VisitsUsually two visits
NoteA permanent decision
FirstConservative options first
In short
A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain or composite bonded to the front of a tooth to change its shape, colour or size. You would consider one when a chip, gap, worn edge or deep stain on a front tooth bothers you and simpler fixes have not done enough.
Does this sound like you?
- A front tooth is chipped or worn shorter than the one beside it.
- A gap between your front teeth that you want closed without braces.
- One tooth is a different shape or noticeably smaller than its neighbours.
- Staining that does not lift with whitening, often from an old injury or medication.
- Old bonding on a front tooth that keeps chipping or has gone yellow.
Whitening, bonding, veneer or crown
Dr. Malik starts at the lightest step that would actually solve the problem, and moves up only if it would not.
- 1LightestWhitening
Lifts colour only. Nothing is drilled and the enamel stays whole, so it is fully reversible. It does not change shape, close gaps or lift stains from an old injury.
- 2LightBonding
Tooth-coloured filling material shaped by hand over a chip, gap or worn edge. Usually little or no drilling, so the tooth underneath is mostly untouched. Wears and stains sooner than a veneer and often needs a touch-up over the years.
- 3StrongerVeneer
A thin shell over the front face of the tooth that changes shape, colour and size at once. A thin layer of enamel comes off the front only. Not reversible: the tooth will always need a veneer or a crown afterwards.
- 4StrongestCrown
A cap over the whole tooth for teeth that are cracked, heavily filled or too weak for a veneer. The most tooth is reshaped, all the way around. Not reversible, but it protects a tooth that a veneer would not.
Porcelain or composite
Both are done in-house at 5105 Hurontario, Unit 6, and Dr. Malik will tell you which suits the tooth before you decide.
Porcelain
- How it looks
- Closest to natural enamel; holds its colour
- How long it lasts
- Usually the longer of the two, often many years
- Visits
- Two, a few weeks apart, while the lab makes it
- If it chips
- Usually replaced rather than patched
- Stains
- Resists coffee, tea and red wine well
- Cost
- More
- Insurance
- Usually treated as cosmetic; plans often cover little
Composite
- How it looks
- Good match on day one; can dull or yellow with time
- How long it lasts
- Usually shorter; needs touch-ups sooner
- Visits
- Usually one, shaped in the chair
- If it chips
- Often repaired in the chair the same visit
- Stains
- Picks up stains more easily
- Cost
- Less
- Insurance
- Same; we check your plan first either way
What happens.
First visit to finish, in order.
Usually two visitsA permanent decisionConservative options first
- Look and talkDr. Malik checks the tooth, the gums and your bite, and asks what bothers you. If bonding or whitening would fix it with less drilling, he tells you that first.
- Choose the materialPorcelain is made in a lab, holds its colour and lasts longer. Composite is shaped by hand in the chair in one visit, costs less and is easier to repair, but stains and wears sooner.
- Prepare the toothWith the area numbed, a thin layer of enamel comes off the front of the tooth so the veneer sits flush. For porcelain, we take an impression and choose the shade together.
- Fit and bondPorcelain comes back from the lab a few weeks later. Dr. Malik checks the fit and colour, cleans the tooth, bonds the veneer and hardens the cement with a light.
- Check the biteYou bite down on the new veneer before you leave and we adjust anything that feels high. If you grind your teeth, a night guard protects it.
Cost and insurance.
Porcelain veneers usually take two visits a few weeks apart; composite veneers are usually done in one. Most dental plans treat veneers as cosmetic and cover little or none of the cost, so we check yours before you decide. We bill your insurance directly. You see the estimate in writing before anything starts, and if bonding or whitening would do the job, we quote that instead. No insurance? We tell you the cost up front.
Questions people ask.
Are veneers permanent?
The decision is. Enamel that is removed does not grow back, so a veneered tooth will always need a veneer or a crown. The veneer itself lasts many years but may eventually need replacing.
Porcelain or composite: which should I get?
Porcelain if you want the colour to hold and the longest wear. Composite if you want a lower cost, one visit and something easy to touch up later. Dr. Malik goes through both with you.
Does getting veneers hurt?
Removing enamel can make the tooth sensitive, so we numb the area properly and stop if you need a break. Some sensitivity to cold for a few days afterwards is normal.
Can I whiten my teeth after veneers?
Whitening gel does not change the colour of a veneer, only your natural teeth. If you want whiter teeth, whiten first, then we match the veneer to the new shade.