Veneers and composite bonding are the two main ways to change the shape, colour or alignment of front teeth without braces. They are often sold as if they were the same thing. They are not, and the difference matters because one of them cannot be undone.
What each one is
- Porcelain veneers are thin shells of ceramic made in a lab and bonded to the front of the tooth. To fit them, the dentist usually removes a layer of enamel, which means the tooth will always need a veneer from then on.
- Composite bonding is tooth coloured resin applied directly to the tooth by the dentist and shaped by hand, then hardened with a light. Usually little or no enamel is removed, so it is largely reversible.
What they cost
Neither is available on the NHS, because both are cosmetic.
- Composite bonding: typically £150 to £350 per tooth
- Porcelain veneers: typically around £614 per tooth, with a range of roughly £250 to £975
A full smile makeover on six to ten front teeth therefore runs from the low thousands with bonding to five figures with veneers. London sits at the top of those ranges.
How long they last
- Veneers: commonly 10 to 15 years, sometimes longer. Porcelain resists staining and keeps its shine.
- Bonding: commonly 5 to 7 years. Composite can stain with tea, coffee and smoking, and it can chip, though chips are usually repairable in one visit.
Over twenty years, bonding may need replacing two or three times, which narrows the cost gap, but it never requires the enamel removal that veneers do.
Which suits which problem
- Small chips, gaps and minor shape changes: bonding is usually the sensible first choice. It is cheaper, done in a single visit, and reversible.
- Heavy staining that whitening will not shift, worn or badly shaped teeth, or a complete change of appearance: veneers deliver a more durable and more polished result.
- Teeth that are crooked rather than just imperfect: consider aligners first. Covering crooked teeth with veneers means removing more enamel to make them line up.
Questions to ask before you agree
- How much enamel will be removed, and is that reversible?
- Is the price per tooth, and does it include the consultation, any whitening beforehand, and follow ups?
- What happens if one chips or fails, and what will that cost?
- Can you see photographs of the dentist's own cases, not stock images?
Prices for the same treatment vary two to three fold between practices, so get two or three written plans. This is general information, not clinical advice.