Blog
What are composite veneers, and how do they compare with porcelain?
Composite veneers are tooth-coloured resin bonded directly onto the tooth and shaped by hand in a single visit. They cost less than porcelain, need little or no drilling, and a chip can usually be repaired rather than replaced.
Published
What are composite veneers?
Composite veneers are thin layers of tooth-coloured resin bonded directly onto your natural teeth. Unlike porcelain veneers, which are made in a laboratory, composite is sculpted by hand at the chair — so shape, colour and contour are adjusted as the work is done rather than specified in advance.
They are used to improve chipped or worn teeth, gaps, discolouration that has not responded to whitening, and mild differences in tooth shape or alignment.
Why choose composite?
The main argument is how little tooth has to be removed. In most cases little or no drilling is required, which means the natural tooth structure underneath is preserved — the same principle that runs through the rest of the practice's work.
- Usually completed in a single appointment, with immediate results
- Less expensive than porcelain
- Repairable — a chip can often be fixed without replacing the whole veneer
- Minimal tooth preparation, so less is removed that cannot be put back
Composite or porcelain — which is right?
Neither is simply better. They answer different questions.
Composite is completed in one visit, costs less, is easily repaired, and needs minimal preparation. It is a strong short- to medium-term option.
Porcelain takes multiple visits, costs more, generally needs replacing rather than repairing if damaged, and involves more tooth reduction. In exchange it holds its appearance longer and resists staining better.
Which suits you depends on your goals, your budget and the condition of the teeth involved. That is a conversation at an examination, not something to decide from a web page.
How long do composite veneers last?
With good oral hygiene and regular check-ups, composite veneers can last five to seven years or longer. What shortens that is mostly predictable: heavy bite forces and grinding, hygiene, diet, and whether they are maintained professionally.
If you grind your teeth, say so before any veneer work is planned. It changes what is sensible to do, and a night guard may be part of the answer.
What do they cost?
Composite veneers are R1 850 to R3 500 per tooth, depending on the extent of the work needed on that tooth.
Per tooth is the important part of that sentence. A full smile involves several teeth, so ask for the total for what you actually want done rather than working from the per-tooth figure.
Where several teeth need work, package pricing is available — and aesthetic packages can include a cleaning, night guard and whitening. Ask at the practice.