Veneers

What they are good at

• Teeth that will not whiten. Deep internal staining, or a tooth that darkened after an old injury, does not always respond to whitening.
• Chips and worn edges, particularly on front teeth.
• Small gaps you would rather close than straighten.
• Shape and proportion — teeth that are narrow, uneven or slightly rotated.

The part worth thinking about first

Veneers are usually irreversible. Making room for one normally means removing a thin layer of enamel, and enamel does not grow back. From that point the tooth will always need something covering it.

That is not an argument against veneers — it is an argument for being sure. Two questions worth asking before you commit:

• Would whitening achieve enough? It is cheaper and removes nothing.
• Is the problem actually alignment? If teeth are crooked rather than the wrong colour, aligners move the teeth you have instead of covering them.

We would rather talk you out of veneers you do not need than fit them. If someone has proposed a full set and you are unsure, bring the plan for a free second opinion.

What is involved

A conversation first, about what you want changed and what is realistic. Then preparation and a digital scan, a set fitted from the lab, and a check that the bite and the colour are right before anything is bonded permanently.

Prices are not published for veneers, because they depend entirely on how many teeth are involved and the material. You will have an itemised quotation before anything starts.

What veneers cost, and whether they are good for your teeth

Veneers are not on our published price list, because the number depends almost entirely on how many teeth are involved and what is being corrected. Two veneers to close a gap and eight to change the look of a smile are different pieces of work. Ask and you will get a range for your case.

Are veneers good for your teeth?

This deserves a straight answer rather than a brochure one. A veneer is not a health treatment. It does not make a tooth stronger and it does not fix decay. It changes how the tooth looks.

For most veneers, a thin layer of enamel is removed so the veneer sits flush rather than bulking the tooth out. That is permanent. Once the enamel is gone, the tooth will need something on it for the rest of its life — the veneer, or a replacement when it eventually fails. That is the honest trade, and it is why we would rather talk you out of veneers you do not need.

Consider first whether something less permanent gets you there. If the problem is colour, whitening removes no tooth at all. If it is alignment, braces or Invisalign move the teeth you already have rather than covering them. Veneers earn their place when the shape or surface of the tooth is the problem — chips, worn edges, a tooth that has always been an odd shape — or when whitening and alignment genuinely will not get you there.

Porcelain or composite?

Two materials, and the choice matters more than most people are told before they commit.

Composite veneers are built up directly on the tooth in one appointment, from the same tooth-coloured material used for a filling. They cost less, they can usually be done without removing enamel, and they can be repaired or reversed. They also stain over time, much as a natural tooth does, and they do not last as long.

Porcelain veneers are made in a dental laboratory and bonded on at a second appointment. Porcelain does not take up stain the way composite does, it holds its surface for far longer, and it handles light more like enamel — which is why it looks more natural in the mouth than it does in photographs. The trade is cost, a second visit, and usually some enamel removal, which is permanent.

Ceramic is the broader family porcelain belongs to; you will see both words used for the same thing.

Which suits you depends on what is being corrected, how many teeth are involved, and how much enamel you can afford to keep. That is an assessment conversation, not a website one — and if the answer is that whitening or alignment gets you there without touching the tooth, we will say so.