Dental Veneers
What Are Dental Veneers?
Dental veneers are thin, custom-made shells that are bonded to the front surface of your teeth. These shells are designed to improve the appearance of your smile by masking imperfections, correcting misalignments, and addressing other dental issues such as discolouration or gaps. Veneers are an excellent choice for patients looking for a minimally invasive solution to improve the aesthetics of their smile.
There are two primary types of dental veneers available: composite resin veneers and porcelain veneers. Both types can help you achieve a radiant, even smile, but they have differences in terms of cost, durability, and the treatment process. Let’s explore these two options in more detail.
Porcelain Veneers
Interest-Free Payment Plan: From $57/Week
Advantages of Porcelain Veneers
Durability:
Porcelain veneers are more durable than composite veneers and are less prone to chipping or staining. They can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years with proper care, making them a long-term investment in your smile.
Natural Appearance:
The colour and texture of porcelain veneers can be customised to match your natural teeth. They also provide a more natural appearance, as they have a translucent quality that mimics real tooth enamel, making them an excellent choice for achieving a radiant smile.
Stain Resistance:
Porcelain veneers are highly resistant to staining from foods, drinks, and tobacco use, which means your smile will stay bright and white for longer compared to composite veneers.
Customisation:
At Hornsby Dental, we take a personalised approach to your smile transformation. We work closely with you to ensure your porcelain veneers are tailored to suit your facial features, including your lips, eyes, and overall face shape. Our master ceramists craft each veneer by hand in our in-house lab, ensuring the highest quality and precision.
Disadvantages of Porcelain Veneers
Higher Cost:
Porcelain veneers are generally more expensive than composite veneers due to the advanced materials and craftsmanship involved in their creation.
Tooth Preparation:
Unlike composite veneers, porcelain veneers require some tooth preparation. A small amount of enamel is removed from the tooth's surface to ensure the veneer fits properly without appearing bulky or unnatural.
Multiple Appointments
The porcelain veneer process typically requires two or more visits. After the initial consultation, temporary veneers will be placed while your custom veneers are being crafted in our lab. At the second appointment, your permanent porcelain veneers will be carefully placed and adjusted to ensure they fit perfectly.
Composite Resin Veneers
Interest-Free Payment Plan: From $30/Week
Composite resin veneers are an affordable and effective solution for those looking to enhance their smile. Made from a polymer-based material filled with ceramic particles, composite resin has improved significantly over the past two decades in terms of strength and aesthetic quality.
Advantages of Composite Veneers
Minimally Invasive:
Composite veneers are designed to blend seamlessly with the natural tooth structure. In many cases, they can be applied without significant tooth preparation, meaning that minimal or no drilling is needed. This makes composite veneers a less invasive and more conservative treatment option.
Customisable:
Composite resin allows your dentist to make adjustments during the treatment, enabling an immediate change to your smile. By adding or reducing layers of material, your dentist can tailor the shape and appearance of your teeth according to your preferences.
Cost-Effective:
Composite veneers are typically less expensive than porcelain veneers, making them a more budget-friendly option for many patients. They are an excellent choice for those seeking a quick, affordable smile makeover.
One Appointment Treatment:
Composite veneers can generally be completed in a single visit to the dentist. During this visit, your dentist will carefully apply and shape the composite material on your teeth, polishing it to perfection by the end of the appointment.
Disadvantages of Composite Veneers
Durability:
Composite veneers are not as durable as porcelain veneers and may be more prone to chipping and staining over time. The average lifespan of composite veneers is around 5 to 10 years, and they may require repairs or replacements during that time.
Staining:
While composite veneers can be colour-matched to your natural teeth, they are more likely to stain over time compared to porcelain veneers, especially if you consume stain-causing foods and beverages.
Due to these factors, composite veneers are often recommended as a more conservative treatment option, particularly for those new to cosmetic dental treatments or who prefer a reversible approach.
Note: Repairs to composite veneers will incur a standard restoration cost, and tooth preparation can vary between individuals. Your dentist will assess your specific situation during the consultation.
Before and After
The Dental Veneer Process at Hornsby Dental
1. Initial Consultation:
During your consultation, our experienced dentists will assess your oral health and discuss your goals for your smile makeover. We will review your medical history, examine your teeth and gums, and recommend the most suitable veneer option for you.
2. Smile Design:
Once we have a clear understanding of your vision, we will work with you to design your perfect smile. For porcelain veneers, temporary veneers will be placed to allow for adjustments to the shape, size, and colour of the veneers.
3. Fabrication of Veneers:
For porcelain veneers, our master ceramists at our North Sydney lab will custom-create your veneers using the highest-quality porcelain materials. This process takes time, but it ensures that your veneers are meticulously crafted to match your facial features and aesthetic preferences.
4. Final Placement:
At your second appointment, your permanent veneers will be placed and adjusted to ensure they look and feel perfect. Once you're happy with the results, the veneers are permanently bonded to your teeth, and your smile transformation is complete!
Can I Have Veneers?
- Damaged or uneven teeth
- Enamel defects
- Minor misalignments
- Gaps between teeth
- Discolouration or staining that won't respond to whitening treatments
- Improving the overall appearance of your smile
Payment Plans at Hornsby Dental
Composite Veneers:
Interest-free payment plan from $30/week
Porcelain Veneers:
Interest-free payment plan from $57/week
Contact Hornsby Dental for a Smile Transformation
Hornsby Dental – Your trusted partner in creating beautiful, lasting smiles.
Specials & Deals
New patient
check up & clean
$219 or NO GAP
Dental
Veneers
FROM $30 a WEEK
Dental Crowns/Bridges
FROM $1,820 EACH
Dental Implant Surgery
FROM $5,199 EACH
Invisalign Diamond Provider
FROM $5,199 EACH
Teeth Whitening Save up to 50%
FROM $449
Meet Our Dentists

Dr. Mark Neih
BDS (Otago, NZ)

Dr. Philip Song
BDS (Hons) (USyd) Bsc

Dr. Richard Huang
DMD (USyd)