Porcelain and composite veneers | Richmond Road Dental

Dental veneers are placed to improve the aesthetics of one or more teeth, often as part of a cosmetic dental treatment plan. A veneer can change the underlying tooth’s size, shape, apparent position, or colour. Veneers can also close spaces between front teeth.

Like fillings, dental veneers can be either direct or indirect. These terms refer to how the veneers are crafted.

Unlike dental crowns, dental veneers only cover the front-facing surface of a tooth.

Direct veneers

Also known as resin bonding, direct veneers are made of composite resin, a tooth-coloured material available in many natural tooth shades. The same material is widely used in tooth-coloured dental fillings.

Direct veneers are named to reflect that they are built by the dentist working directly on the tooth. They can often be applied without removing much enamel, making them very useful if conserving natural tooth structure is a primary consideration.

Resin veneers can be placed in a single appointment.

Resin veneers are generally less strong and stain-resistant than porcelain veneers and may not last as long. However, modern composite resins are rapidly improving, and some directly placed resin veneers last many years.

Indirect (ceramic or porcelain) veneers

Porcelain veneers are called ‘indirect veneers’ because they are made by a skilled technician in a dental laboratory and later bonded to the tooth by the dentist.

Placing porcelain veneers is a two-appointment procedure.

In the first appointment, our dentist prepares the tooth and sends an impression, photos, and a description of the natural tooth colour and characteristics to the dental laboratory. The veneers are made in the laboratory and returned to our practice for bonding.

In the second appointment, the dentist will “try in” the veneers. If no adjustments to the porcelain are needed, she will bond the veneers to the surface of the teeth.

Porcelain veneers offer more strength than resin veneers and are more resistant to staining or chipping over time.

Important to know

Because enamel is removed during the process, the placement of indirect (porcelain) veneers permanently alters the surface of teeth.
Our ceramic veneers are crafted in local premium dental laboratories, ensuring beautifully constructed restorations of the highest quality materials.
While composite resin and porcelain resist decay, the underlying teeth are not. Like natural teeth, veneers must be cleaned thoroughly daily with brushing and flossing.
This page contains general information about dental veneers. It cannot replace individualised advice from your dental practitioner. Please consult your dentist for specific recommendations about your oral health and necessary treatments.