When the surface of your teeth no longer matches how you feel.
A veneer is a thin, custom-made shell bonded to the front of a tooth, about as thin as a fingernail. It changes the tooth's shape and colour and covers up what bothers you about it.
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Usually it's one single thing. A shape you've never liked. A small gap between your front teeth. A discolouration that stays even after whitening. Or a chipped corner from a fall that's been there ever since.
For most people, nothing is medically wrong: if you do nothing, nothing happens. This is a service for a wish, not a need, and that wish needs no justification. For others, there's a real defect behind it: wear, acid damage, a disorder of enamel formation, a tooth that's simply too small. In those cases, things can progress without treatment.
We don't sell a wish as a medical need, and we don't dismiss a real defect as vanity, either.
Up to five appointments: only two of them are actual treatment steps on the tooth. Without the preview, it's three.
We clarify exactly what's bothering you and whether a veneer is the right way to address it. The only appointment you book online yourself.
The planned shape is built up in wax at the lab; if you like, and where it's possible, we transfer it onto your teeth in composite, so you see an approximation in your own mouth. Both appointments are optional.
Under anaesthetic, we remove a thin layer of enamel. Afterwards, we take the shade and a digital impression.
A temporary protects the prepared tooth while our partner lab makes your shell, ten working days. The interim, not the result.
The veneer is placed first without bonding, so you can look at it before it's cemented. Then it's bonded and polished.
The price depends on how many teeth are treated, which of the four approaches fits, and how much preparatory work is needed.
A veneer is a private, out-of-pocket service. Public insurance covers nothing, not even after a chipped corner, and we agree the cost with you in writing beforehand. If a tooth is damaged so badly that a partial crown or crown becomes necessary, that is a different restoration with its own cost logic. With private insurance, reimbursement depends on your plan.
Instead of a number here, you get a complete, written cost plan before treatment begins. It sets out your case as a whole. It's discussed during your consultation.
A veneer takes little. But what it takes, it takes for good: once a tooth is prepared, it will permanently need a veneer or a crown from then on, it never goes back to being fully untouched. And even a bonded no-prep shell stays on the tooth for all practical purposes forever.
That's why a veneer isn't always the right path, often there's an option that costs less tooth structure:
Whitening
Whitening removes nothing, and it's exactly the right choice when that's all you need, what it can and can't do is covered under Whitening. If the remaining teeth are to become brighter alongside a veneer, we whiten first and only then choose the veneer shade: a veneer won't brighten later.
Aligner treatment
Aligner treatment straightens them: for a clear misalignment, it's not just the gentler path, it's the only one with a good outcome. How that works is covered under Aligners.
Composite build-up
Often a composite build-up is enough, what options exist for that is covered under Fillings & Inlays.
This isn't a sales order, it's an order of tooth structure. And we only place veneers on healthy teeth: we treat cavities and gum inflammation first, a veneer on an unhealthy foundation is neither sensible nor safe.
Whether a veneer is the right path for you or something else, we'll work that out together.
Zahngesundheit verstehen, Entscheidung leben.
We offer four approaches. They differ in two things: the material, which determines durability, and the degree of tooth preparation, which is not a quality marker. More isn't better here. Which approach fits depends on your starting situation.
Our standard approach
No-Prep
Composite, made in the lab
Composite, shaped in a single session
Everything made outside the mouth is produced by a specialised partner lab, unlike our other ceramic work, which is made in our own digital lab. A front-tooth veneer lives on colour gradient, translucency and a hand-finished surface; for that, we work with a dental technician who specialises in exactly this.
And one more thing that comes before any of this: if it's only surface staining, a professional cleaning reveals your own tooth colour again, with no veneer needed at all.
How long a veneer lasts depends on the material, the bonding surface, and everyday habits. The vast majority of ceramic veneers are still functioning after ten years; even so, every one will need replacing eventually. A veneer bonds far more reliably to enamel than to the dentin underneath, so over-preparation isn't just a loss of tooth structure, it's also a durability risk. That's the second reason to straighten crooked teeth first, if possible.
"Repairable" doesn't mean "as good as new." Fresh composite bonds far less well to material that's years old, a repaired spot stays a weak point. For minor edge damage, repair is still the right path; for larger damage, a new shell is.
Teeth grinding is the main risk factor: veneers come loose more often in people who grind, and they fail more often overall. A night guard mainly lowers the risk of the shell fracturing, provided it's actually worn.
Otherwise, a veneer needs no special care, just a few considerations: good oral hygiene, not biting into hard things with your front teeth, and your regular check-ups. With composite, also go easy on strongly staining foods. And: a veneer doesn't protect against decay, new cavities can form at a poorly maintained edge.
In the first few days after preparation, the tooth can be sensitive, especially to cold; this usually settles on its own. While the anaesthetic is still working, eat and drink carefully. Get in touch if a veneer chips or comes loose, an edge becomes sharp, or the tooth aches persistently.
If a ceramic veneer is replaced after years of use, the old shell can often be released with a dental laser via the bonding layer, without drilling it out, which protects the tooth; whether that works in your case depends on material and findings. Where else we use the laser is covered under Laser Dentistry.
For most veneers, yes, a thin layer of enamel is removed to make room for the shell. How much depends on which of the four approaches fits your starting situation. There are no-prep veneers that require barely any or no preparation at all; because the shell then adds extra bulk, these suit small teeth or a gap that needs closing best. What's removed stays removed: a prepared tooth will permanently need a veneer or a crown from then on.
The preparation is done under anaesthetic. Afterwards, the tooth can be sensitive for a few days, especially to cold. We don't promise it will be painless, but a veneer usually isn't painful.
Yes, if you'd like. The planned shape is built up in wax at the lab, and where it's possible we transfer it onto your teeth in composite, so you see it in your own mouth before anything is removed. Whether that works for you depends on how pronounced the misalignment is; we tell you beforehand. The step is optional, and we still recommend it: it comes before the decision that can't be undone. The preview is an approximation, not an exact replica: the finished veneer is made from a different material and is more finely finished.
What's unusual is the timing, not the amount: two items already appear in the cost plan before treatment begins, the wax build-up in the lab and its transfer onto your teeth. If you then decide to go ahead with treatment, the lab cost of the wax build-up is offset against the cost of your veneers. You only bear it yourself if you decide against treatment, and that's exactly what this step is for.
The goal is a result that suits your face: no artificial white, no flawless one-size-fits-all smile. Ceramic lets light pass through similarly to real enamel, that's why a well-made shell doesn't stand out.
Up to five appointments, two of them on the tooth itself. For the preparation appointment, plan around two and a half hours; for fitting, around 45 minutes; less for individual teeth. Working and driving are fine right afterwards. In between are around ten working days while our partner lab makes your shell.
A veneer is a private, out-of-pocket service; public insurance covers nothing, not even after a defect. With private insurance, your plan decides. We deliberately don't quote a figure here: it depends too much on the individual case. Instead, you'll get a complete, written cost plan before anything begins.
"Lumineers" is a brand name for a particular no-prep variant, not a separate procedure. What's behind it, an especially thin shell without preparation, is something we offer. What matters is your starting situation, not the brand name.
We call this appointment "Consultation | Smile Design (Aesthetics)" and keep it deliberately open: it's about your visible front teeth as a whole, not just veneers. Even if you're not yet sure exactly what's bothering you, this is the right place to start.
