Composite Veneers vs. Porcelain Veneers: How They Differ

People shopping for veneers usually end up comparing two names: composite and porcelain. This article lays out the differences, and stops there. For the broader picture, there's a separate article on what veneers are.

The two main types

The two main types of veneers are porcelain and composite, and each type has its benefits (American Dental Association (MouthHealthy)). A longer list of types includes composite veneers, porcelain veneers, no-prep veneers and removable veneers (Cleveland Clinic).

Porcelain veneers

A porcelain veneer is a thin shell custom-made to fit on the front surface of your teeth. Porcelain veneers are strong, long-lasting and natural-looking, and they tend to be the more expensive option (American Dental Association (MouthHealthy)).

Composite veneers

A composite veneer is made from a tooth-colored filling material that is bonded to the tooth. Composite veneers may require less tooth enamel to be removed and fewer visits to the dentist, and they are easier to fix if damaged but are not as stain- or wear-resistant (American Dental Association (MouthHealthy)).

Composite veneers can conceal mild cosmetic issues, and your dentist uses a tooth-colored composite resin — the same material used for dental bonding — to achieve the desired results. If you choose composite veneers, dental impressions aren't needed (Cleveland Clinic).

Bonding has its own article: composite veneers and dental bonding.

Enamel removal

Before porcelain veneers are placed, the dentist must remove some enamel from the natural teeth, and no-prep veneers still require some enamel removal (Cleveland Clinic). Treatment is not reversible because tooth enamel is removed to place a veneer, though composite veneers may require less tooth enamel to be removed (American Dental Association (MouthHealthy)).

Next steps

Those are the main differences. Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644, and Dr. Steven Liao is our dentist. See also our veneers page, and for a first visit, see our first-visit page.

Sources

• Cleveland Clinic. "Veneers." Updated 2022-07-18. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23522-dental-veneers
• American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). "Veneers." https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/veneers