Laminate Veneers

Where they may be suitable

• Discolouration that whitening does not correct
• Small chips, wear and flaws in shape on front teeth
• Small gaps between teeth
• Teeth with enough enamel that are largely well aligned

Where they are not suitable, or other treatment is needed first

• Colour is the only complaint on healthy, straight teeth. Teeth whitening should be assessed first; it removes no tissue from the tooth, though it can cause temporary sensitivity.
• Marked crowding or a bite problem. Aligning teeth by cutting them exposes the tissue beneath the enamel (dentine). Orthodontics should be considered first.
• Teeth with a large loss of structure. Not enough tooth tissue remains to carry 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. Permanent veneers are not recommended at this stage, because the gum line can still change and the nerve chamber (pulp) of the tooth is large, so the nerve is more at risk when the tooth is prepared.

Where extra care is needed

• Not enough enamel. On worn teeth, teeth with extensive earlier restorations or teeth with thin enamel, more of the veneer may have to be bonded to dentine, and failure is seen more often when dentine is exposed². Whether veneers still suit depends on the enamel and tooth structure left and on the bite.
• Clenching and grinding. The severity is assessed; veneers may not suit some patients. A recommended night guard can reduce the risk³, but it does not fully prevent fracture or debonding.
• Habits such as nail biting or chewing pens. These can chip the edge of the veneer.
• Very dark teeth. Thin, translucent veneers may not cover the colour well enough; a more opaque, thicker veneer means removing more tissue.

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

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

• Doing nothing. If your teeth are healthy and your complaint is only about appearance, leaving them alone is always an option.
• Teeth whitening. For colour complaints, it can give a result without removing tissue from the tooth.
• Shaping with composite (bonding). Tooth-coloured filling material is built up directly on the tooth; usually no tissue, or very little, is removed. Its edges tend to discolour sooner than ceramic⁴, and in one practice's records over ten years⁵ composite veneers failed more often than ceramic ones; it is, however, easier to repair and reshape. Enamel can still be affected when it is removed.
• Orthodontics. Corrects alignment and gaps by moving the teeth instead of covering them; it takes longer and needs retention afterwards.
• Crown. For teeth with a large loss of structure; on a healthy tooth it removes far more tissue than a veneer.

The treatment is usually completed in two or three appointments. How much tissue is removed from the tooth depends on its colour, its position and the change you want. In some selected cases a veneer can be made without removing any tissue; this does not suit everyone and does not mean the treatment can be undone.

Veneers are made from hand-layered feldspathic porcelain or from reinforced glass ceramics such as lithium disilicate (e.max). A 2025 review that combined 29 studies found no significant difference⁶ between these materials in ten-year survival. For zirconia veneers, the same review found no long-term data.

Risks and disadvantages

• It cannot be undone. Removed enamel does not grow back¹; from then on, the veneered tooth will always need a restoration.
• Fracture and coming loose. In a review of 25 studies, these were the main causes of failure⁷, seen mostly in the early years. Not every crack or small chip at the edge means the veneer must be replaced.
• Effect on the tooth's nerve. The living tissue of the tooth can be affected, and some teeth later need root canal treatment. The deeper the preparation, the higher this risk.
• Sensitivity. There may be sensitivity to heat and cold after the procedure; it usually eases within weeks.
• New decay. A veneer does not protect the tooth from decay. New decay can develop at its edges.
• Edge staining and gum recession. Over the years, the edge of the veneer can become visible.
• Colour match. The colour of a veneer cannot be changed after bonding⁸, and whitening does not lighten it. 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

• Far less tooth tissue is removed than for a crown.
• A ceramic surface picks up less colour than composite.
• When bonded to enamel, long-term results are good².

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 corrected when they are found early.

The most accurate answer to this question is a survival rate, not a number of years. The figures below are survival rates, each study using its own definition of failure; they do not mean that no problem or repair was needed during that time.

According to a review covering 25 studies and 6,500 veneers, about 95 in every 100 veneers are still in the mouth after ten years⁷. Another review from 2025, combining 29 studies, reported a similar result at an average follow-up of about ten years: depending on the material, about 94 to 97 in every 100⁶.

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 per cent² for veneers whose preparation stayed within the enamel only. For veneers where the tissue beneath the enamel was widely exposed, it was about 94 per cent². Failure was seen more often in veneers with exposed dentine.

Clenching and night guards. In a retrospective study of 70 patients, a small comparison that was not randomised found that fewer fractures were seen³ among night guard users in the subgroup of 30 patients with bruxism (clenching or grinding). A night guard can reduce the risk, but does not remove it.

Contact your dentist if any of the following happens:

• A fracture, crack or rough edge on the veneer
• The veneer comes off (keep it, and do not stick 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 the veneer
• A feeling that the tooth is high when you bite

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. The main factors that shape it are:

• How many teeth receive veneers
• The ceramic chosen and the laboratory work
• Treatment needed first: whitening, decay and gum treatment, orthodontics if needed
• The trial (mock-up) and a night guard

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