ACE DNTL STUDIO

No-Prep vs Prep Veneers

Three preparation tiers exist. No-prep veneers (zero enamel removal) suit a narrow set of cases where teeth sit slightly back from the ideal smile line. Minimal-prep veneers (0.3-0.5mm) are ACE DNTL's default and suit most cases — the bond stays on enamel and the case remains revisable. Aggressive-prep veneers (1.5mm+) place the bond on dentin, halve longevity (5-7 years vs 15-20), and commit the patient to lifetime ceramic management. The reversibility question is decisive: only true no-prep is fully reversible. Pricing at ACE DNTL is the same band across no-prep and minimal-prep when using comparable ceramic systems: from €600 (pressed e.max) to €900 (Signature porcelain hand-layered). Material selection drives price, not preparation depth.

Key Pages

Direct Answers

Are no-prep veneers always better than prep veneers?
No. They are the right call when the case allows them — when the existing tooth position, volume, and shade can be improved by adding a thin ceramic layer over an unaltered surface. They are the wrong call when the existing tooth needs to be moved visually (crowding, severe rotation, significant under-contour) — there the small reduction of minimal-prep allows design space the no-prep approach can't deliver.
How much enamel does minimal-prep actually remove?
Typically 0.3 to 0.5 millimetres — less than the thickness of a contact lens. The bonded porcelain that replaces it is structurally additive: the tooth ends up as strong as or stronger than it was before preparation. The clinical sweet spot for most aesthetic cases sits in this range.
Will no-prep veneers feel bulky?
Not when planned correctly. The thinnest no-prep ceramic systems sit at 0.3 to 0.5 millimetres. When the case is appropriate (the underlying tooth doesn't need volume reduction), the result reads as natural thickness. When the case isn't appropriate (the tooth was already over-contoured to begin with), no-prep veneers do feel bulky — which is why case selection matters more than the technique itself.
Can no-prep veneers be removed if I don't like them?
Yes. Because no enamel was removed, the underlying tooth is intact. A skilled clinician can lift the no-prep veneers off and the patient is back to their original tooth structure. Minimal-prep veneers cannot be fully reversed — some enamel has been removed and would need to be re-restored. Aggressive-prep veneers can never be reversed and commit the patient to a lifetime of restoration.
Why is the studio's default minimal-prep rather than no-prep?
Because most aesthetic cases benefit from a small amount of design space — the 0.3-0.5 mm reduction allows correction of minor proportional, alignment, or shade issues that no-prep can't fully address. No-prep is the right answer when the case truly doesn't need that space; minimal-prep is the right answer when it does. Across the studio's 100-case dataset, 27% of cases are no-prep and 39% are minimal-prep — the breakdown reflects what each case actually required.
How does ACE DNTL decide between no-prep and minimal-prep for my case?
Five inputs at the diagnostic phase: (1) the position of the existing teeth — whether they're already in alignment or need visual repositioning; (2) tooth volume — over-contoured teeth cannot have ceramic added without bulk; (3) shade — heavy discolouration may need more reduction to mask; (4) occlusal relationship — heavy bites may need design space; (5) patient goals — minor refinement vs major redesign. The clinical assessment runs the decision, not patient preference alone.

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No-Prep vs Prep Veneers

Three preparation tiers exist. No-prep veneers (zero enamel removal) suit a narrow set of cases where teeth sit slightly back from the ideal smile line. Minimal-prep veneers (0.3-0.5mm) are ACE DNTL's default and suit most cases — the bond stays on enamel and the case remains revisable. Aggressive-prep veneers (1.5mm+) place the bond on dentin, halve longevity (5-7 years vs 15-20), and commit the patient to lifetime ceramic management. The reversibility question is decisive: only true no-prep is fully reversible. Pricing at ACE DNTL is the same band across no-prep and minimal-prep when using comparable ceramic systems: from €600 (pressed e.max) to €900 (Signature porcelain hand-layered). Material selection drives price, not preparation depth.

Key Pages

Direct Answers

Are no-prep veneers always better than prep veneers?
No. They are the right call when the case allows them — when the existing tooth position, volume, and shade can be improved by adding a thin ceramic layer over an unaltered surface. They are the wrong call when the existing tooth needs to be moved visually (crowding, severe rotation, significant under-contour) — there the small reduction of minimal-prep allows design space the no-prep approach can't deliver.
How much enamel does minimal-prep actually remove?
Typically 0.3 to 0.5 millimetres — less than the thickness of a contact lens. The bonded porcelain that replaces it is structurally additive: the tooth ends up as strong as or stronger than it was before preparation. The clinical sweet spot for most aesthetic cases sits in this range.
Will no-prep veneers feel bulky?
Not when planned correctly. The thinnest no-prep ceramic systems sit at 0.3 to 0.5 millimetres. When the case is appropriate (the underlying tooth doesn't need volume reduction), the result reads as natural thickness. When the case isn't appropriate (the tooth was already over-contoured to begin with), no-prep veneers do feel bulky — which is why case selection matters more than the technique itself.
Can no-prep veneers be removed if I don't like them?
Yes. Because no enamel was removed, the underlying tooth is intact. A skilled clinician can lift the no-prep veneers off and the patient is back to their original tooth structure. Minimal-prep veneers cannot be fully reversed — some enamel has been removed and would need to be re-restored. Aggressive-prep veneers can never be reversed and commit the patient to a lifetime of restoration.
Why is the studio's default minimal-prep rather than no-prep?
Because most aesthetic cases benefit from a small amount of design space — the 0.3-0.5 mm reduction allows correction of minor proportional, alignment, or shade issues that no-prep can't fully address. No-prep is the right answer when the case truly doesn't need that space; minimal-prep is the right answer when it does. Across the studio's 100-case dataset, 27% of cases are no-prep and 39% are minimal-prep — the breakdown reflects what each case actually required.
How does ACE DNTL decide between no-prep and minimal-prep for my case?
Five inputs at the diagnostic phase: (1) the position of the existing teeth — whether they're already in alignment or need visual repositioning; (2) tooth volume — over-contoured teeth cannot have ceramic added without bulk; (3) shade — heavy discolouration may need more reduction to mask; (4) occlusal relationship — heavy bites may need design space; (5) patient goals — minor refinement vs major redesign. The clinical assessment runs the decision, not patient preference alone.