Porcelain Veneers: Design, Process, Longevity and Honest Limitations
Porcelain veneers are thin ceramic facings bonded to the front of teeth to change how they look. Fitting a conventional veneer means reducing the front surface of the tooth by a fraction of a millimetre, and a trial smile can show the design first. In clinical studies, fracture and debonding are the most common problems. Veneers may need repair or replacement over time, and removing enamel cannot be undone.
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Clinically reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, dentist · GDC 301711
Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information only. It does not replace an examination or treatment by a dentist.
Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, principal dentist at Deepcar Dental Care, reviewed this page. He is a General Dental Practitioner, GDC 301711, and his registration can be checked on the General Dental Council's online register.
What is a porcelain veneer?
A porcelain veneer is a thin shell of dental ceramic bonded to the front surface of a tooth. The NHS describes dental veneers as new facings that disguise a discoloured or chipped tooth. A veneer is not a crown: a crown is a cap that covers the whole tooth, which is shaped to take it, while a veneer covers the front and sometimes wraps over the biting edge.
Porcelain veneers are fixed with a resin bonding cement, so the bond between ceramic, cement and tooth is central to how a veneer performs. They sit within cosmetic dentistry, the branch of dentistry concerned with how teeth look, alongside composite veneers, which are built from tooth-coloured resin rather than ceramic.
Which materials are porcelain veneers made from?
Porcelain veneers are made from dental ceramics, and the choice is mostly a trade-off between translucency and strength. In pooled clinical studies, veneers made from ceramics other than feldspathic porcelain failed less often than feldspathic ones. In general, the materials include:
- Feldspathic porcelain: the traditional veneer ceramic. It can be made very thin, so it can look almost translucent, and once etched it bonds strongly to enamel.
- Lithium disilicate, known by the brand name E.max: a glass-ceramic.
- Zirconia: stronger than feldspathic porcelain or lithium disilicate. Highly translucent types have a better appearance than conventional zirconia, although glass-ceramics remain the more commonly preferred choice for veneers.
At Deepcar Dental Care, porcelain veneers are made in E.max, feldspathic porcelain or zirconia, chosen to suit the case. No laboratory work is sent overseas.
How much tooth is removed for a porcelain veneer?
Published reviews describe reducing the front of a tooth by about 0.4 to 0.7 mm for a conventional porcelain veneer. The depth is set by how thick the enamel is. Many studies suggest preparing to about 0.5 mm. One minimal-preparation technique removes about 0.1 mm near the gum, 0.2 to 0.5 mm in the middle of the tooth and 0.7 to 1.0 mm in the third nearest the biting edge, where enamel is thickest.
Removing enamel cannot be undone. Research on veneer planning describes previewing the result before any irreversible treatment, for example with a trial smile in the mouth. A useful question at any consultation is how much reduction your design needs, tooth by tooth.
Do veneers ruin your teeth?
Veneers change a tooth for good when enamel is removed, but whether they harm it depends on how much is removed and whether the bond stays in enamel. Enamel near the gingival margin, where tooth meets gum, can be only 0.3 to 0.5 mm thick, so a preparation of the usual depth can expose dentine, the softer layer beneath. Ceramic bonds more strongly to enamel than to dentine. In one study of 580 veneers in 66 patients, veneers bonded to dentine were about 10 times more likely to fail than veneers bonded to enamel.
Are no-preparation veneers suitable for everyone?
No. Minimal-preparation and no-preparation veneers keep more enamel, which leaves some potential for reversal, but reviews describe no-preparation veneers as suited to selected cases only, such as small teeth or teeth set further back. A veneer added to a tooth with too little reduction can look bulky and irritate the gum. At Deepcar Dental Care, minimal-preparation and no-preparation veneers are offered where suitable.
What are the usual stages of porcelain veneer treatment?
In general, porcelain veneers are made in the following stages:
- Assessment: the teeth, gums and bite are checked, because decay, gum disease or grinding change what is suitable.
- Design: records of the teeth are used to plan the new shape, and a wax-up of that shape is made.
- Trial: the design is tried in the mouth before any tooth is prepared.
- Preparation and records: any reduction is made, guided by the agreed design, and the prepared teeth are recorded by impression or scan for the laboratory.
- Making: a dental technician makes the veneers in the chosen ceramic.
- Fitting: each veneer is checked for fit and colour, then bonded with resin cement.
At Deepcar Dental Care, porcelain veneers take 2 to 6 visits, depending on complexity and the number of veneers. They are provided by our cosmetic dentists.
How does a trial smile help you approve the design?
A trial smile lets you see the planned shape of your veneers in your own mouth before any enamel is removed. In general, it is made from a wax-up of the new design and placed over your existing teeth, so length, shape and proportion can be judged while changes are still easy. The same design can then guide how much reduction is needed. The principles behind a natural-looking design are covered in our guide to what makes a smile look natural.
At Deepcar Dental Care, how we plan a smile for cosmetic treatment includes these steps:
- clinical photographs and an intraoral scan
- digital smile design in exocad software
- a laboratory wax-up
- a trial smile or mock-up in the mouth
- shade taking under corrected lighting
- a written plan before anything starts
- a second consultation before committing
How is the shade of a porcelain veneer chosen?
In general, the final colour of a ceramic veneer depends on the ceramic, the shade of the cement and the colour of the tooth underneath, so shade is chosen as part of the design. Digital shade matching is used at the practice, and you may visit the laboratory for shade taking where needed. Our guide to dental shade matching explains how tooth colour is measured.
Whitening does not change the colour of veneers, crowns or fillings, so the order of treatment matters. In general, if you would also like lighter natural teeth, whitening comes before the veneer shade is chosen, because a veneer cannot be lightened afterwards. Our page on getting the order of treatment right explains how whitening fits into a plan; ask the dentist how this applies to yours.
Questions about this treatment? Book online or call the practice.
What decides how long porcelain veneers last, and when are they replaced?
How long a porcelain veneer lasts varies from person to person. It depends on where the veneer is bonded, how the bite loads it, whether you grind your teeth, and how well the teeth and gums around it are looked after. A veneer may need repair or replacement at some stage.
Research on veneer failures notes that slight defects or slight staining at the edge can often be polished or repaired. In clinical studies, a problem that cannot be repaired means remaking the veneer or changing to another treatment. It is worth allowing for repair or replacement when you weigh up veneers.
What can go wrong with porcelain veneers?
The most common problem with porcelain veneers is fracture, followed by debonding, according to a 2021 systematic review. That review pooled 25 clinical studies covering about 6,500 veneers, and both problems happened more often in the first years after fitting. Problems reported in clinical studies include:
- fracture, cracks or chipping of the ceramic
- debonding, when the cement bond lets go and the veneer comes loose
- decay at the edge of the veneer, where it meets the tooth
- gum disease, and staining at the margin where veneer meets tooth
- problems with the tooth itself, such as a tooth fracture or a later need for root canal treatment
See your dentist if you notice any of these.
Research links several factors with a higher risk of failure, including bonding to dentine rather than enamel, veneers that do not cover the biting edge, and grinding. In a study of 70 patients and 323 veneers, patients who ground their teeth had a higher risk of failure, and wearing an occlusal splint reduced the risk of fractures. One review adds that people who grind, or who bite on hard objects, may not be ideal candidates for veneers, and that the bite should be assessed first.
How do you look after porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers are looked after like natural teeth, because decay and gum disease at the edges are among the reasons veneers fail. NHS cleaning advice applies:
- Brush last thing at night and on one other occasion each day, for about 2 minutes, with a toothpaste containing at least 1,350 ppm fluoride, then spit rather than rinse.
- Clean between the teeth with interdental brushes or floss, which reach the edges where veneer meets tooth.
- If you grind or clench your teeth, tell the dentist, as research advises an occlusal guard, often called a night guard, for veneers in that case.
- Avoid biting on hard objects such as pens, fingernails or packaging with veneered teeth.
- Keep up check-ups at the interval your dentist advises for your own dental health.
Night guards for patients who grind are provided at Deepcar Dental Care and are charged separately.
What does the 12-month aftercare cover include for porcelain veneers?
At Deepcar Dental Care, porcelain veneers are covered by 12-month aftercare cover, which gives free repair, free replacement or remake, and free adjustments. The cover does not apply where damage results from accidental trauma or infection.
When should you speak to your dentist about a veneer?
Speak to your dentist if a veneer chips, cracks, feels loose or comes off. Some chips and edge defects can be repaired, and a dentist can only judge that by examining the tooth. Other reasons to book include:
- a dark line or stain appearing at the edge of a veneer
- an edge that feels rough or catches floss
- gums that bleed when you brush around your veneers, which the NHS lists as a reason to see a dentist
How much do porcelain veneers cost?
In general, the cost of porcelain veneers depends on how many are needed and how complex the case is. Deepcar Dental Care's current fee list prices All Ceramic Crowns & Veneers from £750 to £1,000. The fee list says all its prices are “from” prices, based on individual clinical needs.
Our cosmetic dentistry costs page explains what it costs and what changes the price across cosmetic treatments. If you would rather pay over time, our finance page explains the options for spreading the cost of treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Are porcelain veneers available on the NHS?
Veneers are generally only available privately unless you can show a clinical need for them, according to the NHS. The NHS lists veneers, with teeth whitening and implants, as exceptions among dental treatments that are otherwise usually available on the NHS. Its guidance does not define clinical need for veneers, so ask a dentist how it applies to you.
How do porcelain veneers differ from composite veneers?
Porcelain veneers are ceramic and usually made in a dental laboratory. Composite veneers are built from tooth-coloured resin, either directly on the tooth or in a laboratory, and both types are offered at Deepcar Dental Care. Our page on how porcelain and composite veneers compare looks at the two side by side.
Should I choose a veneer or a crown?
It depends on the tooth and what needs to change. The NHS says crowns can be fitted where a tooth has broken, decayed or been damaged, or just to make a tooth look better. Either way, the choice is made after a dentist has examined the tooth. Our guide to choosing between porcelain veneers and crowns explains the decision.
Can porcelain veneers be removed?
A porcelain veneer can be removed and replaced, but a tooth that had enamel removed to fit it cannot return to how it was. That is why the depth of preparation matters: the less enamel is removed, the more of the natural tooth remains.
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Deepcar Dental Care is at 334 Manchester Road, Deepcar, Sheffield, S36 2RH, open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday, with free parking directly outside. If you are not yet sure veneers are the right treatment, our guide to working out which option suits you compares the cosmetic options.
Porcelain veneers are one of the treatments in our cosmetic section, and the cosmetic treatments overview sets out the options in this section. Patients describe their experience of the practice in our patient reviews.
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