Veneers, crowns or whitening: what is the difference?

Many people contact us because they want a brighter or more even smile. Which treatment fits depends on the health of your teeth as much as on how they look.

Whitening

Whitening lightens the natural colour of your teeth with a bleaching gel, applied at the clinic or at home with trays your dentist gives you. It does not change the shape of your teeth or the colour of fillings, crowns or veneers. It is the least invasive option, and the effect fades gradually.

Veneers

Veneers are thin shells, usually porcelain, bonded to the front of a tooth. They can change the colour and shape of a tooth and close small gaps, so they are mostly used on the teeth that show when you smile. In most cases the dentist removes a thin layer of enamel first, which makes the treatment permanent.

Crowns

A crown covers the whole visible part of a tooth. Dentists use crowns on teeth that are badly damaged or weakened by a large filling or root canal treatment, and on top of implants. A crown protects the tooth and changes how it looks, but the dentist has to remove more of the tooth than for a veneer.

Which one is right for me?

If your teeth are healthy and the colour is what bothers you, whitening is usually the first step. Veneers may suit healthy teeth whose shape or position you would like to change slightly. For damaged or heavily filled teeth, crowns tend to last longer.

Many smile makeovers combine these treatments. Whitening often comes first, so that new veneers or crowns can be matched to the lighter shade.

Before you travel, we make sure you have a written plan from the clinic that says which treatment is proposed for each tooth and why.