What are porcelain veneers made of?

We offer two kinds: porcelain veneers, made in dental porcelain, and Emax veneers, made in Emax (lithium disilicate, a glass-ceramic). Either way, each veneer is a thin shell made individually for its tooth by a ceramist and bonded to the front surface. Ceramic holds its colour and mimics the translucency of natural enamel, which is why it is chosen when a lasting, natural-looking change is wanted. Your dentist will tell you which suits your teeth, and your written plan says which you are having.

How many appointments do veneers take?

Usually a consultation, then at least two treatment visits: one to prepare the teeth, with temporary veneers fitted where needed, and one to try in and bond the final veneers, then a review appointment afterwards. They are made by a ceramist in between. Whitening or straightening first adds to that, and your dentist will tell you how many visits your plan needs before you start.

Does getting veneers hurt?

Your teeth are always numbed with local anaesthetic before they are prepared, so the preparation should be comfortable. Some people notice sensitivity to hot and cold afterwards, which usually settles. If it doesn't, or your bite feels different, call us so we can check it.

How much tooth is removed for a veneer, and can it be undone?

Usually a thin layer of enamel from the front of the tooth, so the veneer sits in line with the teeth beside it instead of looking bulky. In some cases very little is needed, and occasionally none. Veneers hold best when they are bonded to enamel, so preparation aims to stay within that thin outer layer wherever possible. Once enamel has been removed the change is permanent and the tooth will need covering from then on, which is why we plan first, show you the proposed result where we can, and suggest bonding, whitening or aligners whenever they would do the job.

How long do porcelain and Emax veneers last?

Commonly ten years or more with good care, though that is a typical span, not a promise. Heavy grinding or clenching and a root-filled tooth under the veneer can both shorten it, and smoking can stain the edges. Lasting is not the same as trouble-free: along the way a veneer may need a stained edge polishing, or re-bonding if it comes loose, and all veneers eventually need replacing.

Can veneers be whitened?

No. Whitening only lightens natural teeth, so a veneer keeps the shade it was made in. If you would like your other teeth lighter too, whiten them before your veneers are made, so the veneer shade can be matched to your new shade. If you already have veneers and the teeth around them have changed colour, your dentist can talk through the options.

What is the difference between a veneer and a crown?

A veneer covers only the front surface of a tooth and usually means removing less tooth than a crown, which covers the whole visible part of the tooth. Veneers tend to suit front teeth where the bite is not heavy and plenty of healthy tooth remains. A tooth that is heavily filled, broken or root-filled may need the fuller protection of a crown instead, and your dentist will tell you which your tooth needs.

Can veneers fix crooked or gappy teeth?

They can disguise small gaps and mild unevenness. Teeth that are crowded, rotated or sticking out are usually better straightened first, for example with Invisalign clear aligners: moving the teeth first can mean less enamel needs removing, or that veneers are not needed at all. Your dentist will look at your bite and tell you honestly which route suits you.

How many veneers will I need?

Anything from one upwards. A single veneer can be shaped and shaded to blend in with the teeth beside it. For a bigger change, the visible front teeth are planned together so they look even. Your dentist recommends a number at your consultation, and you will know it before anything is booked.

Is there a fee for a veneer consultation?

The consultation itself is free. We take a deposit when you book, under our Failure to Attend policy, and it is refunded when you attend; we confirm the amount when you book. A free consultation is an initial consultation, not a full dental examination. If you need or want a full examination, it is charged at our published private fee: £85 for new patients and £55 for existing patients, x-rays included. NHS examinations are free for NHS patients of the practice.

Are veneers available on the NHS?

No. Veneers at City Dental Care are a private treatment, and we don't provide veneers on the NHS. We are a mixed NHS and private practice, currently accepting new NHS and private patients, so if a front tooth is damaged or decayed and needs restoring for a clinical reason, ask your dentist what the NHS can offer. You will be told whether any treatment is NHS or private, and what it costs, before it starts.

How do I book a veneer consultation?

Book online through our website, or call the practice on 0131 228 2442. We are open until 8pm Monday to Thursday, and until 5pm on Friday.

Where is the practice?

We are at 9 Earl Grey Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9BN - on Lothian Road at Tollcross in central Edinburgh, a short walk from Haymarket Station.

Is there parking at the practice?

Yes - the Princes Exchange Car Park is in our own building, accessed from Riego Street at the rear (9/2 Riego Street, EH3 9BL). Parking is payable: £3 for 1 hour, or £5 for up to 3 hours. The car park opens at 9.30am, so if you are driving to an earlier appointment we suggest street parking nearby. Blue Badge holders can park free on Fountainbridge, and we are a short walk from Haymarket Station.

Before and after Emax veneers on the four upper front teeth - a City Dental Care patient of Dr Amir — Emax veneers on the four upper front teeth, a patient of Dr Amir. Emax veneers are from £750 per tooth.

Porcelain Veneers in Edinburgh

Porcelain veneers are thin ceramic shells, made individually for each tooth and bonded to its front surface to change its shape, colour and proportions. They are the type of dental veneer to consider for a lasting, natural-looking change when bonding won't hold up, or the teeth are worn or heavily discoloured (your dentist checks the cause of any wear first). At City Dental Care, on Earl Grey Street at Tollcross in central Edinburgh, we offer two kinds, porcelain veneers and Emax (lithium disilicate, a glass-ceramic) veneers, both planned digitally and made by a ceramist. Because preparing a tooth is permanent, we only recommend them when they are genuinely the right answer.

It starts with a free consultation with one of our dentists, who will tell you honestly whether veneers, or something less invasive, would get you the result you want. We take a deposit when you book, under our Failure to Attend policy, and it is refunded when you attend; we confirm the amount when you book. A free consultation is an initial consultation, not a full dental examination.

Transparent pricing

Porcelain veneers from £650 per tooth

Emax veneers from £750 per tooth

Bundle packages may apply for several teeth. 0% finance available on private treatment from £250 up to £5,000, over 6, 9, 10, 11 or 12 months.

Book a Consultation Veneers cost guide: what decides the total Compare with composite bonding

Who Veneers Suit, and Who They Don't

Veneers can change:

Deep discolouration that whitening won't shift
Chipped, worn or uneven front teeth
Shape and proportion — short, narrow or mismatched teeth
Small gaps and mild irregularity (larger crowding is usually better straightened first)

They may not be the right choice, or other treatment may need to come first, if you:

Grind or clench your teeth heavily, which puts veneers under strain; your dentist may suggest a night guard
Have a deep bite, or too little room between your upper and lower teeth
Have crowded or badly out-of-line teeth, which are usually better straightened first
Have decay or gum disease, which is treated first
Have teeth that are already heavily filled or weakened, where a crown may protect the tooth better

Your dentist checks all of this at your consultation, and will tell you if veneers aren't the right answer for your teeth.

Porcelain and Emax Veneers: What Ours Are Made Of

We offer two kinds of ceramic veneer: porcelain veneers, from £650 per tooth, and veneers made in Emax (lithium disilicate, a glass-ceramic), from £750 per tooth. Your dentist will tell you which suits your teeth, and your written plan says which you are having. Each veneer is a thin shell, made individually for its tooth by a ceramist to the shape and shade planned from your scan and photographs, then bonded to the front of the tooth. Ceramic holds its colour and surface well and mimics the translucency of natural enamel, so it suits a lasting, natural-looking change.

Veneers can also be built up from tooth-coloured composite resin, often called composite veneers. We do that as composite bonding: it usually needs little or no drilling and is easier to repair, but it can stain and chip sooner than ceramic.

Alternatives to Veneers

Because preparing a tooth for a veneer is permanent, it's worth knowing what else could get you the result you want. Your dentist will talk these through with you at your consultation.

Teeth whitening:

If colour is the main concern, teeth whitening may be enough on its own. Whitening only lightens natural teeth, so if you are having both, the teeth are whitened first and the veneers are matched to the new shade.

Composite bonding:

For chips, small gaps and uneven edges, composite bonding adds tooth-coloured material and leaves the enamel largely untouched. It is easier to repair than a veneer, but needs refreshing sooner.

Invisalign:

If the teeth are crowded or out of line, straightening them first with Invisalign clear aligners can mean less enamel needs removing, or that veneers aren't needed at all.

A crown:

A tooth that is heavily filled, broken or root-filled may need the fuller coverage of a dental crown rather than a veneer.

Reception at City Dental Care, 9 Earl Grey Street, Edinburgh

How Veneers Are Done, Visit by Visit

Most veneer treatment takes a consultation and then at least two treatment visits: one to prepare the teeth and one to fit the veneers, which are made by a ceramist in between, and then a review appointment. Your dentist will tell you how many visits your plan needs, and roughly how long it will take, before you commit to anything.

Consultation:

Your dentist looks at your teeth, gums and bite and talks through what you want to change. A full digital scan of your teeth is usually taken, and x-rays if your dentist decides the treatment needs them. If bonding, whitening or aligners would get you there with less intervention, they'll say so.

Planning and trial smile:

Photographs and that scan are used to plan the shape and shade. In many cases a trial smile can be placed over your teeth so you can see the proposed result before any preparation; our digital smile design page explains how that works.

Preparation:

Your teeth are numbed with local anaesthetic and, where needed, a thin layer of enamel is removed; the prepared teeth are recorded with a scan or impression for the ceramist. Where needed, temporary veneers protect the prepared teeth while the final ones are made.

Made by a ceramist:

Your veneers are made individually to the plan, and your dentist will tell you when your fit appointment will be.

Fit and check:

The veneers are tried in and checked for fit, colour and bite before they are bonded and polished. You then come back for a review appointment, to check how your veneers and bite have settled.

Veneers at City Dental Care are planned and fitted by Dr. Feras Elbiss (GDC 303408; MDDr 2022, Charles University, Czech Republic), a dentist with postgraduate work in restorative and aesthetic dentistry, endodontics and occlusion, and by Dr. Amir Hussein Shahrbabaki (GDC 318837; BDS 2024, CEU Cardenal Herrera, Spain), a general dentist with a strong interest in cosmetic and restorative dentistry. Both are on the GDC register, and you can read more about them on our staff page.

Looking After Your Veneers

Veneers need the same daily care as natural teeth, because the tooth and gum around each one still need protecting:

Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and clean between your teeth every day
Keep up your check-ups and hygiene visits, so the gums around your veneers stay healthy
Don't bite your nails, chew ice or pens, or use your teeth to open things
Wear a mouthguard for contact sports
If you grind your teeth, wear the night guard your dentist recommends

If a veneer chips, feels rough or comes loose, keep any piece and call us on 0131 228 2442. A loose veneer can often be bonded back on.

Risks, and How Long Veneers Last

Like any dental treatment, veneers carry risks, and your dentist will talk them through before you decide:

Sensitivity to hot and cold after preparation, which usually settles
A veneer can chip, crack or come loose
The edges can pick up staining over time, more so in smokers
Occasionally the nerve of a prepared tooth becomes inflamed, and the tooth may then need root canal treatment
Preparing a tooth is permanent, and veneers eventually need replacing

Looked after well, porcelain and Emax veneers commonly last ten years or more. That is a typical span rather than a promise: heavy grinding or clenching and root-filled teeth are linked with shorter lives, and how well you look after your teeth and gums matters too.

Why Have Veneers at City Dental Care?

Planned before prepared:

Digital planning and, in many cases, a trial smile, so you see the proposed result before anything permanent happens.

The price in writing, first:

Porcelain veneers from £650 and Emax veneers from £750 per tooth, published here and on our price list, with a written plan before treatment and 0% finance on private treatment from £250.

Honest advice:

Because preparation is permanent, we'll steer you to bonding, whitening or Invisalign first whenever they would achieve what you want.

A free consultation:

Find out what is possible for your teeth before you commit to anything. We take a deposit when you book, under our Failure to Attend policy, and it is refunded when you attend; we confirm the amount when you book. A free consultation is an initial consultation, not a full dental examination.

Central, with late opening:

The practice is open until 8pm Monday to Thursday (until 5pm on Friday), on Earl Grey Street at Tollcross, a short walk from Haymarket Station.

Paying for Your Veneers

Porcelain veneers are from £650 per tooth and Emax veneers from £750 per tooth, and if several teeth are being treated, bundle packages may apply. Your treatment and its cost are set out in a written plan before anything starts. See our full price list, or spread the cost with 0% finance on private treatment from £250 up to £5,000, repaid by monthly Direct Debit over 6, 9, 10, 11 or 12 months. Our guide to how much veneers cost in Edinburgh goes through what decides the total and what a quote should include.

Book Your Veneer Consultation