What veneers are
A veneer is a thin shell — porcelain or tooth-coloured resin — bonded permanently to the front of your tooth. Shape, colour, length and alignment are all under your control. Done well, veneers are indistinguishable from natural teeth.
Porcelain vs composite
Porcelain veneers
- Most durable option — can last decades with good care
- Excellent stain resistance
- Reflect light like natural enamel
- Address mild to severe cosmetic issues
- Take two to three visits, with a lab-made final shell
Composite veneers
- More affordable than porcelain
- Done in a single appointment
- Less tooth preparation — sometimes none at all
- Easily repaired if chipped
- Typically last 4–8 years before refresh
How it works
- Consultation — we discuss what you'd like to change, take photos and X-rays, and design your new smile digitally.
- Preparation — a small amount of enamel is reshaped, an impression is taken, and you go home with comfortable temporary veneers to test-drive the look.
- Fitting — when the porcelain comes back from the lab, we bond it into place under local anaesthetic.
- Follow-up — a check-in a few weeks later to confirm everything's settled in.
Composite veneers skip step three — they're sculpted directly onto your tooth in one sitting.
Pros and cons
Veneers are quick, customisable, and far less invasive than crowns. The trade-off: they do need replacement eventually, the enamel removed is gone for good, and some patients feel mild sensitivity in the first weeks. We'll walk through all of it before you commit.