What veneers are
A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain or composite resin bonded to the front of a tooth. It changes the color, the shape and the apparent position of the teeth that show when you smile, without actually moving them.
What they fix
Chips, worn edges, staining that whitening will not shift, small gaps, and teeth that sit slightly out of line. They work on appearance only, so decay and gum disease are dealt with first.
What happens at your appointment
Two visits. A thin layer is taken off the front of the tooth so the veneer sits flush rather than proud, and impressions go to the lab. At the second visit each veneer is tried in, checked against the teeth around it, and bonded.
Worth knowing before you commit
Preparing a tooth removes enamel, and enamel does not grow back, so from then on that tooth will always need a veneer on it. Porcelain does not respond to whitening either, so the shade is chosen once and the natural teeth around it are matched to it.
