Dental Veneers Cost & Procedure Details

Authored By: Greg Johnstone
Reviewed By: Dennis J. Wells, DDS

How much money do veneers cost and what is involved in treatment? Dental veneers can serve as a beautiful – albeit expensive – solution for worn tooth enamel, uneven tooth alignment, abnormal spacing, chips and cracks. Although veneers can be pricey, people often are more than happy with their results and feel the benefits far outweigh the cost.

Porcelain veneers are more expensive than their composite resin counterparts. Traditional porcelain veneers cost from $925 to $2,500 per tooth. Porcelain veneers can last 10 to 15 years. Comparatively, composite veneers cost approximately $250 to $1500 per tooth and are expected to last five to seven years.

Veneers Cost Factors

The cost of dental veneers depends on many factors, including:

• The fees of the cosmetic dentist who performs the procedure.
• The artistic and technical skill of the ceramist making the veneers and the cosmetic dentist who is applying the veneers.
• The location where it is performed. Costs for dental veneers and all cosmetic dentistry procedures vary widely by region of the country, specifically from large metropolitan areas to smaller towns.
• The type of dental insurance you have (dental insurance typically does not cover cosmetic procedures).
• The material used.
• The number of teeth requiring veneers.

Many dentists are willing to offer payment plans for cosmetic procedures. Be sure to ask your dentist about financing options.

So what exactly are you paying for?

The Dental Veneer Procedure

The dental veneer procedure can often be completed in two dental visits over the course of a six-week period. The visits are comprehensive and may require several hours of examination, and tooth preparation. Dental offices typically boast amenities that may include sedation dentistry, audio/visual distractions and even massages to help you relax and stay comfortable. The examination stage of the veneer process is essential; it determines any oral health concerns that must first be addressed before treatment progresses. Also, your dentist will work with you to select the best tooth color for you from a special shade chart. Imaging technologies can provide you with a preview of your expected results, and before and after images can allow you to view other succesful cases. Once the examination process is completed and the customized plan designed, treatment begins.

The procedure itself has several steps. First, your dentist will likely administer a local anesthetic so you will be comfortable during the preparation of the tooth and the application of the veneer. Then the tooth is prepared by minimally reshaping it to provide the best fit. The tooth is reshaped using a small handheld rotational cutting device called a bur. Burs come in various shapes and sizes and allow for the precise and minimal shaping of a tooth prior to veneer placement.

Next, your dentist will make an impression of your teeth from which a mold of your mouth will be made. This impression may be sent to an outside dental lab so the veneers can be professionally fabricated. Some dentists boast an in-house dental lab and technicians, through which restorative and esthetic materials such as veneers may be fabricated in a shorter period of time. In other cases, dentists have CAD/CAM technology in the office and may fabricate the veneer in one visit.

Dental Labs, CAD/CAM and Temporaries

More often than not, dentists simply work with outside dental labs through which their materials are fabricated. Some dental lab technicians use CAD/CAM technology to fabricate veneers. CAD/CAM means “computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing.” If your veneers are going to be made in a dental lab, you may receive temporary veneers at your first dental visit.

Temporary veneers will give you a preview of the expected outcome. Temporary veneers may not always be placed. However, if you are getting a veneer placed on one or a couple of teeth and enough enamel remains on the surface, your dentist may forgo the added hassle and cost of placing temporary veneers. After your teeth are shaped, they may be more sensitive to hot and cold. This is a result of enamel loss during the shaping of the tooth. Increased sensitivity may also be experienced if you have temporaries placed, and for a brief time following placement of the final veneers. During your initial consultation and examination, you should discuss temporaries with your dentist. Temporaries offer a means to identify the expected look, feel and fit of the veneer. Temporaries also help cosmetic dentists identify adjustments that may need to be made during the development of the permanent veneer.

During the second dental visit, your dentist will remove your temporaries and place your final veneers. He will also evaluate and adjust the newly placed veneers to ensure the optimal fit and color.

Chair-Side CAD/CAM

Some dentists, on the other hand, use CAD/CAMs in their offices to produce veneers, which are then bonded and adjusted onto the teeth. This type of technology is often marketed by dentists as “chair-side” CAD/CAM. Chair-side CAD/CAM has the added benefit of allowing for the manufacture and placement of your veneers in the same day. Additionally, you are not required to wear temporaries and you can complete the procedure in a single visit.

After Placement

The dental veneer procedure requires no recovery period, although some people may experience some sensitivity for a few days afterward. Following placement, your dentist will discuss proper veneer maintenance designed to maximize longevity. Dental veneers do not offer a permanent cosmetic solution and must be replaced eventually. The life of your veneers depends on the expertise with which they are placed and how well you take care of them.

[Updated May 18, 2010]

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