ORE Part 2 · Dental Manikin (DM) guide
Labial Veneer Preparation
A labial veneer preparation on an upper central incisor, checked against a putty index as you go. The challenge is an even facial reduction in three planes, a continuous margin of even width about 1 mm above the gum, and proximal margins taken to the extremes of the tooth — all without touching the neighbouring teeth.
Our video demonstrates this on an upper left central incisor (21). In the exam, the tooth and exercise are set on the day.
What examiners look for
- Even facial reduction in all three planes (incisal, middle and gingival), checked as an even gap against the putty index
- Incisal reduction kept flat and even across the edge
- A continuous margin of even width — the tip of a 170 bur — about 1 mm above the gingival margin
- Mesial and distal margins at the very extremes of the tooth, meeting the gingival margin at junctions that also sit 1 mm above the gum
- The whole gingival margin visible from the incisal view, with no undercuts and a symmetrical outline
- A smooth finish with no unsupported enamel, and no damage to the adjacent teeth or gingiva
Common mistakes
- Reducing the labial surface as one flat plane instead of changing the bur angle for each third
- Checking the putty index too rarely — by the time the gap looks uneven, you may already have over-reduced
- Lowering the margin while trying to widen it: only the tip of the bur should touch the margin
- Cutting the incisal horns in the same pass as the incisal edge instead of separately, with a matrix band and wedge protecting the adjacent tooth
- Leaving a sharp spur of unsupported enamel where the proximal margin meets the gingival margin
What the official DM Guidance states
- Incisal reduction 1.5 mm; labial (axial) reduction 0.5–0.7 mm
- Margin: a 0.5 mm labial shoulder or chamfer, continuous
- Margin level: clinically at or 0.5 mm below the gingival margin, but for the exam about 1 mm above it
- Contact with the adjacent teeth is NOT to be cleared (an excessively cleared contact counts against you)
- Smooth finish with no sharp angles, and a path of insertion that doesn't conflict with the adjacent teeth
- Checked with an index sectioned once in the middle of the tooth
Source: ORE Part 2 Dental Manikin (DM) Guidance, version 2.0, effective 1 March 2026, p. 21. Values marked “about” are approximate in the guidance. Check the current version before your exam. How to reach these, step by step, is in the course.
Candidate questions
How is the facial reduction checked?
Against the putty index, repeatedly, looking for an even gap on the incisal, middle and gingival thirds. An even 0.5 mm gap everywhere matters more than hitting a single number in one spot.
Where should the margin sit?
About 1 mm above the gingival margin all the way round — including the junctions where the mesial and distal margins meet it. Its width should equal the tip of the 170 bur, and it should be placed slightly high at first: a margin can be lowered later, but never raised.
How do you protect the adjacent tooth?
Place a matrix band with a wedge against the non-working tooth before cutting the proximal horns and margins. The course video shows the band orientation and wedge position step by step.