri-Angle to fit palatally, then place bite-registration material behind the teeth to close the palatal opening and support the dam.
3. LiquiDam: Apply over the cervical and papillary areas to protect exposed gingiva during air abrasion and reinforce the cervical seal.
4. Sandblast: Air-abraid the prepared tooth surfaces with aluminum oxide to remove surface contamination and texture the substrate.
5. Chlorhexidine rinse: Remove the liquid rubber dam and wash the prepared teeth with chlorhexidine to reduce bacterial contamination.
6. Protect the neighbouring teeth: Cover adjacent teeth with PTFE tape to keep etchant, adhesive, and resin cement away from neighbouring surfaces and avoid bonding the teeth together.
7. Etch + apply adhesive: Etch the preparations with phosphoric acid. Rinse, dry, and apply the adhesive according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Seat the veneers: Apply a veneer-specific resin cement and seat the veneers, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Next up: excess cement removal 😭

Bonding e.max veneers? Here’s the sequence:

1- Complete the try-in and verify fit, contacts and optical integration.

2- Etch the intaglio with 5% hydrofluoric acid for 20 seconds, then rinse thoroughly.

3- Apply 37% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds and rinse.

4- Place the veneers in an ultrasonic bath with distilled water for two minutes to remove residual HF reaction products.

5- Dry with clean, oil-free air and apply a silane-containing ceramic primer according to its IFU.

6- Protect the treated surface from contamination and proceed with adhesive resin cementation.

Next up, cementation!

*Always confirm any pretreatment performed by the laboratory and follow the ceramic- and product-specific instructions.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Comment “bond” to receive a FREE Veneer Masterclass on Conservatism in Aesthetic Dentistry by Dr. Gordon Chee. (Available for a Limited Time Only)

Comment “VENEER” and you’ll receive:

1- FREE Masterclass on Conservatism in Aesthetic Dentistry
2- Veneer Mentorship Program Application Form

Most dentists who want to do more veneer cases are not short on interest.

What often stands in the way is everything that comes after learning: choosing the right case, presenting treatment with confidence, following a predictable workflow, and knowing where to turn when the patient is in the chair and the case no longer feels straightforward.

That is the gap this program was built to address.

Introducing the 6-month Veneer Dentistry Mentorship Program with Dr. Gordon Chee, a live learning and implementation experience designed to help dentists move veneer cases from intention into practice.

And for the Course Karma community, Gordon is also providing a FREE masterclass on “True Conservatism in Aesthetic Dentistry”.

Applications are now open for a small group of dentists.

For more than 20 years, Dr. Gordon Chee has refined his eye for aesthetic dentistry and helped other dentists do the same.

Now, he’s bringing that perspective to Course Karma.

Stay tuned...

This dilemma comes up often during veneer preparation: the margin reaches an existing composite restoration. Do you stop there?

👉 Comment “prep” and I’ll send you the Veneer Treatment Planning Masterclass with Dr. Amanda Seay and Dr. Adamo Notarantonio. (Available till Sunday)

Start with four questions:

1- How much sound tooth structure must be removed to avoid the composite?

The first consideration is biological cost. Extending the preparation may create a tooth–ceramic margin, but the amount and location of the additional reduction matter.

2- If you extend, will the new margin finish in enamel or dentin?

Reaching enamel offers a clear adhesive advantage. But if the extension finishes in dentin, you may remove more sound tooth structure without gaining that advantage.

3- If the preparation remains partly on composite, how much of the veneer’s bonded surface will depend on it?

Dr. Amanda is comfortable ending part of the margin on composite when at least 70% of the veneer remains on tooth structure.

4- Do you retain or replace the existing composite?

Consider its extent, marginal integrity, caries status and known (or unknown) bonding history, alongside how much additional tooth structure its replacement may sacrifice.

If retained, also ask whether the composite can be adequately isolated and conditioned.

The decision is not simply composite versus tooth. It is the biological cost of avoiding the composite, the substrate you will actually reach, the proportion of the veneer that will depend on it, and the condition of the restoration you may leave behind.

References:

Etienne, Olivier et al. “Survival of Ceramic Veneers: Impact of Dentin Exposure and Tooth Vitality After 1 to 15 Years of Follow-Up.” Journal of esthetic and restorative dentistry : official publication of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry.

Gresnigt, Marco M M et al. “Performance of ceramic laminate veneers with immediate dentine sealing: An 11 year prospective clinical trial.” Dental materials : official publication of the Academy of Dental Materials vol. 35,7 (2019): 1042-1052. doi:10.1016/j.dental.2019.04.008

Comment “plane” and I’ll DM you a link to register for the free Veneer Treatment Planning Masterclass with Dr. Amanda Seay and Dr. Adamo Notarantonio.

The facial surface is convex. If your bur is held at one continuous angulation, reduction will not follow the cervical, middle and incisal contours, risking insufficient ceramic space in some areas and unnecessary enamel removal in others.

Two planes may be enough for many cases. A third provides finer control when the facial contour is more pronounced or the planned reduction is minimal.

The goal is not to follow a universal number of planes. It is to follow the planned facial contour, create appropriate ceramic space and preserve as much enamel as possible.

Amanda Seay X Dr Adamo X CourseKarma.com 👉 Helping you Find the Best Dental CE

A 0.3 mm depth cut does not guarantee a conservative prep.

If the mock-up is very thin cervically, the bur may pass through it, remove the remaining cervical enamel and expose dentin.

Before making the depth cut, assess the thickness of the mock-up in this area. When it is insufficient, add a small amount of flowable composite cervically to thicken the design, then confirm that the resulting contour remains aesthetically acceptable.

The depth cut can then be made through the modified mock-up, creating the required restorative space while preserving cervical enamel.

Hungry for more tips?

👉 Watch the Free Veneer Treatment Planning Masterclass with Dr. Amanda Seay and Dr. Adamo Notorantonio. Link in CourseKarma.com 👉 Helping you Find the Best Dental CE bio.

Available for a limited time.

Amanda Seay X Dr Adamo X CourseKarma.com 👉 Helping you Find the Best Dental CE

Black triangles are not just about adding more porcelain.

One of the biggest factors is the distance from the interproximal bone crest to the apical end of your planned contact area.

Tarnow’s classic study found:

≤5 mm → papilla present almost 100% of the time
6 mm → about 56%
≥7 mm → 27% or less

Before designing your veneers, sound to bone, locate the interproximal crest, and plan your contact accordingly.

Small measurement. Big difference in the final result.

Comment “class” and we’ll send you a video from Dr. Amanda Seay and Dr. Adamo Notarantonio on black triangle closure and veneer treatment planning.

This one has been a long time in the making, and we’re incredibly proud to finally share it.

For the first time, Dr. Amanda Seay and Dr. Adamo Notarantonio are bringing their imP.R.E.S. Blueprint online as part of a one-year aesthetic dentistry mentorship.

A program built around learning, implementation, case guidance, and continued refinement.

And not only that, they are providing Veneer Treatment Planning Masterclass for FREE for the Course Karma community.

Applications are now open to a small group of clinicians.

Comment “MENTOR” and you’ll receive:

1- Mentorship Program application Form
2- Veneer Treatment Planning Masterclass