What are porcelain veneers?

What are porcelain veneers?

Veneers used to be a fairytale procedure that only the rich and famous had done, but now they are more openly available to everyone. If you are conscious of your imperfect teeth and you’ve always dreamed of having straight, pearly whites, then veneers are likely within your reach.

At the Eye & Dental Clinic, we’re here to tell you everything there is to know about this magnificent cosmetic procedure, as well as what porcelain veneers actually are.

What are veneers?

Veneers are one of the best cosmetic dental options available if you’re looking to achieve the smile you’ve always wanted. If your teeth are crooked, misaligned, chipped, gappy, or discoloured, veneers offer the solution to all these problems and more! Veneers are the go-to treatment for the perfectly straight smile you see on celebrities and film stars.

Veneers are a cosmetic dental treatment intended to improve the appearance of your teeth. They’re normally made from either porcelain or composite, and they are considered to be a permanent solution. The veneers themselves last around 10 years before needing to be replaced, making them a long-lasting solution to correcting flaws and imperfections in your teeth, which is why they are so popular.

The benefits of having veneers

Veneers are a permanent solution, meaning you will forever have the straight, pearly whites you have always dreamed of. With good care and attention, your veneers will last at least 10 years, sometimes longer, before needing to be replaced. Not only for their longevity, but there are so many more reasons why more and more people are choosing to get this life-changing treatment.

The benefits of veneers include:

• The colour is matched to the colour of your own teeth, so they look natural.
• Veneers can dramatically enhance the appearance of your teeth.
• They will improve your confidence and provide you with a more appealing smile.
• Veneers resist stains better than natural teeth.
• They are low maintenance once fitted, and the usual dental hygiene principles apply.
• The process is pain-free and doesn’t take too long.
• They last around 10-15 years.

The cost of veneers

The cost of veneers will vary depending on your area and dental surgery, but generally speaking, for porcelain veneers, the cost is around £650-£1000 per tooth, so a full set of veneers costs hundreds and sometimes thousands. It’s important to visit a reputable dental surgery if you’re considering getting veneers for a more accurate quote.

Whilst the cost of veneers may seem high to some, remember that this is a permanent solution to having crooked, misaligned, gappy or discoloured teeth and a procedure that will dramatically increase your confidence and the appearance of your smile, which to many, makes the cost worth it. Furthermore, many dental surgeries will offer payment plans to make the treatment more accessible and affordable.

What are veneers made of?

Veneers are typically made out of porcelain or composite resin. At the Eye & Dental Clinic, we offer both options to our patients. Porcelain veneers are the traditional material to choose for veneers, and they are the most common type. They are made using a porcelain material, and each one is made to fit your tooth perfectly to cover it like a cap.

Some of the most notable differences between porcelain veneers and composite veneers are how they are applied, their life span and their price. Porcelain veneers are more costly, but they last longer and often produce better results.

Why choose porcelain veneers?

Most people choose to have porcelain veneers because they are more durable and last for many years if they’re looked after well enough and with regular dentist visits. Composite veneers, on the other hand, still provide a long-lasting solution to imperfect teeth, but the resin material used isn’t as strong as porcelain, meaning it doesn’t last as long and can break and alter more easily.

For a budget-friendly option to great-looking teeth, composite veneers are the go-to, but if you want the real deal with pearly whites and a winning smile that lasts a long time, choose porcelain veneers. For more information on the two options, speak to one of us at the Eye & Dental Clinic, and we will be happy to organise a consultation to discuss your options.

The process of getting veneers

Veneers are painless most of the time, as your dentist should make sure you are as comfortable as possible. If you are nervous about having the procedure, make sure you talk to your dentist about your concerns so they can put you at ease. Sometimes a local anaesthetic is used (but not always necessary), but generally, veneers involve minimal discomfort. Learning about how veneers are done may help to ease your concerns.

At the Eye and Dental Clinic, the porcelain veneer procedure usually requires two or more sessions with your dentist. Firstly, the tooth is prepped, which involves removing a thin layer of enamel, under a local anaesthetic if required, and your dentist will take the initial dental impressions. These impressions are then used to fabricate your veneers.

Once they’re ready, your personal veneers will be bonded and cured using a special light-sensitive resin. You may feel some sensitivity for a few days after the procedure, but after that, your brand new teeth will be right as rain.

Getting veneers when you have missing teeth is possible, but you may need to have a bridge or crown fitted if the gap is too wide, as porcelain veneers are eggshell-thin caps that go over your natural teeth. If you have a complete gap where your tooth used to be, a porcelain veneer cannot be placed there. Talk to your dentist about what your options are.

Alternatives to porcelain veneers

Composite bonding is the other option, as mentioned earlier, and a budget-friendly option for anyone who wants a cosmetic procedure done to improve the appearance of their teeth but doesn’t want to pay thousands of pounds for porcelain veneers.

Dental bonding and composite bonding are just different ways to describe the same treatment, which is also often called composite veneers. The process of getting composite veneers differs from porcelain as your dentist will apply the bonding resin to your teeth layer by layer, and it is set using intense light. Once they are finished, your composite veneers will be shaped and polished to achieve the final look.

The cost of composite bonding is less than that of porcelain veneers at around £250-£300 a tooth, so it is more accessible and achievable whilst still providing beautiful teeth.

Eye & Dental Clinic

Welcome to the people in Bury, Bolton, Rochdale, and surrounding areas to our Eye & Dental clinic. If you’re interested in getting veneers or other cosmetic dental procedures, come to our clinic for an initial consultation, and we’ll start the journey towards your brand-new, award-winning smile.

We do more than just veneers; we’re here for general dental enquiries and procedures as well as emergency dental appointments.

Who are we?

To learn more about who we are, have a look at some of our policies and procedures, such as our standard code of practice. We always want our services to meet your high expectations, but if you do ever have a concern or complaint, we want to know about it and how we can improve to ensure we meet your expectations in the future.

We are a patient-focused practice, and our aim is to learn from any feedback we receive and improve the services we offer to our patients. See our practice policy and complaints procedures for more information on how we run our clinic.

To get a better understanding of our appointment procedures, what to do if you need to cancel or if you miss an appointment, see our cancellations and missed appointments policy before visiting us for the first time, so you’re familiar with our procedures.

We offer dental emergency treatment

Knowing what to do for a dental emergency can be challenging, particularly when you’re in discomfort and want to get it resolved as quickly as possible. Often in this situation, people don’t think through their options fully and wonder if they can access NHS dentists in an emergency or if there’s another option.

Your emergency dental care options go beyond urgent care at the hospital, and we’re here to help. A dental emergency can be categorised as an extreme feeling of discomfort that stops you from being able to go about your day in a normal manner. This feeling of discomfort originated from the teeth and gums, which is what places it as a dental emergency.

If you’re experiencing discomfort like this, then you can go to urgent care but it’s very likely that you will experience long waits and once seen, you could be advised to see an emergency dentist as some urgent care units for dentistry aren’t set up for emergencies.

If you need emergency dental care, don’t delay, book an emergency appointment with us.

To find out more about us or for a consultation to get started on your very own porcelain veneers, contact us.

Back to Blog