Composite Veneers

Composite veneers use tooth-coloured filling material bonded to the tooth. Compared with porcelain, they may need less enamel removal and fewer dental visits.

Composite can suit a cosmetic change where less enamel removal is wanted than porcelain may require. Decay and gum disease are treated first, because covering unhealthy teeth can worsen the existing dental problem.

Composite veneers may require less tooth enamel removal than porcelain veneers. This is a difference in preparation, not a promise that no enamel will be removed.

Placing a veneer over untreated decay or gum disease can worsen the problem. Treatment from an unlicensed person may bring potential infection and nerve-damage risks.

Composite is less resistant to staining and wear than porcelain. If it is damaged, it is easier to fix than porcelain, which is a practical maintenance difference.

The tooth-coloured composite is bonded to the tooth, with a shade chosen to match natural teeth. Porcelain follows a different route: an impression or scan guides laboratory fabrication of a custom shell.

Composite may take fewer dental visits than porcelain because it is bonded filling material rather than a laboratory-made shell. Damage is also easier to fix than damage to porcelain.

Porcelain veneer treatment can involve a temporary veneer while a laboratory makes the final shell.

Porcelain is the other main veneer type. It is strong, long-lasting and natural-looking, and it tends to cost more; composite trades some stain and wear resistance for easier repair and potentially less tooth preparation.

The composite shade is selected to match natural teeth before it is bonded to the tooth. It is cosmetic treatment, and it may still involve enamel removal even though less may be needed than with porcelain.

Composite veneers are cosmetic dentistry, so insurance may not cover them unless they are medically necessary.