Updated October 06, 2014.

Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.

Even in today’s modern world of high-powered electric toothbrushes, “wonder” flosses and very effective mouthwashes, teeth are still susceptible to the biggest problem – human neglect. Failure to properly care for one’s teeth can result in many problems. Fortunately most of the time it is simply a cavity corrected with a simple filling. However, what is a person to do when the problems become much more serious and ruin the look of your smile.

One of the solutions available today is porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are layers of thin porcelain material bonded together with a special adhesive. Veneers were introduced in 1928 by a California dentist as a method for improving the aesthetics of the smiles of Hollywood actors and actresses. They are designed to re-create the look of natural teeth. They are attached to the front of the existing tooth using specially formulated bonding material. Quality veneers are custom-fabricated in a dental laboratory (not made in the dentist’s office). A good lab will consider many factors when fabricating the veneers including translucency, texture and color variations.

Though porcelain is by far the most common material used by dentists, veneers can also be made out of a composite material. The veneers made from porcelain are much higher quality. Composite will be cheaper, but will not look as good and not be as stain resistant.

The natural tooth above the gum line is made up of two “materials” – enamel and dentin.

Enamel is the hard, outer, visible portion of the tooth, while dentin is the softer portion just inside the enamel. The advent of using porcelain in dentistry was a big leap forward from a cosmetic perspective because porcelain is very similar in look and feel to actual enamel. In addition, porcelain can be color-adjusted to exactly match other teeth and is naturally stain-resistant. The choice of color/shade is an important step in the veneers process and a good cosmetic dentist will be highly skilled in choosing a proper shade based on eye color (the white part of the eyes), age, personal preference, and the desired outcome.

The ability to look real and blend in with the existing teeth is the main benefit to porcelain veneers. First, the nature of the porcelain allows light to reflect off of the veneers in an identical manner to the way it reflects off of natural teeth, thereby creating a completely natural look. A second main benefit is that porcelain is naturally stain-resistant. Therefore, once installed, you know that the veneers will stay looking good for as many as 10-20 years.

Veneers will correct a number of problems both aesthetic and sometimes functional as well. Broken, discolored, too small, worn down, crooked, chipped or stained teeth can be fixed with porcelain veneers.  Usually veneers are chosen to improve the aesthetics of the teeth/smile.  However, they can also serve a functional purpose by protecting the surface of a damaged tooth or restore function by repairing the tooth (can bite again, etc…).

Veneers typically will last between 10 and 20 years, but will depend on lifestyle, maintenance, professional care, and your standards. Veneers are highly technique sensitive so the skills of the cosmetic dentist also play a role in the longevity of your new smile.

Usually, it will take a minimum of 2 visits to the dentist to get veneers.

The cost of veneers is highly variable depending on location, dentist qualifications, and materials used. On average, the cost of veneers for a single tooth is approximately $1000 to $3000. As with anything, you usually get what you pay for when it comes to porcelain veneers. A more highly qualified (more training/education) cosmetic dentist is generally going to charge more per veneer, but the outcomes will generally be much better. Material cost is also an important consideration. Finally, the type and location of laboratory fabricating the veneers can play a large role. Laboratories vary based on location and skill. Master lab technicians will be artists when creating smiles and some labs will outsource to China. 

When choosing a dentist to make veneers, it is very important to choose a reputable dentist. In order to prepare the tooth/teeth for veneer installation, a portion of the tooth has to be removed in most cases. Therefore, the non-reversible decision to get veneers should not be rushed into.