Composite Bonding & Porcelain Veneers
Improve chipped, worn, uneven or gapped teeth with treatment designed around your smile.
Composite bonding and porcelain veneers can both be used to improve the shape, colour and overall appearance of your teeth – but they are very different treatments.
At Gallions Reach, we’ll help you understand the options and recommend the most appropriate treatment for the result you’d like to achieve, while preserving as much healthy natural tooth structure as possible.
Transform your smile with bonding or veneers
If you’re unhappy with chipped, worn, uneven, discoloured or gapped teeth, sometimes relatively small changes can make a significant difference to your smile.
Composite bonding uses tooth-coloured resin that is carefully applied and sculpted directly onto your natural tooth. It’s particularly useful for repairing chips, closing small gaps, improving worn edges or subtly changing the shape of a tooth.
Porcelain veneers are thin, individually made layers of porcelain bonded to the front of your teeth. They can provide a longer-lasting solution where a more significant change to the shape, colour or overall appearance of your smile is required.
Where appropriate, we’ll always consider minimally invasive treatments such as whitening, orthodontics or composite bonding before recommending porcelain veneers.
Suleman’s ‘What is a dental veneer?’ – VIDEO
Create a brighter, more even smile with porcelain veneers
Create a more even, natural-looking smile
The right treatment depends on your teeth and what you’d like to change.
Composite bonding can often be completed in a single appointment and usually requires little or no removal of healthy tooth structure. Porcelain veneers normally require more preparation but can provide a highly durable solution for patients looking to make a more significant change to their smile.
You don’t need to decide which treatment you want before coming to see us. We’ll assess your teeth, listen to what you’d like to achieve and explain the advantages and limitations of each option.
Composite bonding or porcelain veneers?
Both treatments can improve the appearance of your teeth, but there are some important differences.
Composite bonding
A simple, minimally invasive way to make subtle changes to your smile.
Composite bonding uses tooth-coloured resin which is applied directly to the tooth and carefully shaped by your dentist.
It can be used to:
- Repair chipped or worn teeth
- Close small gaps
- Improve uneven edges
- Reshape small or irregular teeth
- Improve the symmetry of your smile
Treatment can often be completed in a single appointment and usually requires little or no removal of healthy tooth structure.
Porcelain veneers
A longer-lasting option for more significant changes.
Porcelain veneers are very thin, custom-made layers of porcelain which are carefully bonded to the front of your natural teeth.
They can be used to improve:
- Chipped or damaged teeth
- Heavily discoloured teeth
- Worn or uneven teeth
- The shape and proportions of teeth
- Certain gaps or minor alignment issues
- The overall appearance of your smile
Veneers are individually designed to complement your natural teeth and can provide a durable, highly natural-looking result.
Speak to our Experts
Talk to our patient care manager today to discuss the options available and to arrange your initial appointment.
Suleman’s ‘The difference between a crown and a veneer’ – VIDEO
Suleman’s ‘How long do dental veneers last?’ – VIDEO
Why choose Gallions Reach for bonding & veneers?
A minimally invasive approach
Wherever possible, we’ll look for ways to improve your smile while preserving healthy natural tooth structure.
Bonding and porcelain veneers
Because we offer both treatments, we can recommend the approach that’s most appropriate for your teeth rather than starting with a predetermined solution.
Natural-looking results
Whether we’re carefully sculpting composite bonding or designing bespoke porcelain veneers, our aim is to enhance your natural smile rather than make your teeth look artificial.
Experienced cosmetic dentists
Your treatment will be carefully planned and carried out by our experienced dental team, with support throughout your treatment.
Convenient South-East London location
Our modern Thamesmead clinic is within easy reach of Greenwich, Woolwich, Abbey Wood and Bexleyheath.
Meet our cosmetic dentistry experts
Our experienced cosmetic dentists provide composite bonding and porcelain veneer treatment for patients from across London and the South-East.
We’ll take time to understand what you’d like to change about your smile and recommend treatment based on your individual teeth and the result you’d like to achieve.
Suleman Gillan
Implantologist
Hyo Jae Chung
Dentist
What's the difference between composite bonding and veneers?
Composite bonding uses tooth-coloured resin that is applied and sculpted directly onto your tooth. It usually requires little or no removal of healthy tooth structure and can often be completed in one appointment.
Porcelain veneers are individually made porcelain restorations that are bonded to the front of the teeth. They generally require more preparation but can provide a longer-lasting solution where more significant changes are required.
Is bonding better than veneers?
Neither treatment is inherently better – they are suitable for different situations.
Bonding can be an excellent choice for smaller cosmetic changes such as repairing chips, closing small gaps or improving uneven edges. Veneers may be more appropriate when you want to make a greater change to the shape, colour or overall appearance of your teeth.
Who is suitable for veneers?
Porcelain veneers are suitable for patients who want to improve the appearance of their teeth by changing the colour, shape or position. They are often recommended for teeth that are chipped, worn, discoloured, uneven or slightly misaligned. A consultation with one of our dentists will confirm whether veneers are the right option for your smile.
What are the alternatives?
Does getting veneers hurt?
The procedure is usually very comfortable. A small amount of enamel is removed from the front of the tooth to make space for the veneer, and this is done using local anaesthetic so you shouldn’t feel any pain. Some patients may feel a little sensitivity afterwards, but this usually settles quickly.
Do bonding and veneers look natural?
Yes. Both treatments can be carefully colour-matched and shaped to complement your existing teeth.
Our aim is to improve your smile while retaining a natural appearance rather than creating teeth that look obviously treated.
Does composite bonding damage your teeth?
Composite bonding is a minimally invasive treatment and usually requires little or no removal of healthy tooth structure.
Your dentist will explain exactly what is required for your teeth before treatment begins.
How long does composite bonding last?
How long bonding lasts varies according to the teeth being treated, your bite, lifestyle and how well you look after it.
Composite can occasionally chip, stain or wear over time, but one of its advantages is that it can often be repaired or refreshed.
How long do porcelain veneers last?
With good oral hygiene and appropriate care, porcelain veneers can last for many years.
Regular dental examinations and hygiene appointments are important, and you should avoid habits such as biting fingernails, pens or packaging with veneered teeth.
Can bonding close gaps between my teeth?
Composite bonding can be an effective way of closing certain small gaps by carefully adding material to the adjacent teeth.
For larger gaps or where tooth position is the underlying issue, orthodontic treatment may be more appropriate.
Should I whiten my teeth before composite bonding?
Often, yes. Composite resin doesn’t whiten in the same way as natural tooth enamel, so if you’d like a brighter smile, your dentist may recommend whitening your natural teeth before choosing the final shade for your bonding.
Frequently asked questions
Arrange a consultation to discuss veneers at our London clinic
We help patients achieve brighter, more confident smiles with the help of bespoke porcelain veneers. Many of our patients travel from beyond Greenwich to receive care at our modern, fully refurbished clinic, where we combine advanced cosmetic dentistry with a calm, welcoming environment.
Whether you’re considering veneers to repair a chipped tooth, close a small gap, or simply enhance the overall appearance of your smile, our experienced team is here to guide you through every stage of treatment. If you have any further questions or would like to find out how they could benefit you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.