Other options.
Whitening, a filling or bonding, a crown, or straightening with braces or aligners can sometimes do the job with less change to your teeth. Your dentist will tell you which apply to you.
Porcelain veneersin Croydon.
Our own lab, upstairs at 7 The Strand, makes your porcelain veneers. Each is a thin shell bonded to the front of a tooth to change its shape or colour.
Results vary from person to person. Read the risks below before you decide.
Open Monday to Saturday
The short answer.
- What it is
- A thin porcelain shell bonded to the front of a tooth, for adults with healthy teeth and gums.
- Visits
- At least two: preparation and scan, then fitting.
- Does it hurt
- Preparing the teeth is done under local anaesthetic. Many people have sensitive teeth for a few days to weeks afterwards.
- What it costs
- Priced per tooth, once your dentist has planned it. Ask us for a quote.
- Can it be undone
- No. Enamel removed for a veneer doesn’t grow back.
What veneers
can change.
A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain made to fit the front of a tooth. It covers chips, wear, gaps or colour that whitening can’t change, and it’s bonded to the tooth.
Porcelain veneers usually need a thin layer of enamel removed first, which can’t be undone. Once you have them, that tooth will always need a veneer or a crown. Your dentist will show you what’s realistic for your teeth.
Could veneers
suit you?
Veneers are for adults with healthy teeth and gums. We check yours first and talk about the alternatives.
Chipped or worn front teeth.
Where a filling or bonding wouldn’t last or look right.
Colour whitening can’t change.
Some stains sit inside the tooth and don’t respond to whitening.
Small gaps or uneven shapes.
Larger gaps or crowding are often better treated with braces or aligners.
Healthy teeth and gums.
Decay and gum disease are treated first. If you grind your teeth, we plan for it.
How veneers are made and fitted.
At least two appointments: one to prepare your teeth, one to fit the veneers once they’re made. Your dentist will tell you how long that takes.
We talk and check.
What you’d like to change, your teeth and gums, the alternatives, and the cost. You decide after that, not in the chair.We prepare your teeth.
A thin layer of enamel comes off the front of each tooth, under local anaesthetic.We scan and fit temporaries.
A digital scan records your teeth, and temporary veneers protect them while yours are made.We bond your veneers.
We check the fit, shape and colour with you, then bond them on and adjust your bite.We review them.
A follow-up visit to check your gums and bite once you’ve got used to them.
Bring photos of anything you like or don’t like about your smile. It helps us plan.
Before you decide.
Veneers change your teeth for good, so it pays to know the other options and what looking after them involves.
Looking after them.
Brush twice a day, clean between your teeth and keep up your check-ups. Veneers don’t decay, but the tooth underneath and your gums still can.
How long they last.
Veneers can chip, come loose or wear, and most need replacing at some point. Ask your dentist how long yours are likely to last.
Veneer, bonding, crown or whitening?
| Option | What it changes | Tooth removed | Visits | Can it be undone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitening | Colour of natural teeth | None | One, or a few weeks at home | Yes, it fades |
| Bonding (composite) | Small chips, gaps and shape | Little or none | Usually one | Usually |
| Porcelain veneer | Shape and colour of the front of the tooth | A thin layer of enamel | At least two | No |
| Crown | The whole tooth, for broken or heavily filled teeth | More than a veneer | Two or more | No |
Your dentist will tell you which apply to your teeth.
What veneers cost.
Veneers are priced per tooth, once your dentist has planned them.
Fees depend on the treatment you need, so we give you an accurate quote at your consultation, before anything starts.
What changes the price.
- How many teeth you have veneered.
- Treatment needed first, like fillings or gum care.
- Whether you need a night guard to protect them.
- Replacing a veneer later, which is a new treatment with its own fee.
Health funds and claiming.
Some extras policies pay a rebate on veneers under major dental, often after a waiting period. Ask your fund what you’ll get back before you decide.
Costs and health fundsRisks and recovery.
Like any dental treatment, this carries risks, and results vary from person to person. Read the risks below and ask us about your situation before you decide.
What can go wrong.
It can’t be undone.
Enamel removed for a veneer doesn’t grow back. The tooth will always need a veneer or a crown.
Sensitive teeth.
Common for a few days to weeks after the enamel is prepared.
Chips, cracks or a veneer coming off.
More likely if you grind your teeth or bite hard things like ice or pens.
Colour that doesn’t change.
Veneers don’t whiten, so your other teeth may stop matching them over time.
Gum and decay problems.
The edges of a veneer need cleaning like any tooth, or the gum can get inflamed and the tooth can decay.
Recovery.
Back to your day straight away.
Your mouth may stay numb for a few hours after preparation.
A few days to get used to them.
Your bite and your tongue can take time to settle. Call us if something feels high or rough.
Protect them.
If you grind your teeth, your dentist may suggest a night guard.
Who you’ll see.
Veneers are planned and fitted by one of our dentists.
Questions we’re
often asked.
Something else on your mind? Ask us on the phone, or leave your number and we’ll call.
Request a callbackAre veneers worth it?
It depends on what you want to change and what else would do it. Veneers can change shape and colour that whitening can’t, but they need enamel removed for good, cost more than whitening or bonding, and need replacing at some point. Your dentist will tell you whether an option that changes your teeth less would do the job.
How long do porcelain veneers last?
Most last many years, but not for life. A 2016 review of 13 studies found about 89 in 100 porcelain veneers were still in place after a median of nine years (Morimoto and others, International Journal of Prosthodontics, 2016). Grinding, biting hard things and gum problems shorten that, and a night guard helps if you grind.
Do veneers damage your teeth?
Porcelain veneers usually need a thin layer of enamel removed, and that can’t be undone. The tooth will always need a veneer or a crown afterwards. That’s why we talk through the alternatives first.
Does getting veneers hurt?
Preparing the teeth is done under local anaesthetic. Many people have sensitive teeth for a few days to weeks afterwards.
Can veneers be whitened?
No. Porcelain keeps its colour, so if you want whiter teeth overall, whitening usually comes first and the veneers are matched to the result.
Are veneers right for me?
Your dentist can tell you after checking your teeth and gums and hearing what you’d like to change. For some people, whitening, bonding or straightening does the job with less change to their teeth.
How much do veneers cost?
Veneers are priced per tooth, so the total depends on how many you have and any treatment needed first. You get a written quote before anything starts. Some extras policies pay a rebate under major dental.
Will my health fund pay for veneers?
Some extras policies pay a rebate under major dental, often after a waiting period. Ask your fund with the item numbers from your written quote.
Can teeth decay under veneers?
Yes, at the edges where the veneer meets the tooth, which is why check-ups look at veneers too. Brushing, cleaning between your teeth and keeping sugar to mealtimes help.
How long does it take to get veneers?
At least two appointments: one to prepare your teeth and take a scan, and one to fit the veneers once they’re made. Your dentist will tell you how long that takes.
Read more in our patient guides.
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