Dental blog · Kogarah

Porcelain Veneers: Smiling with Confidence

Porcelain veneers are thin shells bonded to the front of your teeth to cover discolouration, chips, wear, gaps and misshapen teeth.

Quick summary

Porcelain veneers are thin shells bonded to the front of your teeth to cover discolouration, chips, wear, gaps and misshapen teeth. Getting them usually takes a few visits: a consultation to check you are suitable, an appointment to prepare the teeth and take an impression, then a fitting. They resist staining and often last ten years or more, but they are not reversible, and a damaged veneer is generally replaced rather than repaired.

An embarrassing smile can ruin your ability to smile freely, opting to hide your teeth so that others can’t see them. Dental veneers, thin shells often made of porcelain attached to the fronts of your teeth, transform your smile to one you can display with pride. They are customised for each patient to give you the look you desire.

There are numerous dental problems that can be hidden with porcelain veneers. Common reasons that people choose veneers include tooth discolouration, chips, breaks, worn down teeth, gaps, misalignment or misshapen teeth. These restorations cover all of these problems and more, giving you the perfect smile.

The process for getting veneers is not painful and usually requires a few trips to the dentist. First you’ll need a consultation to determine if you are a good candidate. You should tell the dentist exactly what you dislike about your smile and learn if veneers can correct those issues. If so, your next appointment will include preparing your teeth by removing a small amount of your enamel so the veneers can be attached. Your dentist will make an impression of your mouth so that veneers can be crafted in a lab to fit exactly. The last step is a visit to have the final veneers bonded to your teeth, adjusted, and polished for a flawless appearance.

You can count on porcelain veneers to resist stains so that they continue to look just like they did when applied. You can choose the veneer colour to get just the shade you desire, and your smile will look very natural. Another benefit is that your gums should adjust very easily to porcelain veneers. Keep in mind, however, that veneers are a permanent solution and if they do become damaged it’s likely you’ll have to completely replace them. The lifespan of veneers is often ten years or more, and they don’t require any special care other than normal dental hygiene.

Veneers provide patients with the ability to turn their smiles around for good. If you’re unhappy with the look of your teeth, consult your dentist to see if veneers will help you regain your confidence.

Contact one of our dental offices Kogarah and Haymarket

Questions patients ask us about this

How many appointments do porcelain veneers take?
Usually a few. First a consultation, where you say what you dislike about your smile and find out whether veneers can address it. Then an appointment to prepare the teeth and take an impression that goes to the laboratory. Finally a visit to bond, adjust and polish the finished veneers. Your own case may vary once your teeth have been examined.
Are veneers reversible?
Traditional porcelain veneers are not. A small amount of enamel is removed so the veneer can sit flush, and enamel does not grow back, so the tooth needs to stay covered from then on. If a veneer chips or breaks it is generally replaced rather than mended. That permanence is worth understanding before you start.
Do veneers need special care?
Beyond normal brushing, flossing and regular check-ups, no. Porcelain resists staining, so veneers tend to hold their colour. What matters is looking after the gums and the natural tooth underneath, which is exactly what an ordinary hygiene routine and a scheduled examination at our Kogarah surgery are for.

Where to read more on this at Village Dental Kogarah

Reading about it only gets you so far. These are the pages that explain how our dentists in Kogarah actually treat it, and what a visit involves.

Village Dental Kogarah is at Shop 5/23-26 Station St, Kogarah NSW 2217. Eight clinicians work across our two Sydney practices, including a dental prosthetist — meet the team. We look after patients from Kogarah, Kogarah Bay, Rockdale, Bexley, Bexley North, Carlton, Allawah, Banksia, Monterey and Sans Souci. If you would like to talk it through, call (02) 9281 0007 or book a time online.

Book an appointmentCall (02) 9281 0007More dental articles

A note on this articleThis is general information written for patients, not dental advice for your own mouth. Teeth, gums and medical histories differ, and so does what suits them, so please have a dentist examine you before deciding on any treatment. If something in your mouth is painful, bleeding or has been knocked out, ring us on (02) 9281 0007 rather than waiting.

Book an Appointment Kogarah · we’ll confirm your time