Several issues in one go
Shape, colour, gaps and minor unevenness can all be addressed together, rather than as separate fixes.
Smile Design
Porcelain veneers, a way to reshape and even out your smile
Thin, custom porcelain shells bonded to the front of your teeth to change their shape, shade and symmetry. A way to even out a smile, hide chips and gaps, and lift the colour of teeth that won't whiten.
The Treatment
Custom shells that look like natural teeth
Porcelain veneers are slim ceramic shells, made to fit the front of your teeth. Each one is shaped and shaded for you, then bonded into place. The idea is simple. Cover what bothers you and keep the result looking like teeth, not like a fake smile. People just notice the smile looks tidier.
People come to us for veneers for all sorts of reasons. Teeth that are chipped, worn short, or a colour they can't shift. Small gaps between the front teeth. Teeth that sit slightly uneven and stand out in every photo. Because a veneer changes shape, shade and symmetry together, one plan can tackle all of it, and that's a big part of the appeal. They're not a fix for everything though. Sometimes composite bonding gets you there with less drilling, and if you're reworking most of the teeth that show, it becomes a smile makeover conversation instead. We'll go through the options with you at the consultation.
Veneer treatment runs over a few visits, from design to final fit, so it helps that we're easy to reach for every one of them. We're at 80 Hutcheson Street in Merchant City, two or three minutes on foot from Argyle Street and Queen Street stations and the St Enoch subway, which makes the design visit, the fitting and everything in between simple to build around a working day in the centre of Glasgow.
Is This You?
Front teeth that bother you in photos?
Maybe it's a chip that catches the light, a small gap you cover when you laugh, or a colour that no amount of whitening seems to shift. Day to day it's easy to ignore, but it has a way of showing up in every photo and making you hold back when you smile.
Veneers can deal with several of those things at once, covering the front of the teeth that show. They're not right for everyone or every problem, and at our Merchant City clinic in Glasgow we'll tell you plainly whether they suit your teeth or whether something else would serve you better.
Why Patients Choose It
Why patients choose porcelain veneers
The colour holds
Porcelain tends to resist staining from things like coffee, tea and red wine, so the shade stays steadier over time than composite.
Made to look like teeth
Porcelain can be shaded and finished to catch the light like enamel, with the aim of a natural rather than glaringly white look.
Hard wearing
Day to day, a well-made veneer is intended to cope with normal eating and drinking.
Less tooth removed than a crown
A veneer only covers the front surface, so less of the tooth is prepared than for a full crown.
Preview before committing
In many cases you can see a mock-up or digital design and react to the proposed look before anything is bonded for good, so there are fewer surprises.
Compare
Porcelain veneers vs composite bonding
Both can improve the look of front teeth, and composite bonding is often described as composite veneers, so they're easy to mix up. They suit different situations, and it's worth understanding the trade-off before you decide.
| Feature | Porcelain veneers | Composite bonding |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Custom ceramic shells made in a lab and bonded on | Tooth-coloured resin shaped onto the tooth in the chair |
| Tooth preparation | Usually some enamel removed | Often little or no enamel removed |
| Reversible | No | More conservative, sometimes reversible |
| Stain resistance | Holds its colour well | Picks up stains more over time |
| Durability | Often around 10 years with good care | Commonly 3 to 5 years, often longer with care |
| Visits | Two or three over a few weeks | Often done in a single visit |
| If it chips | Usually means remaking the veneer | Can often be repaired or added to |
| Best for | Lasting change to shape, shade and symmetry | Smaller fixes, lower commitment, faster results |
The short version. Veneers are more durable and hold their colour better, but they're more involved, they remove some tooth, and a chip usually means a remake rather than a quick patch. Bonding is faster and gentler on the tooth, but it tends not to last as long or stay as clean looking. We'll talk you through which fits your teeth and what you want.
How It Works
Your veneer journey
01
Consultation and assessment
We look at your teeth and gums, take photos and X-rays where needed, and talk through what you're unhappy with and what you'd like to change. This is also where we say clearly whether veneers are the right call, or whether something else would suit you better, for example straightening the teeth with Invisalign before any veneer is considered.
02
Smile design and preview
We plan the shape, size and shade with you. If you're thinking about whitening your teeth, it's best done before this stage, so the porcelain is matched to your brighter shade. In many cases you can see a preview of the proposed smile, either as a mock-up trialled in your mouth or a digital design, so you can react to it before committing.
03
Minimal tooth preparation
A small amount of enamel is gently removed from the front of the teeth so the veneers sit flush and look natural. In some cases little or no enamel needs to come off at all, depending on how your teeth sit. This is usually done with local anaesthetic so you're comfortable. We then take impressions or a scan.
04
Temporaries
You go home with temporary veneers to protect the prepared teeth and give you a feel for the new shape while the lab makes your final set.
05
Final fit
When the veneers are ready, we try them in, check the fit, colour and bite with you, and bond them into place once you're happy. Small adjustments are normal at this stage.
Aftercare
Looking after your veneers
Veneers are easy to live with, but a little care helps them last. Here is what to expect and what to do.
First day or two
- Your teeth and gums may feel sensitive for the first day or so.
- You can eat and drink again as soon as any numbness wears off. Softer food and going easy on very hot and very cold things is kinder for the first day.
- A sensitive toothpaste helps, and mild discomfort settles quickly.
First couple of weeks
- Your bite and speech might feel slightly different at first.
- This is normal and your mouth adjusts fast.
- If anything feels properly off when you bite together, tell us so we can adjust it.
Day to day, long term
- Treat veneers like natural teeth. Brush twice a day with a soft brush and floss gently around the edges.
- Look after your gums, not just the veneers.
- Don't bite hard objects like ice, pens or fingernails, and don't use your teeth as tools.
- If you grind or clench, wear a night guard to protect them.
- Keep up your check-ups and hygienist visits so we can keep an eye on the margins and gums.
- If a veneer ever feels loose or chips, even in the middle of the night, contact our emergency dentist service. We are open day and night, every day, so it can be looked at quickly instead of getting worse.
Considerations
What to weigh up before you decide
Preparing the teeth usually removes a small amount of enamel, and enamel doesn't grow back. That's why veneers are not reversible. Take your time deciding.
Veneers are long lasting but they don't last forever. At some point they will need replacing.
A chipped porcelain veneer usually can't be patched. It normally means making a new one.
Your teeth and gums need to be healthy first. Any decay or gum disease is treated before veneers go on, because the bond relies on healthy enamel.
If teeth are quite crooked or rotated, straightening them first often gives a better, healthier result than masking them with veneers. If that's true for you, we'll say so and explain why.
Grinding and clenching shorten the life of veneers. A night guard helps, but it's worth knowing going in.
Gums can recede over the years, which may expose an edge and mean a veneer needs redoing down the line.
Fees
Clear on cost, before you commit
Porcelain veneers are priced by the case, because the cost depends on how many teeth you are treating and the detail involved. We do not work from a fixed one-size figure.
After your consultation you get a clear, written plan with the full cost set out, and no obligation to proceed.
Take the plan home, think it over and come back with questions. There is no pressure to decide on the day.
Common Questions
Porcelain veneer questions, answered
What are porcelain veneers made of?
They're made from dental porcelain, a hard ceramic that's shaped and shaded to look like natural enamel. Each one is custom made for your tooth, then bonded to the front surface.
Does getting veneers hurt?
The preparation and fitting are usually done with local anaesthetic, so you shouldn't feel pain at the time. Afterwards some tooth and gum sensitivity for a day or two is normal and settles on its own.
Are veneers reversible?
No, not once a tooth has been prepared. Because a small amount of enamel is removed and enamel doesn't grow back, the tooth will always need something covering it from then on. It's worth being sure before you start.
How long do porcelain veneers last?
Well-made porcelain veneers often last around ten years, and with good care sometimes longer. It varies with your bite and your habits. Looking after your gums, avoiding biting hard objects and wearing a night guard if you grind all help them go the distance. We'll give you a realistic picture at your consultation.
Can I see what my smile will look like first?
Usually, yes. We design the smile with you and in many cases you can preview it, as a mock-up in your mouth or a digital design, before any teeth are prepared. It means fewer surprises at the end.
Can porcelain veneers be done in one visit?
Ours can't, and that's deliberate. Your veneers are made in a dental laboratory, where a technician builds the porcelain up in layers to get the shade and translucency right, and that work takes time. You wear temporary veneers in between, so you're never left with unfinished teeth. If you want a front tooth improved in a single visit, composite bonding is usually the way to do it.
What about composite veneers or no-prep veneers?
Composite veneers are the same treatment we call composite bonding: tooth-coloured resin shaped directly onto the tooth, often with little or no drilling, and usually finished in one appointment. Minimal-preparation or no-prep porcelain veneers are sometimes possible too, depending on the size and position of your teeth. Neither suits every case, so we assess which routes are open to you before anything starts.
How many veneers will I need?
It depends on how many teeth show when you smile and what you want to change. Some people only need a couple, others want the whole smile line done so the colour and shape match across the front. We'll work this out with you at the consultation.
How much do porcelain veneers cost?
Every mouth is different, so the honest answer is that it depends on you: how many teeth you are treating, whether any groundwork such as gum care or straightening is needed first, and the level of design detail involved. At your consultation the dentist will go through your options and the cost of each, and you will get a written, itemised quote before anything is agreed. Nothing goes ahead until you are happy.
Can I get veneers on the NHS?
Not normally. Purely cosmetic treatment, which includes veneers along with bonding, whitening and smile makeovers, is private-only. NHS dental examinations are free for everyone in Scotland. NHS dental treatment is free if you are under 26, pregnant or have given birth in the last 12 months, or qualify for a low-income exemption. That cover is for clinical need, though, rather than cosmetic work like veneers.
Will my veneers stain like normal teeth?
Porcelain tends to resist staining, so it holds its colour well. The bonding edges and your own teeth can still pick up stains over time, so coffee, tea, red wine and smoking still take a toll. Regular cleaning keeps things looking even. One more thing: porcelain can't be whitened once it's made, so if you want whiter teeth, whiten first and we'll match the veneers to the new shade.
Can I have veneers if I grind my teeth?
Often, yes, but grinding wears veneers faster and can chip them. We'd usually fit you with a night guard to protect them while you sleep, and talk through whether veneers are the right choice for you.
A veneer has chipped or come off at night. What should I do?
Keep the veneer if you can find it, and avoid biting on that tooth. If a sharp edge is catching your tongue or cheek, a small piece of sugar-free chewing gum or orthodontic wax over it will protect you for now. Don't try to glue anything back yourself, as household adhesives damage both the tooth and the veneer. Then call us, any time, day or night. We hold emergency slots every day and aim to see you quickly.
How do I book a consultation?
Get in touch with our Merchant City clinic and we'll find you a time that fits around your week. The first visit is a relaxed assessment where we examine your teeth, talk through what you'd like to change, and tell you whether veneers suit you before anything is decided.
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