Tooth-coloured veneers for chipped, discoloured, worn or uneven teeth, from a practice that has been caring for Albury patients since 1981.
If there’s a chipped front tooth you’ve learnt to hide when you smile, or staining that whitening hasn’t shifted, you’ve probably wondered whether veneers could help.
At MP Dental Albury, our dentists offer both porcelain veneers and composite veneers as part of our cosmetic dentistry treatments. Open up a conversation about what you’d like to change, and we’ll tell you plainly whether a veneer is the way to get there.
Dental veneers are thin shells that cover the front surface of a tooth to change its shape, colour or length. Each veneer is made to match the teeth around it, so a single chipped tooth can be rebuilt on its own, or a set of veneers across the front teeth can change the overall look of the smile.
Dental veneers are made from either porcelain or composite resin, and are bonded directly onto the tooth.
Because a veneer sits on the front surface of a tooth, it suits problems that show on that surface or change the tooth’s outline, and a single veneer can address more than one of them at once. Here’s some common concerns.
A veneer can rebuild the corner or edge of a front tooth that has broken away, restoring its shape and length. It’s bonded over the whole front surface, so the repair is one continuous piece rather than a patch on the broken corner, and the colour is matched to the rest of the tooth. A small chip can often be built up in composite in a single visit, while a break that has taken most of the edge is more likely to need porcelain.
Where staining doesn’t respond to teeth whitening, such as marks from childhood antibiotics, fluorosis, or a tooth that has darkened after injury or root canal treatment, a veneer covers the discolouration. The veneer is opaque enough to mask the colour underneath while still letting light through at the edges, which is what brings a single dark tooth back in line with its neighbours. Whitening lifts surface stains only, so a veneer is used when the discolouration sits inside the tooth.
Grinding and acid wear can shorten the front teeth over time, flattening the edges and making the smile look older than it is. Veneers can help restore the length and improve the proportion of the smile by rebuilding the lost edge and evening out the line across the front teeth. Where the wear has come from acid, whether reflux or acidic drinks, the cause needs managing first or the teeth around the veneers will keep wearing.
Slightly crooked, twisted or unevenly sized teeth, and small gaps between them, may be visually corrected with veneers where the bite allows. Each veneer is shaped a little wider or straighter than the tooth beneath it, so the teeth appear aligned without being moved. This works for gaps of a millimetre or two; larger gaps or a badly rotated tooth are usually better closed with orthodontics first, since a veneer wide enough to fill them tends to look bulky.
Both types of veneers can fix the same problems, but they differ in a few ways. Knowing where those differences sit makes it much easier to weigh up your dentist’s recommendation, and to ask the right questions before you commit.
Porcelain veneers are made in a dental laboratory from an impression or digital scan of your prepared teeth. They’re strong for their thickness, resist staining well and have a translucency that closely resembles natural enamel, which is why they’re often chosen when several front teeth are being treated together
Porcelain veneers usually take two appointments: one to prepare the teeth and record the impression, and one to fit the finished veneers. All laboratory work for our veneers is made by qualified dental technicians in Australia using Australian-made materials, and none of it is sent overseas.
Composite veneers are built directly onto the tooth by your dentist using tooth-coloured resin, then shaped and polished in the same visit. They generally cost less than porcelain and involve little or no removal of enamel, which makes them a common choice for a single chipped tooth or a minor change.
Composite can pick up stains over time and is more prone to chipping than porcelain, so it may need touching up or replacing sooner. If you have composite veneers, going easy on coffee, tea, red wine and smoking will help them hold their colour.
Your dentist examines your teeth and gums and may take an x-ray to confirm the tooth is healthy enough for a veneer. You’ll talk through what you’d like to change and which type of veneer suits. For a broader change across several teeth, digital smile design lets you preview the proposed shape and proportion before any treatment starts.
For porcelain veneers, a thin layer of enamel, roughly the thickness of a fingernail, is removed under local anaesthetic so the veneer sits flush with the neighbouring teeth. In some cases it’s possible to make veneers with minimal or no preparation. An impression or scan is sent to the laboratory, and temporary veneers may be placed while yours are made.
The finished porcelain veneers are tried in and checked for fit, shape and shade before they’re bonded. This is the time to mention anything you’d like adjusted, because changes are much harder once a veneer is cemented. Composite veneers are shaped, finished and polished in a single appointment.
You’ll be shown how to care for your veneers, and we’ll see you for regular check-ups so any early wear or gum changes can be picked up. Between visits, we’ll encourage you to continue brushing twice a day with a soft toothbrush and a non-abrasive toothpaste, floss daily to keep the gum line around each veneer healthy.
If dental treatment makes you anxious, let us know when you book. Relative analgesia (a mild mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen) can be used during your appointment, and medication to take beforehand can be arranged where your dentist considers it suitable.
For more information, please read our risks and considerations of dental veneers before deciding whether this treatment is suitable for you.
MP Dental was founded in 1981 by Dr Michael J Priestley and has been part of the Albury community ever since. We’re locally owned rather than part of a dental corporation.
Our dentists have a particular interest in cosmetic dentistry and smile design, and take part in ongoing continuing education.
Our sterilisation and treatment protocols meet Dental Board standards, so you can be confident in how your care is delivered.
Digital smile design and modern imaging help you see what’s planned before treatment begins.
Thursday evening appointments until 7:00 pm & Saturday morning appointments are available by arrangement, which makes it easier to fit veneer appointments around work.
Our dentists are supported by oral health therapist Merryn Buckmaster and practice manager Francesca Dall’Olio, who’ll help you with bookings, treatment plans and payment questions.
Principal Dentist
BDS, FRACDS(GDP), MPH. Dr Rai leads the team at MP Dental Albury and has a particular interest in smile design, oral surgery and implant dentistry. She also tutors clinically, supporting the next generation of dentists.
Dentist
BDSc (Hons). Dr Qui’s areas of interest include cosmetic dentistry, smile design and oral surgery, and he works closely with patients considering veneers to plan changes that suit their face and smile.
The cost of dental veneers depends on whether you choose porcelain or composite, how many teeth are treated and whether any other dental work is needed first. After your consultation, you’ll receive a written treatment plan with itemised costs before anything begins.
Cosmetic treatment isn’t covered by Medicare, and health fund rebates depend on your level of extras cover, so it’s worth checking with your fund. Where a rebate applies, we can claim it on the spot through HICAPS. We accept Eftpos, Visa, Mastercard, cash, direct deposit and cheques, and payment plans are available through Zip Pay and Afterpay.
MP Dental Albury is at 536 Thurgoona Street, in the heart of Albury, with free on-site parking and wheelchair access. Patients come to us for veneers from Albury, Lavington, Glenroy, Thurgoona, Wodonga and the surrounding towns of southern New South Wales and north-east Victoria.
We’re open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, with Thursday evening appointments until 7:00 pm and Saturday appointments from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm, both by appointment only.
If you’ve been thinking about veneers for a chipped, discoloured or worn tooth, a consultation with one of our dentists is the place to start. Call MP Dental Albury on 02 6021 8011 or book online, and we’ll find a time that suits you.
Porcelain veneers can last ten years or more with good care, while composite veneers generally have a shorter lifespan and may need refreshing sooner. No dentist can guarantee how long a veneer will last. How long yours last depends on your bite, whether you grind your teeth, your oral hygiene and how well you avoid biting hard objects.
A veneer on a single tooth is common, particularly for a chipped or discoloured front tooth. Your dentist matches the shade and shape to the neighbouring teeth so the veneer blends in. Composite is often chosen for a single tooth because it can be colour-matched and finished in one visit.
Veneers can look natural when the shade, shape and translucency are chosen to suit your face and the teeth around them, rather than a uniform bright white. You’ll be involved in choosing the shade, and porcelain veneers are tried in before they’re bonded so you can see them in place first.
The number of veneers depends on how many teeth show when you smile and what you’d like to change. A single veneer can fix one chipped or discoloured tooth, while a broader change in colour or shape usually means treating the upper front teeth as a set, commonly six to eight, so they match. Your dentist will show you the options at your consultation.
Whitening before veneers is often recommended, because veneers don’t respond to whitening once they’re in place. Whitening first means the veneers can be matched to your brighter shade, and the teeth beside them will stay consistent.
Grinding or clenching doesn’t rule veneers out, but it does put more force on them. Your dentist will assess the wear on your teeth first and may recommend a night splint to wear over the veneers while you sleep. In some cases of heavy grinding, a different treatment may be a better fit, and your dentist will talk this through with you.