Composite veneers in Durban North
Change the colour, shape and size of your front teeth with tooth-coloured composite, usually in one appointment after your consultation.
Composite veneers cover stained, chipped or worn front teeth with a thin layer of tooth-coloured composite resin. We build each one directly on your tooth and shape it by hand to match the teeth beside it. There are no moulds and no wait for a laboratory.
What composite veneers can change
A veneer covers the whole front of the tooth, so one veneer can fix several things at once:
- Stained or uneven colour. Front teeth that look yellow, grey or patchy, or one tooth darker than the rest.
- Chips and rough edges. Corners lost to a knock or a bite on something hard.
- Teeth worn short or uneven. Edges built back up so your front teeth line up evenly.
- A small or narrow tooth. Built up to the size and shape of its neighbours.
- Small gaps between straight front teeth. Closed by widening the teeth either side. Our guide to closing a gap without braces explains when this works.
- A gold or silver cap on a front tooth. We take it off first and rebuild the tooth in composite to match the veneers beside it. See gold and silver tooth removal.
Veneers don't move teeth, so they won't straighten crooked or crowded teeth, and they can't replace a missing tooth. For one missing tooth, ask us about a fibre bridge. If only one tooth has a chip or a small gap, composite bonding on that tooth may be all you need.
Composite vs porcelain veneers: how they compare
How composite and porcelain veneers compare, and which situations suit each.
- Cosmetic treatment
Who composite veneers suit
Composite veneers suit adults with healthy teeth and gums who'd like a brighter, more even smile.
If there is decay or gum disease, we treat that first. If you grind your teeth, composite can chip sooner, and a night guard protects your veneers while you sleep.
How composite veneers are done
The veneers themselves take about two to three hours, depending on how many teeth we do.
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Step 1: Book
Send us a WhatsApp with a day that suits you, and we confirm a time for your consultation.
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Step 2: Consultation
Tell us what you'd like to change. We check your teeth and gums and choose a shade with you: one that matches your own teeth, or a lighter one.
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Step 3: Building your veneers
Each tooth is cleaned and prepared, then composite goes on in thin layers and is set hard with a curing light.
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Step 4: Shaping and polishing
We refine the edges, check your bite and polish each veneer to a natural shine. You see the finished result before you leave.
How it feels
Whether you need a numbing injection depends on the teeth being done. Afterwards, your teeth may be more sensitive to hot and cold.
Looking after your veneers
Composite picks up stains, loses some gloss and can chip over the years. Most of that is polished out or repaired in the chair without starting again, and we check your veneers at every check-up. These habits keep them looking good for longer:
- Brush twice a day with a soft toothbrush and a non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste, and floss once a day, including along the edges of the veneers.
- Don't bite nails, pens or ice, or open packets with your teeth. Cut hard food such as apples and carrots into pieces.
- Go easy on tea, coffee, red wine and smoking, which stain composite.
Composite or porcelain veneers
Porcelain veneers are thin ceramic shells made in a dental laboratory from moulds of your teeth. They're bonded on at a second visit, usually after some enamel is removed, which can't be undone. Porcelain resists stains better; composite keeps more of your own tooth. Read how composite and porcelain veneers compare.
Investing in your smile
You can pay for composite veneers by card or cash, or ask about paying in instalments. Read our guide to the cost and lifespan of composite veneers.
Appointments and comfort for your veneers
Book your veneers at Smile Aesthetics by Durban Dental Care, 18 Kenneth Kaunda Road, seven days a week, including evenings.
Or come to Durban Dental Care, 490 Chris Hani Road, Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Saturday 9am to 12pm.
Ask when you book for headphones, a blanket and pillow, softer lighting or a stress ball to hold. See the comfort menu.
Your questions about composite veneers
No. Most teeth need little or no drilling, so your own tooth stays largely as it was, and a composite veneer can usually be taken off, reshaped or redone later.
We plan your veneers with you at your consultation and give you the cost there. Medical aid usually doesn't cover veneers, because they're cosmetic. Our guide explains what composite veneers cost.
No. Whitening gel doesn't change the colour of composite, so if you'd like lighter teeth, have professional teeth whitening before your veneers and we match them to your new shade.
Book composite veneers
Other cosmetic treatments
Composite bonding
Repair a chipped, worn or uneven front tooth, or close a small gap, with tooth-coloured composite, usually in one visit.
Teeth whitening
Lighten the natural shade of your teeth in about an hour in the chair, with your teeth and gums checked first.
Composite smile makeover
Whitening, composite veneers and bonding planned together to change the colour, shape and size of your front teeth.
Gold tooth removal
Swap a gold or silver cap for a tooth-coloured one, rebuilt in composite to match the teeth beside it.
