Smile design at Art Dental Studio follows five steps: consultation and analysis, design and wax-up, a trial smile (mock-up), hand-crafted ceramics made in-house, and placement with final refinement. At every step you have a role: you share your goals, you see the proposed smile on your own face, and nothing permanent is made until you approve the design.
The five steps at a glance
Our smile design process page describes what the team does at each step. This article tells the same story from the other side of the chair: what you do, what you'll notice and what you decide.
| Step | What you do | What you decide |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Consultation & analysis | Talk about your goals; photos and a 3D scan are taken | Whether the options make sense for you |
| 2 · Design & wax-up | Review the proposed shape and proportions | What to keep and what to change |
| 3 · Trial smile (mock-up) | See the design over your own teeth, on your real face | Approve it or ask for adjustments |
| 4 · Hand-crafted ceramics (in-house) | Wait while the porcelain is made; return for any checks your case needs | Final details of color and character, with the team |
| 5 · Placement & final refinement | See and review the finished smile | Whether anything still needs a touch-up |
Step 1 · Consultation and analysis
What happens: Dr. Vivian Menendez evaluates your teeth, your bite and your face, and takes photographs and a 3D scan.
What you do: mostly talk. This is the moment to say what bothers you about your smile, what you like about it, and what you don't want. If you have photos of smiles you admire, bring them. If you want something subtle, say so. If you want a bigger change, say that too.
What it feels like: the photos and the scan are simple. The scanner is a small camera that records your teeth digitally, without cutting or touching any tooth.
What you decide: you leave understanding what is realistic for your case and which treatments could be part of your plan, whether that's veneers, crowns, whitening, orthodontics or a combination. You don't have to commit to anything at this visit.
Step 2 · Design and wax-up
What happens: your new smile is designed from the scan, in proportion to your face, and a wax-up or preview is created.
What you do: look carefully and react honestly. This is the step where the big choices are made on paper and screen, not on your teeth: tooth length, width, the curve of the edges, how soft or defined the shapes look.
What you decide: what feels like you. A natural-looking design and a brighter, more dramatic one are both possible, and our guide to natural-looking smiles explains the difference. If you want to understand the technology behind this step, read digital smile design, explained simply.
Step 3 · Trial smile (mock-up)
What happens: the proposed smile is tried on over your own teeth so you can see it on your real face.
What you do: look at it in the mirror, smile, talk, and take photos if you like. A design can look perfect on a screen and feel different in person, which is exactly why this step exists.
What it feels like: the mock-up is a temporary tooth-colored material placed over your teeth. It can feel slightly bulky at first, but it shows you shape and proportion in a way no image can.
What you decide: approve the design or ask for changes. Shorter, softer, less white, a little wider: this is the time to say it. Nothing permanent is made until you approve. Our article on the trial smile covers this step in more detail.
Depending on your plan, your dentist may also suggest temporaries in the approved shape, so you can live with the new smile for a while before the final work. Ask whether your case includes them.
Step 4 · Hand-crafted ceramics (in-house)
What happens: master ceramist Enrique hand-layers the porcelain in the clinic's own lab, matched to your enamel.
If your plan includes veneers or crowns, the teeth are usually prepared before the final pieces are made. That's done with local anesthesia, and most people describe only mild discomfort. Your dentist explains beforehand exactly what your case requires.
What you do: mostly wait. Depending on your case, you may come back so the team can check details along the way.
Why it matters for you: because the ceramist works under the same roof as Dr. Vivian, the people designing and making your smile can look at it together. That makes it easier to fine-tune color and character as the work progresses, rather than sending notes back and forth to an outside lab. Learn more about the in-house dental lab.
What you decide: together with the team, the final touches of color and character.
Step 5 · Placement and final refinement
What happens: Dr. Vivian places the final pieces and refines the details with you present.
What you do: look closely, ideally in natural light. Check how the new teeth look when you smile, talk and rest your lips. Pay attention to how your bite feels.
What you decide: whether anything still needs a small adjustment. Say so, even if it seems minor. After placement, the team explains how to care for your new smile and when to come back for check-ups.
How long does it all take?
There isn't one answer. Smile design is completed over several visits rather than one appointment, and the number depends on how many teeth are involved and which treatments your plan includes. At your consultation, ask the team for the calendar of your case so you can plan around it. If you're coming from out of town, read how a visit works for out-of-town patients.
Questions to bring to your consultation
- Which treatments does my smile need, and in what order?
- Will I see the design on my own face before anything is permanent?
- Can I ask for changes after the trial smile?
- Will I wear temporaries in the planned shape?
- Who makes the final porcelain, and where?
- How many visits does my plan need?
If cost is part of your decision, ask about the financing options at your consultation.
Where to go next
For the full picture of what smile design can include, read our complete guide to smile design in Miami, and see the treatment page for smile design in Miami. When you're ready, book a consultation at any of our three locations: Miami / Hialeah, Kendall or Cooper City.
The bottom line
Smile design is not something done to you. It's a sequence of steps where you speak first, see the design second, try it on third, and only then is the porcelain made. The order never changes: design and approve first, then fabricate.
Art Dental Studio has three South Florida locations — Miami / Hialeah, Kendall and Cooper City — with care in English and Spanish. Smile design is directed by Dr. Vivian Menendez, and porcelain veneers are hand-crafted by master ceramist Enrique in the clinic's own lab, working side by side with the doctor.
Frequently asked questions
What are the steps of smile design at Art Dental Studio?
Five steps: consultation and analysis, design and wax-up, a trial smile (mock-up), hand-crafted ceramics made in the clinic's own lab, and placement with final refinement.
Can I change the design after I see it?
Yes. The trial smile lets you see the proposed design over your own teeth and ask for changes. Nothing permanent is made until you approve it.
How many visits does smile design take?
It is completed over several visits, and the number depends on how many teeth are involved and which treatments your plan includes. Ask the team for the calendar of your case at your consultation.
