At first glance, Sherelle’s pre-operative condition (the image on the left) appears almost flawless. Her smile is bright, symmetrical, and generally well-aligned—qualities many patients would already consider ideal. And yet, as with many high-performing professionals in the dental field, even minor imperfections can weigh heavily on one’s confidence.

Sherelle is no ordinary patient. As the receptionist at Smile Doctor Mona Vale—one of the most respected dental practices in Sydney’s Northern Beaches—she plays a crucial role in patient communication and care. In fact, she often uses her own journey as a live example to help patients understand what’s possible with thoughtful smile design.

This case reminds us that aesthetic dentistry isn’t just about fixing the obvious—it’s about listening, understanding subtle dissatisfaction, and finding ways to elevate what’s already good into something truly personalised and confidence-boosting. The changes were minimal in scope—slight refinements in shape, volume, and brightness—but their impact was transformative.

 

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Pre-op Condition: A case of elevated expectations

 

My first impression of Sherelle was that this might be a deceptively complex case—not due to any obvious technical challenge, but because of the elevated expectations she carried. From a clinician’s perspective, her smile was already quite pleasant. There were some minor composite additions on the laterals and canines, but overall, it was the kind of result many patients would be thrilled with.

But Sherelle isn’t “many people.” As the front-facing receptionist at one of the most reputable dental practices in the Northern Beaches, she has an acute awareness of smile aesthetics—and a clear vision of what she wanted to achieve. Her goal wasn’t to correct a problem, but to refine her smile into something that felt truly aligned with her personality: feminine, youthful, naturally blended, yet fuller and wider.

This is where communication became absolutely vital. From the outset, I needed to ensure our expectations were aligned. After listening closely to her goals, I proposed a refined design strategy:

• Enhance width dominance on the centrals by improving their proportion.
• Soften the lateral and canine influence to create a more delicate and feminine aesthetic.
• Apply additive veneers on the premolars to expand the buccal corridor and support her desired fullness—bringing the upper restoration to a total of 10 units.

Once I outlined these observations, Sherelle felt heard and confident in our shared vision. With expectations aligned, we were ready to begin.

 

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Pre-op Shade Analysis: Managing expectations of brightness

 

Another red flag emerged early in the process: Sherelle’s natural dentition was already sitting around BL2 to BL3—among the brightest pre-op shades I’ve ever encountered. While this was a testament to her natural enamel and prior maintenance, it also introduced a challenge: any change in value had to be extremely calculated.

Sherelle made it clear that she wanted to maintain the brightness of her smile—if not enhance it slightly. From my perspective, the goal was not to overreach. Pushing the value any brighter (into the realm of BL1) would not only compromise natural harmony but also shift the smile into an aesthetic zone that I typically avoid associating with my name.

We had an open and honest conversation about this. I recommended we maintain her current value—preserving that natural radiance without tipping into artificial brilliance. She understood the importance of restraint and was fully aligned with the decision.

This early agreement ensured that our shade selection would support both visual harmony and long-term satisfaction, reinforcing the trust we had already established.

 

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Temp Review: Interpreting Chairside Modifications

 

At the temporary review stage, it was immediately clear that something didn’t quite align with the original diagnostic wax-up. A closer examination revealed that minor chairside modifications had been made—subtle, yet sufficient to diverge from the original intent.

The central incisors had been rounded more than planned, reflecting Sherelle’s preference for a softer, more feminine appearance. While the intention was understandable, the modified shape had the unintended effect of visually elongating the centrals, tipping the balance of proportion. Sherelle agreed that the result looked too long and lacked the harmony we were aiming for.

The canines also appeared too dominant in width, which worked against our shared vision of a refined, feminine smile. In addition, Sherelle expressed that the temporaries lacked a sense of individuality—likely a result of them being fully connected. This opened up the opportunity to deepen the incisal embrasures, adding more life and natural segmentation to the smile, with pointier canines.

Finally, there was a noticeable imbalance in the buccal corridor, particularly on the upper right quadrant (Q1). To restore symmetry and facial harmony, I recommended building out Q1 slightly to enhance lateral fullness.

These insights—combined with Sherelle’s thoughtful feedback—highlighted the value of pausing to reassess at the temporary stage. This case was never about dramatic change, but rather purposeful refinement. With clear direction and mutual understanding, we were now fully aligned to move into the final phase.

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Temps in Situ Shade Analysis: Aesthetic Strategy Meets Material Science

 

By the time we reached this stage, I had already received and prepared the final impression/master model, a full set of photographs—including stump shade documentation—and the temporary model. This allowed me to begin mentally building the final restorations while conducting the temp review, ensuring continuity between aesthetic vision and technical execution.

Several key refinements were identified in the transition from temporary to final:

• A slight increase in labial thickness on the central incisors (especially the body 1/3) to enhance volume and light diffusion.
• A subtle reduction in labial thickness on the canines to soften their dominance—both structurally and optically.

These micro-adjustments gave me the ability to manipulate perceived value in a way that felt biologically and aesthetically authentic (noting that what’s brighter often appears larger in the mouth, and vice versa):

• The centrals would gain luminosity by layering over relatively bright, healthy stump shades with added ceramic volume.
• The canines would naturally drop in value, thanks to reduced thickness, allowing more of the natural dentine tone to influence the final effect.

For material selection, I chose the e.max Press technique with Impulse 02 ingots in all—a system that allowed us to maintain Sherelle’s desired brightness while achieving a natural, and pearly translucency. The Impulse 02 offered the ideal balance: clean and vibrant, but never over-processed or artificial.

With both structural form and optical performance carefully calibrated, we were ready to move forward with confidence—knowing the final restorations would meet the highest clinical standards and Sherelle’s deeply personal expectations.

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Post-op Condition: Shared Joy in Precision and Alignment

 

What made this case so rewarding wasn’t a dramatic reveal—it was the deep sense of satisfaction in knowing that Sherelle’s expectations had been met with precision, and without the need for remakes or further adjustment.

These are the cases that demand nuance—not to correct, but to elevate. It required careful observation, collaborative dialogue, and a commitment to restraint where it mattered. Just as importantly, it required a willingness to adjust our own professional ideals and prioritise what truly matters: the patient’s vision of their smile—a vision that can only be realised through thoughtful communication and mutual, logic-based agreement.

Together, we refined something already beautiful into something truly personal. The result wasn’t just a successful smile makeover—it was a moment of shared joy between clinician, ceramist, and patient. A restoration that felt not only complete but genuinely her own.

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Feedback from the patient:

I’m a mature-age woman who has never been happy with her smile.
In my 50s, I underwent orthodontic treatment, which brought some improvement.
However, I was never fully satisfied, even though I voiced this to my previous dentist.
It wasn’t until I became a patient at Smile Doctor Mona Vale that I again expressed my concerns—and the journey began once more.

I started with Invisalign, which made a dramatic improvement to my smile and bite. However, still not completely satisfied, I learnt about the process of veneers—and was finally able to achieve the result I was after.

I have a reasonably small mouth and a slight overbite.
I was even offered jaw surgery to correct the overbite, but this was a serious and somewhat painful option—hence my decision to proceed with veneers instead.

My teeth were also on the smaller side, and with the application of veneers (10 upper and 8 lower), I was able to achieve a much fuller smile.

My dentist, Malcolm Cooke, and Yugo were instrumental in creating a beautiful smile—one that now feels completely mine.
It was important to me that the character of my natural teeth was preserved in the veneers—and it was.
The entire process was made easy, thanks to excellent explanations and clear dialogue throughout. I was given every opportunity to comment, discuss, or make changes if I wanted (always in consultation with both clinicians, who are true experts).

I thoroughly recommend both of these dental professionals to anyone considering veneers.
Now working in the dental industry as a receptionist, I’ve learnt a tremendous amount about dentistry—and the importance of choosing practitioners with a proven track record in their field.

To Yugo and Malcolm, I’m genuinely grateful. Thank you both for my beautiful smile.

VERY, VERY HAPPY PATIENT
Sherelle