Laminate Veneers

Where they may be suitable

• Discolouration that whitening does not improve
• Small chips, wear and irregular shapes on front teeth
• Small gaps between teeth
• Teeth that have enough enamel and are largely well aligned

Where they are not suitable, or another treatment should come first

• Healthy, well-aligned teeth whose only problem is colour. Teeth whitening should be considered first; it removes no tooth tissue, although it can cause temporary sensitivity.
• Marked crowding or a bite problem. Cutting teeth back to line them up exposes the tissue beneath the enamel (dentine). Orthodontic treatment should be considered first.
• Too little enamel. On worn teeth, heavily restored teeth or teeth with thin enamel, the veneer is bonded to dentine and survival is lower².
• Teeth that have lost much of their structure. There is not enough tooth left to support a veneer; a partial restoration or a crown may be needed.
• Untreated decay or gum disease. These are treated first.
• Young people who are still growing. The gum level can change over time and the nerve chamber of the tooth is large, so permanent veneers are not recommended at this stage.

Where extra care is needed

• Clenching and grinding. How severe it is will be assessed; for some people veneers may not be suitable. A night guard may reduce the risk³, but it does not fully prevent a veneer from fracturing or coming off.
• Habits such as biting nails or pens. These can chip the edge of a veneer.
• Very dark teeth. Thin, translucent veneers may not mask the colour well enough; a more opaque, thicker veneer needs more tissue removed.

The right option is decided at an examination, with X-rays assessed where needed.

Veneers are not the only option, and often they should not be the first.

• Doing nothing. If your teeth are healthy and your concern is only how they look, leaving them alone is always an option.
• Teeth whitening. For colour, it can work without removing any tooth tissue.
• Shaping with composite (bonding). Tooth-coloured filling material is built up directly on the tooth; often little or no tooth tissue is removed. Composite picks up stains more quickly than ceramic and needs renewing more often, but it is easier to repair and reshape. Removing the composite later can still affect the enamel.
• Orthodontic treatment. It corrects alignment and gaps by moving the teeth rather than covering them. It takes longer, and the result then has to be held in place (retention).
• A crown. For teeth that have lost much of their structure; on a sound tooth it removes much more tissue than a veneer.

Treatment is usually completed in two or three appointments. How much tissue is removed depends on the colour and position of the tooth and on the change you want. In some selected cases a veneer can be made without removing any tooth tissue. This does not suit everyone, and it does not mean the treatment can be reversed. How the appointments fit a trip is covered in "If you are coming from abroad".

Risks and disadvantages

• It cannot be undone. Enamel that has been removed does not grow back¹; from then on, the tooth will always need a restoration.
• Fracture and coming off. In a review of 25 studies, these were the main reasons veneers failed⁵, mostly in the early years. Not every crack or small chip means the veneer has to be replaced.
• Effect on the tooth's nerve. The living tissue inside the tooth can be affected, and some teeth need root canal treatment later. The deeper the preparation, the higher this risk.
• Sensitivity. Sensitivity to hot and cold may follow the procedure; it usually eases within weeks.
• New decay. A veneer does not protect the tooth from decay. New decay can start at its edges.
• Stained edges and receding gums. Over the years, the edge of the veneer can become visible.
• Colour match. The colour of a veneer does not change after bonding. If the neighbouring natural teeth change colour over time, a difference can appear.
• Need for replacement. No veneer stays in place for ever; each replacement can take a little more tissue from the tooth.

Benefits

• Much less tooth tissue is removed than for a crown.
• The surface of ceramic picks up less colour than composite.
• When bonded to enamel, veneers do well in long-term studies (see "How long do they last?").

After the procedure, wait until the anaesthetic has worn off before eating or drinking. Mild sensitivity and tender gums are normal in the first days.

Daily care

• Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and clean between your teeth every day.
• Do not bite hard objects with your front teeth; avoid biting nails, pens and ice.
• If you clench or grind your teeth, wear your night guard every night.
• Keep up regular check-ups; small chips at the edge can be put right if they are found early.

Studies do not give a lifespan in years. They report how many veneers are still in place after a period of time. That does not mean that no problem or repair was needed during that time. The figures below come from published studies, not from our own records.

According to a review of 25 studies and 6,500 veneers, about 95 in every 100 are still in place after ten years⁵. A separate 2025 review that pooled 29 studies reported a similar result: about 94 to 97 in every 100⁴, depending on the material.

What affects the result?

Keeping the enamel. A retrospective study followed 672 veneers for up to 15 years, 6 years on average. Estimated survival was about 97 in 100² where the preparation stayed in enamel only. Where a large area of the tissue beneath the enamel was exposed, it was about 94 in 100. Failures were more common where dentine was exposed. These figures come from published studies, not from our own records.

Clenching and night guards. A retrospective study covered 70 patients. In the subgroup of 30 who clenched or ground their teeth, those who wore a night guard had fewer fractures³. The study was small and not randomised: a night guard may reduce the risk, but it does not remove it.

Contact your dentist if any of the following happens:

• A veneer cracks, chips or feels rough at the edge
• A veneer comes off (keep it, and do not glue it back yourself)
• Sensitivity that lasts more than a few weeks or keeps getting worse
• Pain that starts on its own or wakes you at night
• Swelling, bleeding or discharge from the gum around a veneer
• Your bite feels high

Emergencies. If pain is increasing, or you have facial swelling or a fever, see a dentist where you are without waiting for the clinic's reply. If you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling in the mouth or neck that spreads quickly, go to an emergency department. In an emergency, call the emergency number of the country you are in; in Turkey it is 112.

Before you fly home

Make sure your bite has been checked and that you have written care instructions. Take the written record of your treatment with you for your dentist at home. If you need a night guard, make sure it has been handed over.

Once you are home

If a problem comes up that is not urgent, write to the clinic and send photographs. Photographs do not replace an examination, so see your dentist at home as well. In the emergencies above, do not wait for a reply.

Veneers usually need two or three appointments. The ceramic is made in a laboratory between preparing the teeth and bonding the veneers, and you may wear temporary veneers in between. The number of days in Antalya depends on how many teeth are treated. It also depends on whether anything is needed first, such as whitening or treatment for decay or gum disease. Before you book, you receive a written preliminary plan with the appointments and how many days the treatment will take. It is based on your photographs, so the examination confirms or changes it, and with it the days and the cost. You can say no, or ask to stop, at any stage. Once a tooth has been prepared, that step cannot be undone.

Flying. A 2023 review of flying after dental treatment suggests waiting at least 24 hours after restorative treatment⁶, and longer after surgical procedures. These times assume there is no pain, swelling or bleeding where you were treated. The authors note that the research is limited and comes mainly from military aviation. Treat it as a starting point for your dentist's advice, not as a rule.

Your dentist at home. Talk to your own dentist before you go. They need to know the plan in case problems come up later. If you do not have a dentist where you live, it helps to find one before you travel. Ask for a written record of the treatment, including the materials used, to take back to them. In Turkey, the health tourism regulation entitles international patients to an itemised bill. On request, they also get free copies of the records of the materials used, the tests and the imaging⁷.

Veneers need regular check-ups for as long as they are in the mouth. UK guidance (NICE) says the interval between check-ups should be set for each person according to their risk⁸; agree it with your dentist at home. Before you travel, check the rules of the health service or your insurer in the country where you live about care after treatment abroad.

Questions to ask before you commit. Before treatment abroad, ask:

1. Who will carry out my treatment, and what are their qualifications?
2. Are you regulated by a professional body and registered with it?
3. Are the remake and correction terms in writing, and for how long do they apply?
4. What aftercare do you provide, and who can I contact after the treatment?
5. If there are complications, who pays for further treatment, extra flights and the hotel?
6. Do you have a complaints system, and can I see a copy?

Before treatment, we give you in writing how complications are handled and the terms for remaking a veneer. More questions, with our answer to each, are on our page about dental treatment abroad.

This page does not show prices. A treatment plan is prepared for you after an examination. The main factors that shape it are:

• How many teeth will have veneers
• The ceramic chosen and the laboratory work
• Treatment needed first: whitening, treatment for decay or gum disease, and orthodontic treatment if needed
• The trial (mock-up) and a night guard
• The number of trips the appointments need

Ask for the plan in writing, including what it covers and what would be charged separately. Ask too who pays for further treatment and extra travel if there is a complication.