Celebrities and Veneers: What Is Known, and What Photos Cannot Show

One public example

In March 2024 the musician Cardi B posted a video herself. In it she said that one of her veneers had come out while she was eating a bagel¹. Billboard also reported her video². We mention it only because she made it public herself. Her account does not show how often veneers come off or why hers did.

Can you tell veneers from a photo?

Not reliably. Very different treatments can give a similar result in a picture:

• Whitening changes the colour of natural teeth.
• Bonding is tooth-coloured composite shaped onto the tooth to change its shape or close a gap.
• Orthodontic treatment moves the teeth themselves, so a straight smile may involve no restorations at all.
• Ceramic veneers, the kind this article is about, are thin shells bonded to the front of the teeth.
• Crowns cover the whole tooth.

From the front, a veneer and a crown can look alike, yet a crown takes far more of the tooth. Our zirconia crowns page explains what a crown involves. Lighting, the camera, make-up and photo editing change how teeth look too. Even a dentist usually cannot confirm the type or extent of dental treatment from a photograph alone: that needs an examination and, where needed, X-rays.

So when an article says a star "clearly" has veneers, it is guessing. The more useful question for your own teeth is what veneers can and cannot do.

What fitting a veneer does to the tooth

A ceramic veneer is a thin shell bonded to the front surface of a tooth. To make room for it, a thin layer of enamel is usually removed, and enamel does not grow back. That is why the treatment cannot be reversed³: once a tooth has been prepared, it will always need a veneer or another restoration.

How much enamel is kept matters. Ceramic bonds more reliably to enamel than to the dentine beneath it. In a study of 580 veneers followed for up to 12 years, veneers bonded to dentine were about 10 times as likely to fail⁴. This was one observational study, so it shows an association rather than proof of cause. Still, it is one reason why teeth short of enamel may be better served by another option first.

What veneers cannot do

They cannot be undone

The enamel removed for a veneer is gone for good. Before agreeing, ask whether whitening, bonding or orthodontic treatment would be enough for your teeth. Doing nothing is also an option when the teeth are healthy.

They do not last indefinitely

In studies, most ceramic veneers stay in place for many years, but not all of them. A review of 25 studies and 6,500 veneers found about 95 in 100 still in place after ten years⁵. A 2025 review of 29 studies found about 94 to 97 in 100 at about ten years, with no significant difference between the ceramic types studied⁶. Still in place does not mean trouble-free: a veneer counted as surviving may have needed a repair along the way. These figures pool many patients and dentists, so they are not a forecast for one person's teeth.

They can break or come off

In the same review, fracture and coming off were the main reasons veneers failed⁵, and these happened mostly in the early years. Not every crack or small chip means a veneer has to be replaced.

They do not protect against grinding

Clenching or grinding the teeth raises the risk of a veneer breaking, and for some people it makes veneers a poor choice. In a retrospective study of 70 patients, fewer fractures were seen among the patients with bruxism who wore a night guard⁷. That comparison rested on only 30 patients with bruxism. A night guard may reduce the risk; it does not remove it.

They do not change colour with whitening

Whitening does not change the colour of ceramic. If you want your natural teeth whiter, that is done before the veneers are made, so that the shades can be matched. Over the years the natural teeth next to the veneers can change colour while the ceramic does not.

If a veneer comes off or breaks

1. Keep the veneer in a clean, closed container and bring it with you.
2. Do not glue it back yourself. Household glues are not made for the mouth. A veneer fixed in the wrong position can trap bacteria or affect your bite.
3. Protect the tooth. The prepared tooth underneath may feel sensitive or rough. Chew on the other side and avoid very hot, cold or hard food until you have been seen.
4. Contact your dentist. Whether the same veneer can be bonded again or a new one is needed depends on the veneer and the tooth. Only an examination can tell.

Helping veneers last

• Do not bite hard objects with your front teeth: nails, pens, ice, nutshells, bottle tops.
• Take care with very hard or crusty food; cut it up rather than biting into it with your front teeth.
• If you clench or grind, ask about a night guard and wear it as advised.
• Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth every day.
• Keep to regular check-ups: a small chip at the edge is easier to deal with early.

When to see a dentist

Contact your dentist if any of the following happens.

• A veneer comes off: keep it, and do not glue it back yourself.
• A veneer cracks, chips or feels rough at the edge.
• Your bite feels different or high.
• Sensitivity lasts more than a few weeks or keeps getting worse.
• Pain starts on its own or wakes you at night.
• The gum around a veneer swells, bleeds or has a discharge.

Emergencies. Increasing pain, facial swelling or a fever: see a dentist without waiting. Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling in the mouth or neck that spreads quickly: go to an emergency department or call 112.

Frequently asked questions