Porcelain and composite veneers are some of the most popular treatments we offer at The Courtyard, but a lot of our patients don’t know what it’s like to actually go through the process – you won’t quite walk out with a brand-new set of pearly whites after five minutes. Let’s take a look at the different treatment options, and the steps we’ll go through with you.

What’s the difference between dental implants and veneers

Veneers are to cover chips, cracks, gaps or stains in your teeth, whereas dental implants are recommended if you have any teeth missing. Veneers are often the more cost-effective option, but it depends on what your dentist recommends. We’ve compared both for achieving a natural smile on our blog, but if you’ve decided to go with veneers, there are two different types: porcelain and composite.

Composite Veneers

Our composite veneers are white fillings hand-crafted by the team at The Courtyard, and are placed directly onto the surface of the teeth. They’re the more affordable option to change the shape and colour of your teeth.

The advantages are that it involves almost no preparation to the underlying teeth, and appointments are much quicker as a result. We’d recommend composite veneers for if you’re wanting to change the colour of your teeth or need some small work doing, many teeth can be altered all at once using this form of cosmetic dentistry.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are more commonplace, and are a tried and tested method of cosmetic dentistry. They’re used more by practices who have patients that want to change the colour or position of teeth to create a natural look than composite veneers. Porcelain veneers are also the best option when it comes to veneers if you need more dramatic results such as changing your gum line.

These veneers are thin layers of porcelain, crafted by a dentist and a technician, to cover either the full surface or just the front of a tooth to change the appearance. Porcelain veneers are very durable, and can be adjusted to give you everything from a bright white ‘Hollywood Smile’ to a more discreet and natural look – whatever you want for your teeth! Check our veneers page for more details on the treatments, including costs.

If you’d like to hear more from patients on what it’s like to use The Courtyard for their veneers treatment, we have reviews for porcelain veneer patients and composite veneers.

The seven steps of veneer treatment

We’ve developed our own philosophy when it comes to veneers, so our process may be a bit different to other dental practices you might have gone to in the past. If you are a patient with an enquiry, or an NHS dental practice who wants to understand more about the procedure, then please get in touch with us via our contact form.

Step One – Consultation and Treatment Planning

We believe that everyone should be entitled to free expert advice, so we’ll invite you in for a consultation where we can talk about what you need, and work out whether veneers are the best course of action for your teeth. Patients who are interested in veneers tend to be looking at amending cosmetic issues with their teeth, such as chips, cracks, discolouration, gaps or misalignment.

Once we have established that veneers are the best way to go, decided on the right kind for you, and agreed the cost of the treatment, we can begin planning your new smile. A veneer treatment will typically take two visits to complete, but this does depend on practice schedules, and the number of veneers you need.

Step Two – Diagnostic Wax-Up and Mock-Up

This is where we create a digital diagnostic wax-up using our latest Courtyard Creative Digital Veneers. We can show you what your teeth will look like at the end of the treatment, just by taking an impression of your mouth. This will provide you with a more refined look, compared to a mock-up – which involves temporarily placing composite resin on your teeth.

However, we can also provide a mock-up to place on your teeth, so you can see how your smile will look with veneers in place in the mirror. Patients sometimes prefer seeing a mock-up to a diagnostic wax-up, as it provides a better idea of what your teeth will look like.

A mock-up will also determine whether your teeth need to be any longer, provide an idea of the colour of your veneers, and how chips or cracks might look with veneers in place. The final result will always look better than the mock-up, so bear that in mind at this stage.

Step Three – Preparation and Scanning

Now it’s time to prepare your teeth, to ensure you’re ready for the procedure. This includes all the necessary groundwork required for the veneers, such as tooth structure, and taking a 3D scan of your mouth to show what’s going to change, so you can feel confident with your decision.

Step Four – Temporisation and Finishing

Temporisation means putting interim veneers in to show you what we think is right for you. We want you to feel confident with the temporary phase of the treatment, and have your teeth looking how you desire. We make sure your teeth look visually pleasing in this phase, as well as being functional. Once we’ve put temporary veneers in and finished them to match your mouth, you’re free to test them out!

We will arrange a follow-up appointment where you can provide us with feedback, such as what you like about the temporary teeth, and what needs improvement. Remember, you’re our patient – so we want you to feel confident with your veneers, and get them looking how you want them to.

Step Five – Veneer Design Checklist

 

We make sure we’ve dotted every I and crossed every T by taking you through one final checklist before applying your veneers. We’ll also ask you to fill in a consent form, to make sure you are happy with everything about your new teeth before we transform your smile.

In this appointment, we will ask you for feedback on your temporary veneers. This is your opportunity to tell us what you like about the veneers, and what you would like to be different, so we can make the changes to suit you.

Once we’ve confirmed that you’re happy with your settled design, our lab technician will take a shade from the temporary veneers to match the colour, so it looks realistic. This ensures there are no surprises with the veneers, and you know exactly what you are getting.

Step Six – Fitting and Cementation

This is where the real veneers will be placed. We clean your mouth and the veneers so they are ready to be fitted. At this point, like before, we will ensure that you are completely happy with the procedure, and won’t permanently place your veneers until you are confident with the treatment.

Having fitted over 1,500 veneers since our practice opened in 2001, you can be assured you’re in the right environment and practice for the procedure. We understand that each patient is unique and different, and their smile should be the same!

Once we’ve fitted the veneers, we cement them so they stay in place. As it’s now the final result, you should expect a much better look than the temporisation treatment you had previously.

Step Seven – Review and Maintenance

We take pride in making sure you are completely satisfied with your treatment after your veneers have been fitted, so we will arrange a review appointment to check how you feel about the treatment.

As well as listening to your feedback, we will discuss how to keep your veneers looking great by providing hygiene training on how to keep them in excellent condition. This appointment is also an opportunity for us to answer any questions you may have following your treatment.

We can help

Our practice owner and cosmetic dentist, Marcos, has seen veneers make a huge impact on our patients over the years:

“Veneers have the power to change a person’s outlook on life. It may sound far-fetched but we have seen it time and time again. Our veneers are hand designed by the team at The Courtyard and you are treated as a partner in all your dentistry decisions, so you walk away with the natural, beautiful look you want.”

If you’re thinking of going ahead with veneers, the best bet is to contact our team online, or by calling 01484 432 855 to arrange a free consultation to discuss what’s best suited for you, as well as our affordable payment plans.

We also offer other treatments that can help your smile if you’d prefer a different treatment to veneers, such as Invisalign or implants.