Dental veneers

A veneer is a thin facing bonded to the front surface of a tooth to change its colour, shape or apparent position. Porcelain veneers are made in a laboratory from an impression or a scan; composite veneers are built up directly on the tooth by the dentist. Both are cosmetic treatments carried out on a healthy mouth.

What it may help with

• Spaces between front teeth.
• Teeth that are chipped, worn or irregular in shape.
• Discolouration that whitening cannot change.
• Front teeth that appear slightly out of line, in cases where the underlying position allows it.
• Old front fillings that no longer match the surrounding tooth.

Veneers change the appearance of the front of a tooth. They do not move teeth, and they do not correct an overbite, an underbite or a jaw relationship — those are orthodontic questions, and a treatment that only covers the front of the tooth cannot answer them.

Examination and suitability

Your dentist checks the health of the teeth and gums, how much enamel is present, how your teeth meet when you bite, and whether you grind or clench. Veneers bond best to enamel, so a tooth with little enamel left may be better served by a crown. Grinding puts loads on a thin facing that it is not designed to take, and may need addressing — often with a night guard — before or alongside treatment.

Where several front teeth are involved, a mock-up or trial smile is a useful step: it lets you see a proposed shape and length before anything irreversible is done. Ask for one if it has not been offered.

What usually happens

1. Shape, length and shade are discussed and agreed, with photographs and, where useful, a mock-up.
2. For porcelain: a small amount of enamel is usually prepared, an impression or scan is taken, and temporary veneers are fitted while the laboratory works.
3. The veneers are tried in, checked for fit, shade and bite, and then bonded.
4. For composite: the material is applied and shaped directly on the tooth, then polished, generally within one appointment.

How many visits to expect

Composite veneers are often completed in a single appointment. Porcelain veneers usually need at least two, separated by laboratory time — commonly around a week, which is worth planning into a trip. Larger cases with a mock-up stage take longer. These are estimates and depend on the number of teeth and what the examination finds.

Limitations, risks and alternatives

• Where enamel is prepared, the change is irreversible: the tooth will need a veneer or a crown from then on.
• Veneers can chip or debond, particularly on someone who grinds or who bites into hard objects. Porcelain that fractures is generally replaced rather than repaired; composite can often be repaired.
• How long a veneer lasts varies with the material, the bite, oral hygiene and habits. It is a long-term restoration requiring maintenance and review, not a permanent one.
• Some sensitivity after preparation is common and usually settles.
• Composite is less expensive, quicker and repairable, but is more prone to staining and wear than porcelain. Neither is universally better; which suits you depends on your teeth and what you want from the result.
• Alternatives include whitening, composite bonding, orthodontic treatment to move the teeth, or crowns where a tooth is heavily restored.

After your treatment

Clean veneers as you would your own teeth, including flossing at the margins where the gum meets the veneer. Avoid biting nails, pens, bottle tops or ice. If you grind at night, wear the guard you are given. Contact the clinic if a veneer feels loose or catches your bite, or if the gum around it becomes sore.

Treatments and indicative pricing

Prices are indicative and durations are estimates. Your own quote and timing follow an examination and diagnosis at the clinic.

Crossed-out figures marked “elsewhere” are prices that other dental clinics in Thailand, in Bangkok and in Phuket, publish on their own websites for the comparable treatment, as read on 14 September 2026; they are not prices of this clinic. The crossed-out figure on teeth whitening is this clinic’s own regular price. Our figure is the one the treatment starts from; the dentist confirms your own quote after the examination.

Already have veneers and want them checked? See our second-opinion page.