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All You Wanted to Know About Porcelain Veneers

Whether you have been thinking about improving your smile, looking for a second opinion, or just want to know a little more about porcelain veneers, this website is the complete patient resource to help you understand what porcelain veneers are, how they are made and fitted, and what their best indications are.

Dr Michael Mandikos is a Registered Specialist in Prosthodontics and is recognised as a national and international expert and teacher in the field of porcelain veneers. His expertise spans more than 25 years and he has provided veneers for celebrities, politicians and even a Hollywood movie actress.
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Dr. Michael Mandikos
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Your Guide to Porcelain Veneers

Browse through the information below to learn more about porcelain veneers and to ensure that you get the very best results for your teeth and your smile.
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1. What is a Porcelain Veneer?

A veneer is a facing that is made to fit over the front of a tooth, to change its size, shape or colour. Veneers can be made from composite resin (sometimes referred to as “Bonding”) or from porcelain. They are custom made for the tooth and should fit precisely to place with a dental adhesive for a lifelike, long term result.
Pre-treatment smile
Whilst her smile before treatment was very beautiful, this patient was always troubled by the asymmetry between her two central incisors.
Pre-treatment smile
The asymmetry was caused by the central incisors being different widths. Her right incisor was wider than the left, and it also had an old composite filling (shown by the arrow). She wanted the best possible cosmetic result with the best longevity. After we explained that symmetry could only be achieved by modifying both incisors, she opted to have porcelain veneers.
Changes to the teeth
Removing the existing composite filling showed the old fractured corner of her right incisor -making it appear shorter in this area. Both teeth then had the faintest amounts of enamel reduced from their front surfaces and fine “finish lines” were created for the veneers. The precision of these modifications is essential in order to ensure the minimum amount of enamel is removed, and that the new veneers will fit perfectly.
The Porcelain Veneers
The porcelain veneers came back from our Ceramist with a perfect fit and shade match. They were symmetrical and achieved natural form, colour and surface shine and features.
Perfect, natural symmetry
The precisely made and fitted porcelain veneers look lifelike and seamlessly fit into her smile. Their fine nuances of colour at their incisal edges make them look very natural.
The results of “No Preparation”
Some people suggest that it is not necessary to reduce any enamel from the teeth for veneers to be made. This young lady had “No-Prep” porcelain veneers.
The results of “No Preparation”
Unfortunately, the result of no preparation is that there is no room to place the porcelain, and the become thicker, bulkier and they tend to push up and squeeze on the gum position. The overall result is very unnatural.
The results of “No Preparation”
The case on the left has had minor enamel preparation and the case on the right has had no preparation. You can judge for yourself whether careful enamel reshaping is necessary or not, for a perfect outcome.

2. Are My Teeth Drilled for a Porcelain Veneer?

There has been the suggestion that porcelain veneers can be placed without touching the underlying tooth. This is possible in a small number of instances, and whenever it can be done without compromising the final result, then this is what we will do. However, in most instances, a small amount of modification is needed to the underlying tooth such that the new veneer fits seamlessly into the smile and does not look “bulky” or cause unwanted gum inflammation. If you have seen people with teeth that look too fake and too big, it may be that the veneers were placed without correct tooth modification first.

3. Porcelain Veneers or Porcelain Crowns?

Porcelain can be used in the form of a full crown or a veneer. Where possible, veneers are preferred for their longevity and also because they are much more conservative to the underlying tooth. Veneers normally require a thin layer of enamel to be reduced from the front of a tooth, whereas crowns require this amount to be removed all the way around the tooth (front, back and sides). In cases where many teeth need to be treated, the presence of existing fillings in some of those teeth may mean that veneers are not possible on those teeth, and crowns are indicated instead. However, even in those situations, we will always place crowns only on those teeth which require them, and place veneers on the remaining teeth, to ensure the minimum amount of enamel is ever removed and that the most conservative treatment is always performed.
Pre-treatment smile
This lady originally had spaces between her front teeth. She sought treatment with a Dentist overseas, who sadly, placed full crowns on her four front teeth.
Pre-treatment condition
In this photograph, it is clear that the old crowns were poorly shaped and also did not fit very well.
Old crowns removed
Once the old crowns were removed, the extent of the past drilling was clear. These teeth had been unnecessarily reduced to these small shapes, and one of the teeth even required root canal treatment. Crowns do not always require this much grinding back of natural tooth structure, though as a general rule, crowns will require more tooth reduction than a porcelain veneer.
Completed case - new porcelain crowns
Whilst the new porcelain crowns made this smile beautiful, the sad truth is that beneath them, there is not much remaining natural tooth structure. If this lady’s teeth had been treated with porcelain veneers from the outset, the case may have been much more conservative.
Presenting situation
This man had slight overlapping of his incisors, and specifically, he had worn down the length of his front teeth. He wanted to improve the appearance of his smile and inquired about crowns. We advised him that porcelain veneers would be a much better and more conservative option. He chose to have porcelain veneers placed.
Pre-treatment
This photograph shows the short incisors and so the aim of treatment was to lengthen his teeth to improve his smile. As we were trying to add length, there was no need to further shorten the teeth nor to remove any more enamel other than just a little on the front of the teeth.
The teeth are prepared for veneers
This photograph clearly shows how conservative the reshaping of the enamel was, when compared to porcelain crowns.
Completed case
The porcelain veneers speak for themselves in this completed case photo. Sensible case planning, very careful tooth preparation and exquisite skills on the part of our Ceramist, all combine to create a perfectly natural result.
Natural beauty
The patient was very happy with the appearance of his new smile.
Pre-treatment smile
This younger patient was born with narrow teeth. She had spaces in her smile which she did not like and she was seeking “bigger” teeth. As she was only aged in her teens, composite veneers were recommended.
After composite veneers
These composite veneers were place without any reduction of the natural teeth below, and hence were a very conservative, and still highly aesthetic treatment option for this young lady.
Three-year review
After several years in the mouth, composite mostly loses its shine and will slowly discolour. The dulling of the original shine is evident in this photograph. Some composites will last better than others, but none have the longer term polish retention and stain resistance of porcelain.
The beauty of porcelain
These two photographs show porcelain veneers placed on the slightly small left and right lateral incisors, to close the spaces in the smile.
Porcelain in “harsh” conditions
In this close up photo of the left lateral incisor, the porcelain veneer (marked by an arrow), has perfect form, colour and surface detail, to match with the natural teeth. The highly shined surface creates a beautiful, healthy response in the gums, and this shine will normally last up to 15 years or more.
Porcelain in “harsh” conditions
Patients who smoke and drink a lot of tea, coffee or red wine, create conditions in their mouths which lead to staining and unfavourable aesthetics. This lady was being treated for gum disease and was a regular smoker. To improve the appearance of her smile, she elected to have porcelain veneers on her lower incisors.
Porcelain in “harsh” conditions
5 years later, and even after heavy smoking, her veneers were still shiny and without major staining or discolouration.
Porcelain in “harsh” conditions
This photograph was taken close up on the same patient, but viewed from the tongue’s side. It shows that the natural tooth structure that is not covered with porcelain, has actually stained and accumulated a lot of plaque and tartar. However, the porcelain itself is almost stain resistant. In fact the cement line joining the veneers to the underlying teeth is easy to see because of the difference in staining. (refer to the dotted black line on one tooth)

4. Porcelain Veneers or Composite Veneers?

When seeking to improve the appearance of teeth, the choices are either porcelain or composite resin materials.

Composite resins are hardened plastic materials which can be used very conservatively, and are very well suited to younger patients. Their limitations are mostly in their longevity as they lose their shine and will discolour over time. Composite veneers are placed in one longer appointment, and the colour options whilst good, are still limited in comparison to porcelain.

Porcelain veneers are custom made by a Ceramist in the dental laboratory, and this allows for many fine colours and nuances to be incorporated into each veneer. This finesse increases the lifelike appearance of the restored tooth often making porcelain veneers indistinguishable from adjacent natural teeth. Porcelain also brings the advantage of a glass-like finish which is very plaque and stain resistant, and so the cosmetic result can potentially last up to 15 years or longer.

5. Can You Treat Just One Tooth With a Veneer?

Porcelain veneers are custom made, individual restorations which are fitted to individual teeth. They can be used to restore or reshape one tooth, or placed in multiples, to create an entirely new smile.

When creating a new smile with many veneers, it is easier to obtain a perfect colour - as all the veneers will match each other. When treating a single tooth, a near perfect shade match is possible, but sometimes it is harder to achieve and more than one attempt may be needed at colour matching. These additional steps require Specialist attention and often come with a small additional cost. But outstanding results are possible when expert care is applied.
A single porcelain veneer
This young man had a slightly darker, narrower-looking central incisor, and the adjacent lateral incisor overlapped it. He wanted to make his tooth appear to be the right colour and size. He chose to have a porcelain veneer.
A single porcelain veneer
A perfect porcelain veneer was made and bonded to place. The veneer not only had all of the fine colour nuances of the natural teeth (white flecks, fine yellow bands), but it also had the perfect shape and size, and was made slightly thicker so as to sit forwards. The act of sitting forwards also cleverly eliminated the appearance of an overlap by the adjacent lateral incisor.

Other Common Questions About Veneers

6. Should I have veneers done overseas?

Most people have read about having dentistry performed overseas, or may have even been provided with a referral to a “reputable clinic” in a foreign country. Be careful as the old adage of being careful who you entrust your health to, applies equally to your teeth.

In our practice, we often see patients who have had their treatment provided in a few days whilst overseas. Sadly, this frequently results in poor treatment and damage to the underlying and adjacent teeth. Our role is then to try to save the involved teeth, and if possible, to try to re-create some sort of smile for them.

Bigger dental cases involving multiple teeth are quite complex to plan and to provide. These cases mostly take many appointments spaced over weeks or months because it takes time for tissues to heal and mature, and for aesthetics to be developed, tested and then the appropriate porcelain restorations to be fabricated.

Correct and quality treatment takes time, and porcelain veneer cases are no exception. Once pulps have died or infections have set in, the treatment options can then become limited and teeth sometimes need to be extracted.
Overseas veneers
This young lady had sought treatment overseas. She was recommended to a “high quality” clinic and had her veneer treatment completed during her 8 day holiday. She was unhappy with the final appearance and now had sensitivity in several teeth.
Something doesn’t look right
On examination, the veneers did not have the normal surface finish and high shine that porcelain should have. On closer inspection, the left lateral incisor (marked with arrow) had a suspicious grey colour. This lady’s gums were also puffy and slightly overgrown.
Gross leaking and decay
On examination, the veneers did not have the normal surface finish and high shine that porcelain should have. On closer inspection, the left lateral incisor (marked with arrow) had a suspicious grey colour. This lady’s gums were also puffy and slightly overgrown.
Veneers - correctly made and placed
After a period in temporary veneers which allowed the gums to heal and also time to test the cosmetic result that the patient was seeking, the final “Australian-Made” porcelain veneers were correctly bonded to her teeth. All sensitivity ceased, comfort returned, and the young lady was able to eat and drink normally again.
Perfect porcelain veneers
With her new veneers properly in place, this lady began to smile again - the way she always dreamed she would.
Flat, opaque and unnatural
This lady wanted to have whiter teeth. Sadly, the veneers made at this “expert” overseas clinic were flat, opaque and very unnatural - the result looked very fake.
And very heavy tooth preparation
Upon removing the old veneers, it was evident that the overseas clinic had also heavily ground down these teeth!
White, translucent and natural
We remade these veneers with more life-like shapes and colours. The new veneers look perfect.

7. Can veneers change the colour of all teeth?

Tooth whitening (bleaching) is usually the best way to improve the colour of your teeth. However, when the teeth already have existing fillings or whitening has not been fully successful, then porcelain veneers are the perfect way to improve the colour of teeth.

Porcelain veneers can be used to mask darker or antibiotic/tetracycline stained teeth, by placing a thin veneer of brighter porcelain over the affected tooth or teeth. Whilst we can change the colour quite significantly with veneers, they do have their limitations and very dark teeth may still require other treatment options. As such, it is important that your teeth are assessed properly and that the correct treatment options are provided to you.
The existing veneer was very opaque

8. How are porcelain veneers made?

Once the teeth are reshaped for the veneer, an impression is made of the teeth, and this is sent to the Ceramist in the Dental Laboratory. The Ceramist makes plaster model of the teeth and on this model, he or she will meticulously layer fine porcelain powders onto the model, to form the new tooth shape. These powders then are fired in a porcelain oven (just like a potter fires their clay in a kiln) and the final veneers are thus formed. The porcelain veneers are then polished and sent back to the clinician, who will then fit them to the teeth.
Ceramist mixes porcelain powders

9. Over Preparation of Teeth

Inexperience sometimes leads to porcelain veneers being placed on the teeth, or it may lead to too much enamel being removed from the teeth. Either way, the result can be disastrous as the veneer may fracture and debond.

The poor outcomes can be avoided by careful case planning and very exacting tooth preparation. Specialist level care will ensure the best possible success for your porcelain veneers.

10. The Need for Long Term Results

Shows like "Extreme Makeover" show you before and after views of peoples teeth, and the results look amazing. But, after a few years, the shortcomings of these quick and nasty approaches to treatment become apparent as veneers leak and fall off, teeth decay and gum disease, root canal treatments, and even extractions become necessary.

When choosing where to be treated, ask your clinician to show you long terms followups, so that you can be sure that their treatment protocols are safe, effective, and long-lasting.
The need for long term Results
Shows like “Extreme Makeover” show you before and after views of peoples teeth, and the results look amazing. But, after a few years, the shortcomings of these quick and nasty approaches to treatment become apparent as veneers leak and fall off, teeth decay and gum disease, root canal treatments, and even extractions become necessary. When choosing where to be treated, ask your clinician to show you long term followups, so that you can be sure that their treatment protocols are safe, effective, and long-lasting
The need for long term Results
Shows like “Extreme Makeover” show you before and after views of peoples teeth, and the results look amazing. But, after a few years, the shortcomings of these quick and nasty approaches to treatment become apparent as veneers leak and fall off, teeth decay and gum disease, root canal treatments, and even extractions become necessary. When choosing where to be treated, ask your clinician to show you long term followups, so that you can be sure that their treatment protocols are safe, effective, and long-lasting

11. How much do Porcelain Veneers cost?

Quality dental treatment is not inexpensive and the cost of porcelain veneers also reflects this.

Dental practices are essentially small hospital environments with stringent infection control protocols, extensive equipment and consumable materials needs, high staff ratios, and high insurance, licensing and compliance costs. Unlike a hospital, there is no medicare benefit paid to dental practices and all of these costs are passed on to the patient in the dental fees they pay.

Porcelain veneers are provided by the Dentist, but made by a Ceramist. This means there is an additional fee built into the cost of the veneers - and this is the Ceramist's fee. When veneers are made by a skilled, Australian Ceramist, the fee is significant, and this means that quality veneers will cost more than veneers made in overseas laboratories.

If you have received a cost estimate for porcelain veneers which seems low, or have been offered a discounted rate, then this might indicate that the veneers will be made in China or another low-cost overseas laboratory, where skill, quality and material properties are very low.

12. Porcelain Veneers used in Hollywood ?

Dr Mandikos has been a consultant on a Hollywood movie set, advising on dental cosmetics and providing the prosthetics for one of the movie's stars.
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Why Choose Us?

Dr. Michael Mandikos

BDSc (Hons), MS (New York), Cert Pros, FRACDS, FICD, FPFA.
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Dr. Mandikos is a registered specialist in Prosthodontics. Michael received his Bachelor of Dental Science Degree with First Class Honours, from the University of Queensland. In 1995 he moved to the United States where he enrolled into a three-year Advanced Education Residency Program at the State University of New York at Buffalo (USA). In 1998, he graduated with a Certificate in Prosthodontics and Masters Degree in Biomaterials. His research was in composite resin materials and he has published several research papers in Australian and international journals on clinical and dental materials topics, as well as many clinical technique articles in local dental magazines. Michael was admitted as a Fellow of The Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons in 2000, after receiving the Sutherland Prize for the highest examination pass that year.

Aside from his private practice, Michael is a Visiting Specialist Prosthodontist to the University of Queensland Dental School and formerly to the Royal Australian Air Force. He is also a Specialist Clinical Associate at the University of Sydney. Michael has been a Reviewer for the Australian Dental Journal and the journal of Lasers in Medical Science, and he is on the Editorial Review Boards for journals - Quintessence International and Clinica (International Journal of Brazilian Dentistry). Michael is also a product evaluator for several dental companies and he regularly presents continuing education programs at Dental meetings throughout Australia, Southeast Asia and the USA.