A dental veneer (also referred to as a “tooth veneer”) is a thin, custom-fabricated shell of tooth-coloured material (usually porcelain or composite resin) that is bonded to the front (visible) surface of a tooth to improve its appearance or restore defects.
Veneers are typically chosen to correct issues such as stained or discoloured teeth that do not respond well to bleaching, chipped or broken teeth, mis-shapen or slightly misaligned teeth, and gaps (diastemata) between teeth.
It is important to recognise that placement of veneers is generally irreversible (because enamel must be reduced), and that veneers must be applied only after any underlying dental disease (decay, gum disease) is treated.