Both can transform a smile, but they work very differently. Here's how to decide which suits your teeth and your budget.
Composite bonding and porcelain veneers are both popular ways to fix chips, gaps and discolouration — but they sit at very different points on the scale of cost, longevity and how much of your natural tooth is involved.
Composite bonding uses a tooth-coloured resin, sculpted directly onto the tooth and hardened with a curing light, in a single visit. It's minimally invasive, fully reversible, and considerably more affordable — making it a great option for smaller cosmetic tweaks.
Veneers are thin custom shells, usually porcelain, bonded to the front of the tooth. They typically require a small amount of enamel to be removed to make room, and are made in a lab from an impression or digital scan, so treatment spans two visits over a couple of weeks.
Where veneers really win is durability and stain resistance — porcelain typically lasts ten to fifteen years or more with good care, compared to five to seven for bonding, and it doesn't pick up staining from tea, coffee or red wine the way composite can over time.
Good candidates for either treatment usually have healthy gums and enough tooth structure to support the restoration. If you grind your teeth, we may recommend a nightguard to protect your new smile investment.
Neither option is objectively 'better' — a chipped front tooth might be perfectly suited to bonding, while a full smile makeover often calls for veneers. We'll talk through your goals, budget and timeline before recommending either.
Written by
Dr. Amelia Hart
Principal Dentist at Larkfield Dental Aesthetics
