Cosmetic Veneers in Townsville

Veneers are thin coatings of tooth-coloured material that are bonded to the front surface of teeth to modify their appearance. Depending on what you want to achieve, veneers may be used to alter the colour, shape or alignment of your teeth.

Veneers are designed to give the appearance of healthy, natural-looking teeth. As veneers are a cosmetic treatment, they won’t improve your oral health.

If you’re thinking about changing the appearance of your teeth, we may suggest veneers as an option. We’ll make sure you have all the information about what this treatment involves so you can decide if it’s right for you.

Veneers can be used to cover up:

• stains or discolouration
• worn or chipped teeth
• crooked or misshapen teeth
• small gaps.

We may suggest veneers as an alternative to teeth whitening if you’re not a candidate for whitening treatments or you prefer a longer-term solution.

You may not be suitable for veneers if you have small or weakened teeth or if you grind your teeth. If you have an oral health problem such as tooth decay or gum disease, this will need to clear up before we can begin a cosmetic treatment.

At North Queensland Family Dental, we offer two types of dental veneers: porcelain veneers and composite veneers.

We’ll explain the pros and cons of both options during your consultation, to help you decide which is the best fit for your needs.

Composite veneers

Composite veneers are made of dental composite resin, which is applied directly to the surface of your teeth.

As this material is usually cheaper and the veneers don’t need to be custom-made in advance, composite veneers can be a more cost-effective option than porcelain. However, they’ll usually need to be replaced sooner and they’re more easily damaged, so we’ll recommend that you avoid certain foods and activities.

We’ll select a shade of composite resin that suits your appearance and polish your veneers for a natural-looking finish. Composite resin may appear slightly duller than porcelain, but these veneers can still offer good cosmetic results.

Porcelain veneers

Porcelain veneers are made of a thin layer of ceramic, which covers the existing tooth surface. These veneers are custom-made to fit your mouth and normally require a minimum of two appointments to be fitted.

Porcelain veneers cost more than composite veneers, but their greater durability means they’ll usually last for longer. You won’t normally need to alter your diet or your lifestyle when you choose porcelain veneers.

Their smooth ceramic surface makes these veneers more resistant to staining than composite resin and they reflect light in a similar way to natural teeth.

If you decide that veneers are the right choice for you, we’ll give you a complete oral health assessment using x-rays to check that your mouth is healthy.

We’ll prepare your teeth for the veneers by removing a small amount of the enamel surface. This is performed under local anaesthetic to numb pain and discomfort. We’ll also roughen the surface of your teeth to help the veneers bond.

The veneer fitting procedure depends on the type of veneers you choose:

Composite veneers may be completed in a single appointment. We’ll carefully apply the composite resin to your teeth and harden it using a light, finally polishing their surface.

Porcelain veneers need to be manufactured in a dental laboratory. We’ll take impressions of your teeth and arrange another appointment for your custom veneers to be fitted. We may provide temporary veneers to wear in the meantime. During your follow-up appointment, we’ll apply a bonding agent to your teeth and fit and polish the veneers.

Dental veneers are a safe cosmetic dentistry treatment, but we’ll make sure you understand all the possible risks and complications at your consultation. Having veneers fitted sometimes involves changing the shape of your teeth, which is irreversible. This may also make your teeth feel more sensitive to hot and cold.

If you experience any unusual symptoms such as pain or bleeding, contact us to make an emergency appointment.

When you take good care of your oral health, composite veneers usually last around 5 years while porcelain veneers can last for 10-15 years.

Try to avoid hard and crunchy foods or biting any objects that could damage your veneers, such as nuts, pens and fingernails. This is especially important if you have composite veneers which are more easily damaged than porcelain.

If your veneers get damaged or become dislodged, make an emergency appointment at our clinic to have them replaced.