Sometimes teeth are discolored, uneven in shape, or have small chips that affect the appearance of your smile. Veneers can improve these cosmetic concerns by covering the fronts of the affected teeth.
A thin layer is carefully removed from the front surface and, when needed, the biting edge of each tooth to make room for the veneer. The aim is to improve the appearance while keeping as much healthy tooth structure as possible. Even this conservative preparation permanently changes the enamel.
The veneers are custom made to fit over the prepared surfaces. You can think of them as siding for the teeth: they cover the visible front face, sometimes wrapping slightly over the biting edge. A crown, by comparison, covers the tooth all the way around.
Once bonded in place, veneers can look very natural. Matching a single veneer to an adjacent natural tooth can be challenging. For a balanced result, we may treat the front two, four, or six teeth together. The number depends on your smile and goals; a single veneer can also be appropriate.
These illustrations explain general concepts and do not replace an individual dental evaluation.