Porcelain dental veneers can sometimes be a good option to disguise a chipped tooth or crooked teeth. Porcelain veneers can also transform badly stained teeth or unsightly gaps between teeth, leaving you with a lovely straight and white smile.

Dental veneers are wafer thin shells of porcelain that can be cemented to the front of your own teeth to make them appear whiter and more even. Any number of teeth can be treated with porcelain veneers, although normally only front teeth benefit from treatment. If you are concerned about a single chipped tooth, then just one porcelain veneer could be just the answer. Porcelain veneers give a very natural translucent appearance to the teeth. The effect is immediate and can be dramatic!

The first step is, as with all the treatments we offer, careful planning. This will involve a half hour consultation session with one of our cosmetic dentists. You will need to have an examination of your mouth together with an X-ray, shade matching and clinical photographs. We can then decide and plan with you the best course of action.

Fitting porcelain veneers is a two-stage process. Initially, the teeth to be treated are prepared by gently removing a tiny amount of the enamel over the front surface with a dental bur. This procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic so is not painful. A dental impression is then taken so that permanent porcelain veneers can be produced in the laboratory. These will be tailor made for you to give the best possible cosmetic result and to match your natural teeth. You may want to consider having your other teeth whitened prior to having porcelain veneers made. Your teeth can be fitted with temporary dental veneers until the permanent porcelain veneers are available.

A week or two later, the porcelain veneers can be fitted. Your teeth are first prepared by etching with an acidic gel, which provides a roughened surface for the dental veneers to firmly stick to. The porcelain veneers are then glued to the front of the teeth using dental cement, which is activated by a curing light. A simple scale and polish completes the process. You’re good to go!

Porcelain veneers look natural and are generally strong and long lasting. They tend to last from 5 – 10 years on average but eventually they may need replacement. Regular check ups with our hygienist will help prolong the life of your porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are a straightforward, fast and effective way of enhancing your appearance, but like everything we do need careful planning and attention to detail.

Porcelain dental veneers cost from £550. A detailed quote can only be given after an initial consultation.