Veneers are thin covers bonded to the front of your teeth to change their shape, colour, length or alignment. There are two main materials, and the right one depends on what you want to change, how long you want it to last and how you live.
Porcelain veneers
Porcelain veneers are made in a dental laboratory from an impression or digital scan of your teeth. A ceramist layers and shapes the porcelain by hand, then it is fired, glazed and bonded to your teeth at a second visit.
Porcelain reflects light the way natural enamel does, which is why well made porcelain veneers are hard to tell from real teeth. It resists staining from coffee, tea and red wine, holds its polish for years, and with good care commonly lasts 10 to 15 years or longer.
The trade-offs: porcelain needs two to three visits, it costs more than composite, and in most cases a thin layer of enamel is removed so the veneer sits flush with the tooth.
Composite veneers
Composite veneers are sculpted directly onto your teeth in a single visit using the same tooth-coloured resin used for white fillings. The dentist shapes and polishes the material by hand while you are in the chair.
Composite is quicker, costs less, and usually needs little or no enamel removal, so it is easier to reverse. It suits smaller changes: a chipped edge, a single discoloured tooth, closing a small gap, or testing a new shape before committing to porcelain.
The trade-offs: composite picks up stains over time, loses its shine faster, and typically lasts 4 to 8 years before it needs polishing or replacing. It is also harder to achieve the same depth and translucency as porcelain across a full smile.
How Dr Yalda decides
At your consultation she looks at the colour and condition of your teeth, how much change you want, how you bite, and whether you grind. Then she talks you through both options honestly. Sometimes whitening or bonding is all that is needed, and she will tell you so.
Whichever material you choose, you see a trial smile in your own mouth before anything is final, so the result is never a surprise.
This article is general information, not a diagnosis. What is right for you depends on an examination.