Clinical review: Dr. Samreen Ejaz, BDS, RDS ·
Bigger than a filling
A composite veneer covers a larger part of the front of a tooth than a normal filling. It can help with shape, a worn or uneven edge, or colour. If you only have a small chip, a small repair may be all you need, and Dr. Samreen will explain why she’s suggesting a veneer if she does.
Checking your tooth first
She looks for decay, old fillings and how your teeth bite. The material has to bond well and be smoothed properly, so the tooth surface matters. Adding material changes the shape too, and the edge near the gum has to be easy for you to clean. If there’s decay or an old leaking filling, we deal with that first.
What happens in the chair
We choose the shade, bond the material to your tooth and shape it by hand, then smooth and polish it. We check the edges, how it matches the other side and how your teeth meet. A good composite veneer shouldn’t feel bulky or leave a ledge where food and plaque collect.
How it wears over time
Composite can pick up stains, lose its shine or chip. Often we can polish or patch it without redoing the whole veneer, though not always. Avoid biting hard things with the front teeth and keep the edges clean. If you whiten your natural teeth later, the composite won’t change colour, so it may stop matching.
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Questions about composite veneers
Can it be done without trimming my tooth?
Sometimes, but not always. It depends on your tooth and the shape you want, and we can only say after checking.
Can a chipped composite veneer be fixed?
Often, depending on the size of the chip. We’ll also look at why it chipped so it doesn’t keep happening.
Can I eat normally afterwards?
Yes, you can eat once you leave. Just avoid biting into very hard food with those teeth.
This is general information. What’s right for your tooth depends on what Dr. Samreen finds when she examines it.
Background reading: ADA: tooth-coloured fillings. These are overseas sources, so their prices and rules don’t apply here.