Dental veneers are thin layers of restorative materials that are bonded to the front of teeth to improve the appearance of your smile. Well-made veneers can correct the contour, colour and dimension of your teeth.
Dental Veneers
Options
There are three options when selecting dental veneers; each with their own benefits and disadvantages.
- Composite veneers are the least expensive and can be placed with one visit. There is also a wide variety of shades available to best match your adjacent teeth. Unfortunately, composite veneers do not last as long as porcelain ones and they are less resistant to stains caused by tobacco, coffee, red wine, blueberries, etc.
- Laboratory-made porcelain veneers offer greater durability and a wide variety of shades – but they also, sadly, require two visits. During the first visit, an imprint is made and a temporary veneer is placed. A few weeks later, the patient returns to have the permanent veneer placed.
- CEREC-made porcelain veneers are as durable as those made at a laboratory. Their big advantage over laboratory-made veneers is that they require a single visit. Using our CEREC technology, we build your veneer while you are waiting in the dentist chair. In doing so, the use of a temporary veneer is also avoided.
Important considerations
In order to place a dental veneer, dentists must first remove a half-millimeter of enamel from your tooth – using a local anaesthetic, of course. This treatment is therefore non-reversible, unlike say, fake nails. If you are considering veneers for aesthetic purposes, it’s important to evaluate other options, including orthodontics and teeth whitening.
Speak with your dentist to help you make the right decision. You may also visit the Canadian Dental Association website on bonding and veneers.