Veneers are thin, translucent shells of porcelain that are bonded on the front side of the teeth, giving them a new, more attractive appearance. They are 0.3-1.0mm thick and are custom-made in a dental laboratory. The main purpose for placing veneers is to improve the appearance of teeth. They are used in cases of teeth that are worn, chipped, malformed or misaligned, have unwanted or uneven spaces between them or have severe discolorations that do not respond to bleaching.
Due to their ability to closely mimic the way natural teeth reflect light, porcelain veneers can look astonishingly lifelike. Another advantage that porcelain veneers offer is that their glass-like surface resists staining very well.
Porcelain veneers are attached to teeth by bonding of the veneer to the enamel with the use of resin composite (white filling material). The bond between veneer, composite and tooth is very strong. Although the veneer itself is very thin and brittle, after bonding to the tooth, it creates a very strong durable complex. Therefore veneers are expected to last for many years, providing you with a new and beautiful smile. The difference between a veneer and a crown is that the veneer involves only the front tooth surface, while a crown completely encases a tooth and requires more tooth preparation (trimming) to be placed.