Porcelain veneers are thin ceramic shells bonded to the front of your teeth. They correct colour, shape and alignment without moving your natural teeth, which is why they are the treatment we are asked about most often after implants.
What veneers do and do not fix
Veneers are at their best for colour and shape problems: deep staining that whitening cannot lift, chipped or worn edges, teeth that are noticeably uneven in length, and small gaps.
They are not a substitute for orthodontics. If your teeth are crowded or your bite is significantly misaligned, moving the teeth first will give a more natural result than masking the problem with ceramic. A dentist who recommends veneers to correct a bite will usually be steering you towards crowns or orthodontics instead, and it is worth asking why.
They also do not whiten. Porcelain does not change colour, so if you plan to whiten your natural teeth afterwards, do it before the veneers are fitted — otherwise your untreated teeth will lighten and the veneers will not, and the mismatch is permanent.
How much enamel is removed
A veneer needs roughly 0.3-0.7 mm of space to be bonded to, so a small amount of enamel is taken from the front of the tooth. This is minimal, but it is not reversible: a tooth that has been prepared for a veneer cannot simply be left as it was. Minimally invasive options such as ultrathin or no-preparation veneers exist and are suitable in some cases.
Your dentist should show you a digital smile design or a mock-up before anything is prepared, so you can approve the planned shape, length and shade in advance rather than after.
Timing and trips
The teeth are prepared and impressions taken on one visit; the laboratory fabricates the veneers, which takes about a week; you return for the bonding appointment. Most people do this within a single trip of 10-14 days. Temporary veneers are fitted in the meantime, so you are never left with prepared teeth at home.
What they cost here
Chinese public hospital price schedules do not list veneers as a separate item, so we do not publish a Chinese figure we cannot evidence — ask the hospital for a written quotation and check what it includes. Published figures for other countries are on our costs page, each with its own source and caveats.