A consultation is our formal starting point for beginning your treatment. We start by conducting a full dental and oral health screen that will provide us with information on your current soft tissue, gum and tooth health. You can discuss the treatment in detail and decide if it’s right for you.

We will begin to plan your specific veneer teeth after taking x-rays of your mouth and constructing a 3D image (if necessary) for you to see how your new teeth will look. You will be able to discuss with your dentist if there are any questions you have about your veneers and if you want to make any changes before moving forward.

Before applying your veneers, we advise and give you the opportunity to whiten your teeth if that’s of interest to you so that your natural teeth match the brightness of your new veneers.

Getting veneers usually requires two visits to complete the process, with little or no anesthesia required during the procedure.  The teeth are prepared by lightly buffing and shaping the surface to allow for the thickness of the veneer.  A mold or impression of the teeth is taken and a shade (color) will then be chosen by you and the dentist. Temporary veneers are then fitted to give you a feel of what your future teeth will look like which typically last for 2-3 weeks.

There are many stages of approval during this process. First, the veneers are assessed against your bite information to ensure that they will fit your mouth as planned. Then, your dentist will view the veneers and quality check them. Before they are finally applied, you will have the chance to inspect them and offer your approval if there are no further changes that need to be made.

On the second visit the teeth will be cleansed with special liquids to achieve a durable bond.  Bonding cement is then placed between the tooth and veneer and a special light beam is used to harden and set the bond.

You will receive care instructions for veneers.  Proper brushing, flossing and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your new veneers.
You will usually feel normal after a few days, and full healing will be complete in around 3-4 weeks. Routine dental health checks are advisable to ensure that cleaning is at an optimum and the rest of your teeth are being maintained.

They’re fast! Composite veneers can be done over one appointment start to finish, which gives them an edge on porcelain veneers and almost all other treatments. Composite is a very versatile material that can be used in all manner of methods, which gives dentists the creativity to push the material to its limits. It is worth highlighting that this can come with some negative effects, keep reading to find out.

Despite the great advantages of the material, from an aesthetic point of view composite resin is generally agreed to be inferior to ceramic or porcelain veneers. The reasons for this are to do with the nature of plastic resin losing its lustre or shine over time. It requires annual polishing to keep it looking good, whereas ceramic does not change in its polish or color at all.

Ceramic is easier to keep clean owing to its bespoke manufacturing process. Composite resin is placed by hand on the day, so it cannot be as refined as a ceramic surface made in a dental laboratory.

Composite resin is a very minimalist procedure, in that there is little need to remove tooth tissue. For this reason, younger patients under the age of 18 would be suited to it, as would people in their 20s. That being said, some in their 20s prefer not to have the upkeep involved with composite, so they opt for ceramic as a long-term investment.

As with all treatments offered here at Serenity, a thorough consultation is the first step in acquiring a full dental and oral health screen that will provide us with information on your current soft tissue, gum and tooth health. You can discuss the treatment in detail and decide if it’s right for you. Based on your aims, we will assess your photo and advise potential solutions. Following this, you would decide if you are happy with the current colour of your teeth or if whitening them before is to be included. Remember, that once the composite resin shade has been selected and placed, they will not react to whitening solution. It is a good idea to consider whitening first to boost the colour, but also even out the colour across your smile. You will be made aware of the pros and cons of the alternatives and, once you have confirmed bonding is your preferred choice, moulds are taken for whitening.

Once desired tooth color is achieved by whitening, you will return for the bonding appointment. Usually you will not require any local anaesthesia and a shade of material is chosen with your approval before proceeding. Bonding is a careful and slow process. Your dentist will ask you to stay still during it and you will not feel much. Once the composite is bonded to your teeth, it is shaped and polished with your natural adjacent teeth used as a guide.

After the procedure, your dentist will sometimes arrange a review appointment two weeks later to refine your bite and to address any final polishing. The procedure is then completed, ready for your annual polishing visit.