Members of the British Dental Association

What are veneers?

A porcelain veneer or otherwise known as a dental veneer, dental porcelain laminate or tooth veneer is a thin layer of porcelain made to fit over the front surface of a tooth. Veneers can be used to lighten discoloured teeth, straighten squint teeth and to close spaces between front teeth.

Porcelain veneers are routinely used to improve the cosmetic appearance of teeth that are discoloured, worn, chipped, or misaligned. The ceramic material is bonded to the front of teeth to change the tooth's colour, size, and/or shape.

The difference between porcelain veneers & dental crowns is a Dental Crowns typically encase an entire tooth whereas Porcelain Veneers typically only cover the front of a tooth.

Main advantages of porcelain veneers:

  • Porcelain veneers look just like real teeth.
  • Porcelain veneers are translucent, so when they are bonded onto a tooth's surface, they mimic the light-handling characteristics of enamel.
  • Porcelain veneers resist staining.
  • Porcelain veneers are not susceptible to staining and discolouring like other forms of dental bonding. This means that the surface of a porcelain veneer will not pick up permanent stains.