What are veneers?
Veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of ceramic for the teeth, which are individually permanently attached to the front tooth surface using a special technique to (re)create a radiant smile. They are usually applied to the entire visible area of the teeth. They are attached to the teeth by minimally invasive grinding of the tooth surface and application of the veneers with a special adhesive.
Veneers improve tooth shape, tooth size, tooth position and, if necessary, tooth color in an esthetically unobtrusive way.
When are veneers useful?
Many people want a flawless smile with white teeth, but for whom are veneers suitable? Veneers are useful when the teeth are structurally sound, i.e. there is basically healthy tooth structure, but the patient would like to improve it aesthetically. Veneers are particularly suitable for the esthetic treatment of anterior and (visible) posterior teeth:
- Tooth discoloration
- Shape changes of the teeth or unsightly shaped teeth
- Broken teeth
- Tooth gaps and slight tooth misalignments (e.g. crooked teeth) – however, veneers are not suitable for concealing large tooth gaps
- Tooth size differences and short teeth
- Generally aged and worn teeth
What are the differences between veneers?
Ceramic veneers / Conventional veneers
Conventional veneers are ceramic veneers. They are usually very well tolerated and are produced in the dental laboratory to suit the individual patient. Ceramic veneers are almost indistinguishable from natural teeth. Ceramic veneers are usually a form of high quality veneers.
A ceramic veneer is similar in hardness to natural tooth enamel. Ceramic veneers have a thickness of 0.4 – 1.0 mm depending on the patient’s initial situation and require appropriate grinding of the tooth surface.
Non-prep veneers / Lumineers
The special thing about non-prep veneers or lumineers is that they do not require grinding of the teeth. For this reason, they are only suitable for closing gaps between teeth, with a good tooth position.
A non-prep veneer / lumineer is significantly thinner than a conventional veneer – they are only 0.3 mm thick on average. In addition, no grinding of the teeth and therefore no local anesthesia is necessary. Due to their thinness, Lumineers sometimes cannot cover very heavily discolored teeth to the desired extent.
Instant Veneers / Veneers to Go
Immediate veneers are made of either all-ceramic or a ceramic-plastic mixture. Immediate veneers are not individually manufactured and therefore do not necessarily fit accurately. They can be applied without or with minimal preparation of the teeth.
Immediate veneers are the most affordable option of veneers, as the treatment can be completed in one session and the veneer templates are standardized, eliminating the cost of soner fabrication in the dental laboratory.
Some dentists view Sofot veneers skeptically, due to the lack of adaptation to individual teeth compared to conventional veneers, they can be damaging to teeth in the long term.
Composite veneers / temporary veneers
These are temporary veneers made of dental plastic. Composite veneers are usually only a temporary solution to bridge the time while individual ceramic veneers are made in the dental laboratory
How does the treatment with veneers proceed?
In the following, the treatment with ceramic veneers will be described. In total, beautifying teeth with veneers takes about 14 days and can be completed with 2-3 visits to the dentist.
Step 1: Examination and preparation
The first thing that should always be done is a consultation and examination by the dentist. The teeth are thoroughly cleaned and, if necessary, fillings are renewed and caries are removed. In addition, the initial situation is documented photographically.
Step 2: Grinding the teeth, taking impressions and attaching temporaries
With conventional veneers, the teeth must now be ground so that the veneers fit as closely as possible to the natural teeth and do not appear too thick. The grinding is performed under local anesthesia. How much tooth substance has to be ground off depends on the specific causes for the treatment, e.g. the misalignment of the teeth or the degree of discoloration of the teeth.
Next, the dentist creates impressions so that a dental technician can fabricate the veneers individually in the dental laboratory.
Finally, temporary veneers can be applied to bridge the time during which the final veneers are fabricated in the dental laboratory.
Step 3: Fitting, adjustments and permanent placement of the veneers
In a further step, the veneers are tried on. If the fit and esthetics are good, the veneers can now be applied directly; adjustments may still be necessary.
Finally, the veneers are attached to the patient’s teeth using a special adhesive. Gluing usually takes about 20 minutes.
What are advantages of veneers?
Beautiful smile: The result of treatment with veneers can be seen and can hardly be distinguished from real teeth – usually after treatment a patient can look in the mirror at very beautiful teeth, in the case of ceramic veneers they are adjusted to the maximum extent to the individual requirements of the patient. The quality of the result is a great advantage of veneers, especially in case of a combination of different aesthetic dental problems they are a good solution (e.g. discoloration of teeth, gaps between teeth, crooked teeth in the front area)
Fast treatment:Veneer restoration is very fast. Ceramic veneers can be applied in 2 sessions over approximately 2 weeks. The application of veneers such as non-prep veneers or instant veneers is even possible within one session.
High durability:Ceramic veneers have a very high durability of at least 20 years, but other types of veneers are also relatively long-lasting with an average durability of 10 years.
What are disadvantages of veneers?
Grinding off tooth substance:Depending on the reason for treatment, conventional veneers require varying amounts of healthy tooth substance to be ground off the natural teeth. Grinding the teeth can cause pulp inflammation.
Permanent change of the teeth: With conventional veneers, the treatment cannot be reversed due to the grinding of the teeth. If a patient is dissatisfied with the veneers, they can only be replaced with other veneers.
Very high cost: The cost of veneers is relatively high, especially customized conventional veneers are expensive.
Hypersensitivity: Some patients may experience tooth hypersensitivity freshly after the insertion of conventional veneers, but this usually subsides.
How much do veneers cost?
When considering the cost of veneers, it is important to note that veneer prices usually refer to the placement of a veneer on a single tooth. Often there is some sort of volume discount and patients can thus expect a lower cost per tooth when using veneers on multiple teeth.
In Switzerland
In Switzerland, there are typically the following prices for different types of veneers (each per tooth):
- Ceramic veneers / conventional veneers: CHF 1’200 – 1700
- Non-Prep Veneers / Lumineers: CHF 800 – 1’400
- Immediate veneers / Veneers to Go: CHF 350 – 450
In European foreign countries
In Germany and Austria, the prices for veneers are somewhat lower than in Switzerland and relatively similar, where patients can expect the following price ranges:
- Ceramic veneers / conventional veneers: EUR 900 – 2’000
- Non-Prep Veneers / Lumineers: EUR 600 – 1’100
- Immediate veneers / Veneers to Go: EUR 350 – 400
Greece and Czech Republic have even lower and similar price levels, with the following prices:
- Ceramic veneers / conventional veneers: EUR 300 – 500
- Non-Prep Veneers / Lumineers: EUR 600 – 700
Hungary has the lowest price level for these dental treatments with the following prices:
- Ceramic veneers / conventional veneers: EUR 150 – 500
- Non-Prep Veneers / Lumineers: EUR 450 – 700
The following table provides an overview of the price levels in the countries listed here for ceramic veneers / conventional veneers and non-prep veneers / lumineers:
| Country | Price Ceramic Veneers / Conventional Veneers per tooth | Price non-prep veneers / lumineers per tooth |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | CHF 1’200 – 1’700 | CHF 800 – 1’400 |
| Germany | EUR 900 – 2’000 | EUR 600 – 1’100 |
| Austria | EUR 900 – 2’000 | EUR 700 – 1’000 |
| Greece | EUR 300 – 500 | EUR 600 – 700 |
| Czech Republic | EUR 300 – 600 | Prices not available |
| Hungary | EUR 150 – 500 | EUR 450 – 700 |
Sources: Dental websites and medical treatment cost comparison portals.
Does the supplementary insurance cover the cost of veneers?
Similar to whitening, veneers are usually considered a non-medically prescribed treatment and are therefore excluded from coverage by supplementary (dental) insurance, so patients usually have to pay for the cost of veneers entirely themselves.
Other frequently asked questions about veneers
How long do veneers last?
The durability of veneers varies depending on the type and behavior of the patient.
Ceramic veneers last a long time: Experts assume that ceramic veneers will last at least 20-30 years, up to a lifetime, if they are made and applied by experts. The majority of scientific studies investigating the longevity of ceramic veneers show that a majority of veneers last at least 20 years (>80%), the survival of veneers beyond 20 years has not been adequately studied scientifically.
Non-prep veneers / Lumineers have a significantly lower durability of 10 years on average, which is due to the fact that stronger discolorations show through the relatively thin non-prep veneers more quickly.
Immediate veneers have a similar durability to non-prep veneers of approximately 10 years.
How many veneers do I need?
Usually veneers are made in pairs from front to back for the mouth (i.e. in a number of 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.).
The number of veneers needed varies from patient to patient and depends on the one hand on the cosmetic defects of the teeth that a patient wants to compensate with veneers, and on the other hand on the shape and proportions of the patient’s face.
In general, a patient should try to achieve the desired result with as few veneers as possible.
Can veneers discolor over time?
In this respect, the material ceramic differs from natural teeth and does not discolor. It is important to keep this in mind when choosing the color of the veneers, as the natural teeth surrounding the veneers may (further) discolor over time.
In addition, it is even more important to prevent discoloration of the natural teeth, for example, through regular professional dental cleanings.
How do veneers feel?
Veneers feel like the natural tooth surface, depending on the individual patient’s initial situation they may feel smoother than the natural tooth surface, however, patients usually get used to a possibly changed feeling in the mouth very quickly.
What are the alternatives to veneers?
Depending on the aesthetic aspects according to which a patient would like to visually improve his teeth, there are various alternative (sometimes significantly cheaper) treatment options for beautiful teeth, which can also be combined:
- Contouring with composite can compensate for minor flaws in tooth position and shape
- Orthodontic treatment, e.g. with Invisalign, can directly treat the misalignment of teeth
- Bleaching can counteract discolored teeth
Who are veneers not suitable for?
There are several groups of people for whom veneers are not suitable. These include:
- People who suffer from teeth grinding, however, patients who grind or clench their teeth can protect their veneers while they sleep with customized grinding splints
- People who bite nails
- People who practice martial arts or ball sports where dental injuries may occur.
- People with existing large fillings
If in doubt, ask your dentist whether you belong to a group of people who should avoid veneers.
Can veneers be removed again?
If the teeth have not been ground in advance, veneers can be removed without leaving any residue. However, conventional veneers / ceramic veneers and sometimes instant veneers require preparation of the teeth by grinding, in these cases the veneers can only be replaced by other veneers.
Can veneers fall off?
Veneers only fall off if they have not been professionally applied or if they are broken out by force of the accident.
Last update: December 18, 2022
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