e.max Crowns and Veneers

Where it may be suitable

• Discolouration that whitening does not improve
• Small chips, wear or irregular shapes on front teeth
• Gaps between teeth small enough not to need orthodontic treatment
• Teeth with a large loss of structure or a fracture that need protecting with a crown

Where it is not suitable, or another treatment comes first

• Healthy, well-shaped teeth. Do not have veneers only for colour; teeth whitening should be considered first.
• Marked crowding or a bite problem. Rather than correcting teeth by cutting them down, orthodontic treatment should be considered first.
• Untreated gum disease or decay. These are treated first.
• Severe clenching or grinding. The risk of the ceramic fracturing increases; your dentist may recommend a night guard or choose another material.
• Not enough enamel. Veneers hold most reliably when they are bonded to enamel. On a tooth with little enamel, where the veneer has to be bonded to the tissue beneath the enamel (dentine), the risk of failure is higher²; this needs assessing tooth by tooth.
• Long bridges and heavy chewing loads at the back of the mouth. Here zirconia or metal-ceramic restorations may be considered, depending on the bridge design and the bite.

Where it has limits

• Very dark teeth. Thin, translucent veneers may not mask the colour well enough. More opaque options are considered; these may need more tissue removed.

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

A veneer or crown is not the only option, and often it should not be the first.

• Doing nothing. If your teeth are healthy and your concern is only about how they look, leaving them alone is always an option.
• Teeth whitening. For concerns about colour, it can work without removing any tooth tissue.
• Shaping with composite (bonding). Used for small chips and gaps, touching the tooth very little or not at all. It stains more easily than ceramic and is easier to repair if damaged¹. It should not be thought of as fully reversible: the tooth surface is treated so the material can bond.
• A filling or a partial restoration. An inlay fills a cavity inside the tooth; an onlay also covers weakened cusps (the raised chewing points) where needed. If enough of the tooth remains, these can take the place of a full crown. Having had root canal treatment does not on its own mean a full crown is needed.
• Orthodontic treatment. Corrects the alignment of the teeth without cutting them down; it takes longer.
• Another ceramic. Zirconia may be preferred for back teeth and bridges, and hand-layered feldspathic porcelain for thin veneers.

The treatment is usually completed in two or three appointments.

How much tissue is removed from the tooth depends on its colour, its position, any existing loss of structure and the restoration chosen. For the ceramic itself, the smallest thickness the manufacturer gives for its product is 0.4 mm for a veneer and 1 mm for a crown³. These are lower limits that apply only to particular products, designs and bonding methods set out in the manufacturer's instructions; whether they apply to your tooth is decided by your dentist. They are not the amount of tissue removed from the tooth. Because a crown needs tissue removed from every surface of the tooth, the total loss is clearly greater than for a veneer.

Risks and disadvantages

• It cannot be undone. Tooth tissue that is removed does not grow back; from then on, the treated tooth will always need a restoration.
• New decay. A veneer or crown does not protect the tooth beneath it from decay. New decay can develop at its edges or underneath it, and further treatment may be needed.
• Sensitivity. Sensitivity to heat and cold may follow the procedure; it usually eases within weeks.
• Fracture or cracking. Biting hard objects, clenching and knocks can break the ceramic. Small surface chips can sometimes be repaired; larger cracks and fractures may mean the restoration has to be replaced.
• Coming loose. This happens with veneers, especially when they are bonded to the tissue beneath the enamel.
• Effect on the nerve. The deeper the preparation for a crown, the more likely the tooth is to need root canal treatment later.
• Staining at the edges and receding gums. Over the years, the edge of the restoration can become visible.
• Need for replacement. No veneer or crown lasts for ever. When the time comes it has to be replaced, and each replacement may take a little more tissue from the tooth.

Benefits

• With no metal framework, no metal edge shows. The colour of the tooth underneath, staining at the edges or receding gums can still make it look darker.
• It lets light through in a way similar to a natural tooth.
• Its surface stains less than composite.
• Veneers bonded to enamel have good long-term results.¹²

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, and do not use your teeth as tools.
• If you clench or grind your teeth, wear the night guard your dentist recommends.
• Keep up regular check-ups; small problems are easier to solve when they are found early.¹

It is a rate, not a number of years. The figures below describe restorations staying in the mouth; they do not mean that no problem or repair was needed during that time.

Veneers

A 2025 review combining 29 studies found that, of every 100 lithium disilicate veneers, about 97 were still in the mouth after 10 years⁴. The same review found no significant difference in this respect between lithium disilicate and feldspathic porcelain; for zirconia veneers there were no long-term data. Another review, from 2024, looked at different glass-ceramic veneers together: after an average follow-up of 6.5 years, about 90 in every 100 veneers were still in the mouth⁵. The two results come from different studies, so they cannot be compared directly.

For veneers, keeping the enamel is one of the important factors. In a retrospective study that followed 580 porcelain veneers for up to 12 years, veneers bonded to the tissue beneath the enamel had about 10 times the risk of failure².

Crowns

For single crowns, the differences between materials are small. A 2026 review reported how many of every 100 crowns were still in the mouth after five years: about 98 to 99⁶ for monolithic (single-piece) lithium disilicate, 97 for metal-ceramic and 97 for monolithic zirconia. These estimates are for single crowns on natural teeth. In other words, "a stronger material" and "a restoration that stays in the mouth longer" are not the same thing.

Contact your dentist if any of the following happens:

• The veneer or crown cracks, breaks or moves
• It comes off (keep the piece, 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
• It feels high when you bite, or your jaw feels tired

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 or call 112.

Fees are not given on this page. A treatment plan is prepared for you after an examination, with X-rays where needed. The main factors that shape it are:

• How many teeth need treatment, and which type of restoration (veneer or crown)
• Treatment needed first: decay, root canal treatment, gum treatment
• The ceramic used and the laboratory work
• A night guard, if needed

Ask for the plan in writing, including what it covers and which procedures would be assessed separately.