There is a particular kind of self consciousness that comes from disliking your own smile in every photo, and it tends to sit quietly in the background for years before anyone actually does something about it. Veneers are one of the most reliable ways to change the shape, colour or evenness of your front teeth, and they are among the most requested treatments we carry out at Brookside Dental in Market Harborough. This post covers what veneers actually are, what the process involves, and the honest pros and cons, because a treatment this visible deserves more than a sales pitch.
A veneer is a thin shell, usually somewhere between half a millimetre and a millimetre thick, bonded onto the visible front surface of a tooth. Think of it less like a cap that covers the whole tooth and more like a very precisely fitted false fingernail, custom shaped to sit over your natural tooth and blend in with the ones either side. Porcelain veneers are made in a laboratory from an impression or scan of your teeth, while composite veneers are built up directly onto the tooth by your dentist in the chair using a tooth coloured resin.
Both can correct chips, gaps, discolouration and mild misalignment, but they behave quite differently over time, which is worth understanding before you choose between them.
Porcelain holds its colour better over the years, resists staining more effectively, and generally looks more like natural enamel because of the way it handles light. It is the more expensive option and usually needs a small amount of the natural tooth surface removed to make room for it, which is why the decision matters; once that enamel is gone, it does not grow back.
Composite veneers cost less, can sometimes be applied with little to no removal of natural tooth structure, and can often be completed in a single visit. The trade off is that composite is more prone to staining and chipping over time, so it typically needs touching up or replacing sooner than porcelain. Ravi is a leading Smilefast provider for composite bonding, which is the technique behind most composite veneer work, so this is very much a specialism of his rather than a sideline. Neither option is universally better; it depends on your budget, your timeline and how much change you are hoping for.
We start with a proper look at your teeth, your bite and what you are hoping to achieve, because veneers work best when the shape and shade are planned around your whole face rather than picked from a catalogue. We use digital smile design software to give you a preview of roughly how your finished result could look before any preparation begins, which makes the decision easier to make with confidence. You can book this as a free consultation without any obligation to go ahead.
For porcelain veneers, a small amount of enamel is typically removed from the front of the tooth to create space, an impression or digital scan is taken, and temporary veneers are often fitted while your permanent ones are made in the lab. Once ready, they are bonded into place and any final adjustments are made to your bite. Composite veneers, by contrast, are usually sculpted directly onto the tooth in one sitting.
Costs vary depending on the number of teeth involved and whether you choose porcelain or composite, so we would rather give you an accurate figure at your consultation than a vague estimate here. Full current pricing is available on our cost of treatment page, and we offer 0% interest finance over 12 months for anyone who would prefer to spread payments.
Veneers suit people with generally healthy teeth and gums who are unhappy with the appearance rather than the function of their smile; chips, gaps, staining that has not responded to whitening, or teeth that are slightly the wrong shape are all good candidates. If you grind your teeth heavily at night, have active decay, or your main concern is actually alignment rather than shape, we may suggest composite bonding or Invisalign instead, or a combination approach.
We regularly see patients travelling from Rugby, North Northampton and Kibworth for veneer consultations, often after searching for a more personal alternative to a larger cosmetic chain.
If you have been putting off doing something about your smile, a free consultation at our Market Harborough practice is a low pressure way to find out what is realistically possible and what it would cost.
Porcelain veneers typically last ten to fifteen years, and sometimes longer, with good oral hygiene and regular check ups. Composite veneers generally need replacing or touching up sooner, often within five to seven years, depending on how they are cared for.
Porcelain veneers usually require a small amount of enamel to be removed, which is not reversible, so this is a decision worth thinking through properly rather than rushing. Composite veneers can sometimes be applied with minimal or no enamel removal, which is one reason some patients prefer to start there.
Veneers can disguise mild misalignment by changing the shape and angle a tooth appears to sit at, but they are not a substitute for straightening treatment if your teeth are significantly out of position. In those cases, we would usually discuss Invisalign alongside or instead of veneers.
Done well, veneers should be indistinguishable from natural teeth to anyone but a dentist looking closely. This comes down to careful shade matching and shaping at the planning stage, which is why we spend time on this before any preparation begins.
There is a particular kind of self consciousness that comes from disliking your own smile in every photo, and it tends to sit quietly in the background for years before anyone actually does something about it. Veneers are one of the most reliable ways to change the shape, colour or evenness of your front teeth, and they are among the most requested treatments we carry out at Brookside Dental in Market Harborough. This post covers what veneers actually are, what the process involves, and the honest pros and cons, because a treatment this visible deserves more than a sales pitch.
A veneer is a thin shell, usually somewhere between half a millimetre and a millimetre thick, bonded onto the visible front surface of a tooth. Think of it less like a cap that covers the whole tooth and more like a very precisely fitted false fingernail, custom shaped to sit over your natural tooth and blend in with the ones either side. Porcelain veneers are made in a laboratory from an impression or scan of your teeth, while composite veneers are built up directly onto the tooth by your dentist in the chair using a tooth coloured resin.
Both can correct chips, gaps, discolouration and mild misalignment, but they behave quite differently over time, which is worth understanding before you choose between them.
Porcelain holds its colour better over the years, resists staining more effectively, and generally looks more like natural enamel because of the way it handles light. It is the more expensive option and usually needs a small amount of the natural tooth surface removed to make room for it, which is why the decision matters; once that enamel is gone, it does not grow back.
Composite veneers cost less, can sometimes be applied with little to no removal of natural tooth structure, and can often be completed in a single visit. The trade off is that composite is more prone to staining and chipping over time, so it typically needs touching up or replacing sooner than porcelain. Ravi is a leading Smilefast provider for composite bonding, which is the technique behind most composite veneer work, so this is very much a specialism of his rather than a sideline. Neither option is universally better; it depends on your budget, your timeline and how much change you are hoping for.
We start with a proper look at your teeth, your bite and what you are hoping to achieve, because veneers work best when the shape and shade are planned around your whole face rather than picked from a catalogue. We use digital smile design software to give you a preview of roughly how your finished result could look before any preparation begins, which makes the decision easier to make with confidence. You can book this as a free consultation without any obligation to go ahead.
For porcelain veneers, a small amount of enamel is typically removed from the front of the tooth to create space, an impression or digital scan is taken, and temporary veneers are often fitted while your permanent ones are made in the lab. Once ready, they are bonded into place and any final adjustments are made to your bite. Composite veneers, by contrast, are usually sculpted directly onto the tooth in one sitting.
Costs vary depending on the number of teeth involved and whether you choose porcelain or composite, so we would rather give you an accurate figure at your consultation than a vague estimate here. Full current pricing is available on our cost of treatment page, and we offer 0% interest finance over 12 months for anyone who would prefer to spread payments.
Veneers suit people with generally healthy teeth and gums who are unhappy with the appearance rather than the function of their smile; chips, gaps, staining that has not responded to whitening, or teeth that are slightly the wrong shape are all good candidates. If you grind your teeth heavily at night, have active decay, or your main concern is actually alignment rather than shape, we may suggest composite bonding or Invisalign instead, or a combination approach.
We regularly see patients travelling from Rugby, North Northampton and Kibworth for veneer consultations, often after searching for a more personal alternative to a larger cosmetic chain.
If you have been putting off doing something about your smile, a free consultation at our Market Harborough practice is a low pressure way to find out what is realistically possible and what it would cost.
Porcelain veneers typically last ten to fifteen years, and sometimes longer, with good oral hygiene and regular check ups. Composite veneers generally need replacing or touching up sooner, often within five to seven years, depending on how they are cared for.
Porcelain veneers usually require a small amount of enamel to be removed, which is not reversible, so this is a decision worth thinking through properly rather than rushing. Composite veneers can sometimes be applied with minimal or no enamel removal, which is one reason some patients prefer to start there.
Veneers can disguise mild misalignment by changing the shape and angle a tooth appears to sit at, but they are not a substitute for straightening treatment if your teeth are significantly out of position. In those cases, we would usually discuss Invisalign alongside or instead of veneers.
Done well, veneers should be indistinguishable from natural teeth to anyone but a dentist looking closely. This comes down to careful shade matching and shaping at the planning stage, which is why we spend time on this before any preparation begins.
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