Dental Veneers

What are Dental Veneers?

A dental veneer is a thin layer of synthetic material (porcelain or composite) that is placed over the tooth’s surface to improve the tooth’s attractiveness in terms of alignment, colour or shape. A substantial aesthetic effect can be obtained with a veneer and minimal tooth preparation is required.

Applying Veneers

Veneers are applied to the teeth in 2 visits to the dentist:

Visit No. 1: Veneer Preparation The teeth are prepared by removing 0.3 to 0.5 mm of enamel (the thickness of a fingernail) to allow room for the veneer layer. An impression of the teeth is taken and sent to the specialised dental laboratory that will create the veneers.

Visit No. 2: Veneer Bonding Bonding involves all the steps that permanently attach the veneer to the tooth. After a cleaning of the tooth, the veneer is bonded to the teeth with special dental cement. This cement is then hardened with a blue curing light.