Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers typically last 10 to 20 years. What determines the number at the top or bottom of that range is mostly habit: grinding, chewing ice or using your teeth as tools shortens their life, while regular cleanings and a night guard extend it.

Traditional porcelain veneers require removing a thin layer of enamel, roughly half a millimetre, so the tooth is permanently changed and will always need to be covered by something afterward. That is not the same as damage, but it is a commitment, and it is why we go through the design and the shade with you before any preparation begins. Minimal-prep options exist for some cases.

The decision is permanent even though the veneers themselves are not. Because enamel has been reshaped, the tooth will need a veneer or crown from that point on. The veneers get replaced at the end of their lifespan rather than removed and forgotten.

A veneer covers only the front face of the tooth and is chosen for appearance. A crown wraps the entire tooth down to the gumline and is chosen when the tooth is structurally compromised, for instance after a large fracture or a root canal. Veneers need about 0.5 mm of reduction, crowns closer to 1.5 to 2 mm.

Three things worth knowing. Enamel removal is irreversible. Some patients have temporary sensitivity to hot and cold afterward. And because veneers are considered cosmetic, dental insurance rarely contributes, unlike a crown, which is usually treated as restorative.

Composite veneers are sculpted directly onto the tooth from tooth-colored resin and cured with a light, usually in a single visit. They need little or no enamel removal, which makes them largely reversible, and they can be repaired or repolished in the chair. They last around five to seven years and, being more porous than glazed porcelain, they pick up stain from coffee, tea and red wine over time.

Use a soft-bristled brush and a non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste. Avoid harsh whitening pastes and anything with baking soda or heavy abrasives, which dull the glaze on porcelain and scratch composite.

Yes. Porcelain resists staining well. Composite is more susceptible, so if you have composite veneers it helps to rinse with water afterward or drink through a straw. Either way your natural teeth around the veneers can still stain, which is one reason we usually recommend whitening before veneers are made rather than after.

Do not bite directly into hard or tough items with your front teeth: ice, hard candy, bones, raw carrots and similar. Cut them up instead. If you grind your teeth at night, a custom night guard is the single best thing you can do to protect the investment.

We see the aftermath often enough to be direct about it. Many overseas discount packages fit full crowns, not veneers, which means shaving away a large share of healthy tooth structure rather than a thin layer of enamel. That can lead to nerve damage, root canals and implants later. Damaged crowns can be replaced, but natural tooth structure that has been removed does not come back. If you are weighing it up, come in for an opinion first.