Veneers & smile makeover
Veneers are irreversible. That single fact should shape the whole conversation, and here it does, before anything is prepared.
A veneer is a thin shell bonded to the front of a tooth to change its shape, shade or position. It's the fastest way to transform a smile, and because a layer of enamel has to be removed to fit it, the tooth can never go back to how it was.
It's a reason to plan them properly: to establish what you actually dislike about your smile, to check whether orthodontics or whitening would achieve it without cutting the teeth, and only then to prepare anything.
Signs that usually point here
Veneers solve some problems elegantly and are the wrong tool for others.
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Chipped or worn front teeth
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Permanent internal staining that whitening cannot lift
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Small gaps between the front teeth
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Teeth that are noticeably uneven in size or shape
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Mildly rotated teeth where full orthodontics isn't wanted
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An older set of veneers or bonding that has discoloured at the edges
What actually happens
The planning stage is longer than the doing stage, deliberately. You see the result before the teeth are touched.
Working out what you actually want
Photographs, a look at the bite, and a conversation about which specific things you'd change. Often the answer turns out to be whitening plus two composite repairs rather than eight veneers.
Consultation visitDesign and preview
A mock-up shows the proposed shape and length before any enamel is removed. This is the stage to say it's too white, too long, or too uniform. Changing it costs nothing here and is impossible later.
1–2 weeksPreparing and impressions
A thin layer of enamel is removed under local anaesthetic and an impression or scan is sent to the lab. Temporary veneers are fitted so you leave with a normal-looking smile.
60–90 minutesFitting
The veneers are tried in with the bite checked before bonding. Once bonded, small adjustments to shape and polish are made in the same appointment.
60 minutesBefore and after
A case from the clinic, shared with the patient's written consent.
Six upper porcelain veneers, three appointments. See more cases →
How much tooth is removed?
Between 0.3 and 0.7 mm from the front surface, roughly the thickness of a fingernail. It's done under local anaesthetic and the appointment is comfortable.
That small amount is still permanent. The tooth will always need a veneer or crown covering it from that point on, and veneers need replacing every ten to fifteen years. Anyone considering this should be told the lifetime commitment, not just the price.
Composite veneers, built up directly on the tooth, remove far less enamel and cost less. They stain more and last five to seven years rather than fifteen, a reasonable trade for a first attempt.
What it costs
Priced per tooth, and most smile makeovers involve the six to eight upper teeth that show when you smile.
- Consultation and smile assessmentStarts at
- Composite veneer (per tooth)Starts at
- Porcelain veneer (per tooth)Starts at
- Full upper makeover (6–8 teeth)Starts at
- Whitening first, if suitableStarts at
Ranges, not quotes. You get the exact figure after the examination and before any work starts.
What people ask before booking
Sometimes, for mildly rotated teeth. For significant crowding, no. Veneering badly positioned teeth means removing far more enamel to fake alignment, and the result looks bulky. Straighten first, veneer after if still needed. That sequence costs less overall and preserves more tooth.
That depends entirely on the shade and proportions chosen, which is what the preview stage is for. Uniform, very white, identically-sized teeth are what reads as fake. Slight variation in shape and a shade that suits your face is what doesn't.
Porcelain, ten to fifteen years. Composite, five to seven. Both need replacing eventually, and that's a cost to plan for rather than be surprised by. Grinding your teeth at night shortens both figures considerably.
Porcelain barely does. Composite does, particularly at the margins, from tea, coffee and tobacco. Polishing helps but composite will gradually dull in a way porcelain won't.
Yes, and it's common for a single chipped or discoloured front tooth. Shade matching a single veneer to natural teeth beside it is harder than doing several, so it takes more care at the lab stage.
This is exactly why the mock-up exists before enamel is removed. Objections at the preview stage cost nothing. Once teeth are prepared the options narrow to remaking the veneers, so the preview is not a formality here.
What usually comes next
Book a consultation
The consultation covers the examination and, where it's needed, an X-ray. You'll know what's wrong and what it costs before committing to anything.
In pain right now? Call the clinic instead of waiting for a callback.