A veneer is a thin layer of tooth coloured material that is put onto the front of the tooth to make it look better. This is done because the tooth might have been damaged by decay or an accident or might be badly discoloured for some reason.

What are the benefits?

Veneers can greatly improve your appearance. They hide imperfections, and you lose very little natural tooth material.

Veneers also protect teeth from further damage. Tooth surface can be dissolved away by acid in the mouth (usually from too frequent consumption of certain kinds of food and drink); this can make teeth very sensative to hot and cold. In this situation veneers can protect the teeth.

If the tooth is strong, a veneer is often a better option than a crown for improving the tooth's appearance.