Porcelain veneers in Jordan Springs and Penrith
Veneers are thin facings bonded to the front of your teeth to change their shape, colour or alignment. They can do things nothing else can, and they're also the most oversold treatment in dentistry. Preparing a tooth for a porcelain veneer removes enamel and can't be undone, so the first conversation is always about whether you need them at all.
This is usually considered when
- Front teeth are chipped, worn short, or uneven in shape
- There's a gap between your front teeth you'd like closed
- Discolouration doesn't respond to whitening
- One tooth has darkened after an old injury or root canal
- Teeth are slightly rotated or crowded and you don't want braces
What's involved, step by step
Deciding whether veneers are the answer
An examination and photographs, and an honest conversation about the alternatives. Whitening, bonding or orthodontics is sometimes the better answer and we'll say so. Any decay, gum disease or grinding is dealt with before cosmetic work starts. You get the plan and full costs in writing.
Designing and testing the look
We design the shape and proportions digitally, then build a trial version directly over your teeth so you can see and photograph it before anything is prepared. You approve the look at this stage. Nothing irreversible has happened yet.
Preparing and bonding
A thin layer of enamel is removed under local anaesthetic and impressions or scans are taken. You wear temporaries while the veneers are made. At the second visit they're tried in, checked with you in daylight, and bonded.
Recovery and aftercare
This isn't a painful treatment, but the teeth are usually sensitive to cold for a week or two after preparation and that settles. The bigger adjustment is visual — new front teeth look unfamiliar for a few days even when they're exactly what you approved. Give it a week before judging them, and tell us if something genuinely doesn't look right while adjustments are still straightforward.
The first week
Cold sensitivity is normal and fades. Your bite may feel slightly different on the front teeth. Avoid biting into anything hard with them while everything settles.
While you're in temporaries
Temporary veneers are weakly bonded so they can be removed cleanly. They stain more easily than the finished ones, so go easy on coffee, tea and red wine. Ring us if one comes off rather than leaving it.
Making them last
Porcelain doesn't stain but the natural tooth at the gum line can. Brush and floss around the margins daily. If you grind or clench, a night guard isn't optional — grinding is the most common reason veneers chip.
Risks and things to consider
Preparing a tooth for a porcelain veneer removes enamel permanently. Once done, that tooth will always need a veneer or a crown on it — there's no going back to an unprepared tooth. Some teeth react to being prepared and can need root canal treatment later.Veneers chip and can debond, particularly in people who grind. The colour is fixed once they're bonded and can't be lightened afterwards, which is why any whitening has to be done before they're made, not after. Porcelain also doesn't change colour over time while your natural teeth do, so the match can drift over the years. Gum can recede and expose the margin, which shows on front teeth more than anywhere else in the mouth.Well-made veneers commonly last many years but they are replaceable restorations, not a permanent result, and replacement costs what the originals did. Matching a single veneer to the natural teeth beside it is the hardest thing in cosmetic dentistry, and we'll tell you honestly what's achievable before you commit. Veneers are not suitable where there's active gum disease, significant decay, or uncontrolled grinding.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. Individual results vary.
Other options worth considering
Teeth whitening
Changes the colour without removing any enamel, but can't change shape or close gaps.
Clear aligners
Moves crooked or gapped teeth into place instead of covering them.
Composite bonding
Done in one visit, costs less, reversible — but chips and stains sooner.
Who You'll See
Veneer treatment here is planned and carried out by Dr Michael Kozman.
Meet the whole team
Dr Michael Kozman
Related Treatments
Teeth whitening
Changes the colour without removing any enamel, but can't change shape or close gaps.
Teeth whiteningClear aligners
Moves crooked or gapped teeth into place instead of covering them.
Clear alignersBefore and After
See some results we achieved
Before and afterCommon questions
Do I need veneers or would whitening do?
Often whitening is enough. If colour is the only thing you want to change and your teeth respond to whitening, it's the simpler option and keeps all of your enamel. Veneers are considered when the shape, size or position of the teeth needs changing as well, or when discolouration doesn't respond to whitening. We'll tell you which applies at your consultation.
Will you shave my teeth down?
For porcelain veneers, yes. A thin layer of enamel is removed from the front of the tooth under local anaesthetic. That can't be undone, and the tooth will always need a veneer or a crown afterwards. Composite bonding often needs little or no preparation, and we'll talk through whether it suits you.
Can I see what they'll look like first?
Yes. We design the shape digitally, then build a trial version directly over your teeth so you can see and photograph it. You approve the look before anything is prepared.
How many do I need?
It depends on how many teeth show when you smile and what you want to change. Some people need one or two, others need more. Matching a single veneer to the teeth beside it is the hardest to get right, and we'll be honest about what's achievable. The number is agreed with you at the design stage and included in your written quote.
How long do they last?
Well-made veneers commonly last many years, but they are replaceable restorations, not a permanent result. They can chip or come loose, particularly if you grind your teeth, and gums can recede over time. Cleaning around the edges daily, and wearing a night guard if you grind, both help.
Can I whiten them later?
No. The colour of porcelain is fixed once it's bonded, so any whitening is done before the veneers are made and the shade is matched to your whitened teeth.
What's the difference between veneers and crowns?
A veneer covers the front surface of a tooth and is mainly used to change how front teeth look. A crown covers the whole tooth and is used when a tooth is weakened, heavily filled or root-treated and needs protecting. A veneer removes less of the tooth than a crown.
Can I have sedation?
Yes. We offer happy gas, oral sedation and IV sedation with a visiting sedationist. Let us know when you book so we can plan the appointment around it.
What affects the cost
The main factors are how many teeth are being treated, whether they're porcelain or composite, and whether any preparatory work is needed first. Porcelain veneers are laboratory-made and cost more than composite done at the chair, but they hold their colour and last longer. Treating a single tooth is not proportionally cheaper than several, because matching one veneer to its neighbours takes more time than making a set. Whitening beforehand, and a night guard afterwards, are usually part of the plan and we'll include both in the quote so you see the real total.
HICAPS claiming on the spot
Your health fund rebate is processed at the counter, so you only pay the gap.
Payment plans available
Afterpay, Humm, National Dental Plan and DentiCare.
Written quote before treatment
An itemised plan and full cost before we begin.
See the design before you commit
Book a consultation. We'll photograph your smile, talk through whether veneers are actually the right answer, and if they are, show you the design on your own teeth before anything is prepared.