How your smile is designed, step by step
Nothing permanent until you see — and approve — how it will look.
Smile design at Art Dental Studio is a step-by-step process: consultation and 3D scan with Dr. Vivian Menendez, a design and wax-up matched to your face, a trial smile you see and approve before anything is permanent, porcelain hand-layered by the in-house ceramist, and final placement — with same-day adjustments because dentist and ceramist work under one roof in Miami, Cooper City and Kendall.
The process, step by step
| Step | What happens | What you see & approve |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Consultation & analysis | Dr. Vivian evaluates your teeth, bite and face, and takes photographs and a 3D scan. | Your goals and what is realistic for your case. |
| 2 · Design & wax-up | Your new smile is designed from the scan, in proportion to your face, and a wax-up / preview is created. | The proposed shape and proportions, before a single tooth is touched. |
| 3 · Trial smile (mock-up) | The proposed smile is tried on over your own teeth so you can see it on your real face. | You approve it — or adjust it — before anything is permanent. |
| 4 · Hand-crafted ceramics (in-house) | Master ceramist Enrique hand-layers the porcelain in the in-house lab, matched to your enamel. | Color and character, adjustable the same day because he is on-site. |
| 5 · Placement & final refinement | Dr. Vivian bonds the final pieces and refines the details with you present. | The final result, reviewed in natural light. |
Why smile design is a process, not a single appointment
A smile that looks natural doesn't come from a catalog. At Art Dental Studio, every case is planned: your teeth, your bite and your facial proportions are studied, and from that a smile is designed for you — not a template applied on top. That design is previewed and approved before anything final is made.
That is why smile design is completed over several visits rather than in one appointment. The number of visits depends on how many teeth are involved and the treatment (veneers, crowns, whitening, orthodontics or a combination). What doesn't change is the order: design and approve first, then fabricate.
Seeing your smile before it is permanent
The step patients find most reassuring is the trial smile: a preview of the proposed smile, placed over your own teeth so you can see it on your real face before anything final exists. You can judge the shape, length and proportions, ask for changes, and approve the design when it genuinely feels like yours.
Designing first and previewing second turns a big aesthetic decision into something you see before you commit. When the final porcelain is made, it isn't a surprise — it is the smile you already approved.
Designed and crafted under one roof
What makes the process different at Art Dental is that design and fabrication aren't separated by a shipping label. Dr. Vivian Menendez designs the smile and master ceramist Enrique hand-crafts it in the studio's own in-house lab — not an outside laboratory. That closeness between dentist and ceramist is what allows same-day shade adjustments and keeps every tooth consistent, for a result that looks natural time after time.
How does the smile design process work?
It is a step-by-step process: consultation and 3D scan with Dr. Vivian, a design and wax-up matched to your face, a trial smile you approve, porcelain hand-crafted by the in-house ceramist, and final placement. The smile is designed and approved first; only then is the final work fabricated.
Can I see what my smile will look like before treatment?
Yes. Before anything permanent is made, a trial smile (mock-up) is placed over your own teeth so you can see the proposed shape and proportions on your real face. You can request changes and approve the design before moving forward.
How many appointments does a smile design take?
It is completed over several visits rather than a single appointment, because the smile is designed and approved before the final porcelain is fabricated. The exact number of visits depends on how many teeth are involved and the treatment chosen.
Is smile design only veneers?
No. Smile design is the plan; porcelain veneers are one of the tools. A case may combine veneers, crowns, whitening or orthodontics depending on what your smile needs. Dr. Vivian sets the plan at the consultation.
Who designs my smile at Art Dental Studio?
Dr. Vivian Menendez personally designs every smile and is present for the placement of the final pieces. Master ceramist Enrique hand-crafts them in the in-house lab. Dentist and ceramist work under one roof across Miami, Cooper City and Kendall.
