Veneers are covers which are placed on the front of the teeth.  They are analogous to the false fingernails the women have applied to their nails.  Veneers can be a good solution when too much tooth has been lost to fix with a bonded filling and not enough has been lost to warrant a full crown.  They can also be used to change the shape and or color of the tooth with minimal tooth preparation. Veneers can be made of various materials including porcelain and composite (plastic). 

The dentist will reshape the tooth, take an impression to send to the laboratory, and make you a temporary to wear.  About 2 weeks later the Veneer returns from the laboratory and is bonded to the tooth. 

Because the Veneer is a laboratory procedure the cost is similar to the cost of a Crown. 

The main advantage of the Veneer over the Crown is that less tooth preparation is required.  It relies on the strength of the tooth and provides minimal additional strength itself.

The main advantage of the Crown over the Veneer is that it provides more protection for the tooth and works well when the tooth is not strong enough to use a Veneer.

Last modified: 05/03/04