Dental veneers
A dental veneer is made of a thin shell of porcelain or white filling material, called composite resin, which is glued to the front surface of the tooth. Depending on the reason for the treatment, veneers may be placed on one or multiple teeth.
Dental veneers are very thin, meaning not much or no tooth structure has to be cut away from the tooth or teeth for the treatment to be completed. The dentist will match the colour of the veneers with the surrounding teeth to make the veneers appear as natural as possible.
This treatment may be a suitable option if you have:
- Gaps between the front teeth that you would like to close but your teeth are otherwise straight,
- Teeth that are stained, discoloured, broken or chipped,
- Slightly crooked teeth, or,
- Teeth that are shaped oddly compared to the other teeth present, for example peg lateral incisors.
There are two types of dental veneers – composite resin veneers and porcelain veneers.
Composite resin is the white filling material used to fill cavities. It is applied directly to the front surface of the tooth and shaped by the dentist. This treatment is usually completed in one appointment but may require a follow up appointment if veneers are placed on multiple teeth.
Porcelain veneers are made by a technician in a dental laboratory. The dentist glues the completed veneers to the surface of the tooth. This treatment usually requires at least two appointments.
