Dentist holding a shade guide beside a patient's smile during a porcelain veneer consultation

Cosmetic Services

Porcelain Veneers in NW Calgary

Porcelain Veneers at Our Kensington Clinic

Kensington Dental Care in Sunnyside places porcelain veneers in-house, as part of cosmetic dentistry. When a case needs smile design, we complete that here as well.

Thin porcelain shells can change the look of teeth that are discoloured, chipped, mildly misaligned, or slightly gapped. Treatment is provided by a general dentist at our 10 St. NW office. The next step is to request a cosmetic consultation.

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What Are Porcelain Veneers?

A veneer is a thin, custom-made shell bonded over the front surface of a tooth. At this clinic the shell is porcelain. Porcelain veneers are the preferred offering for this smile change — the best and most durable option we use for it.

They can improve colour, cover chips, soften mild misalignment, and close small gaps. They cover a tooth that is already there. A missing tooth needs a different restoration, such as a bridge, dentures, or another option discussed in restorative dentistry.

Composite bonding is for small changes only. Next to porcelain veneers, bonding is a compromise, with a more limited lifespan and more frequent replacement.

Porcelain veneers here are typically IPS Empress (Empress). That page also covers Empress build-up restorations, which are planned separately from a veneer.

Some enamel preparation is usually needed so the shell can sit flush. The layer removed is thin — about the thickness of a contact lens, as described in our veneer safety article. No-prep veneers are uncommon in this office.

What Happens at a Veneer Consultation

We talk through your aesthetic goals and your oral health, then examine your teeth and gums. Together we look at how many veneers might be needed and which porcelain plan fits, including IPS Empress when that is the material we recommend.

During your consultation, we’ll discuss your specific goals and recommend the right porcelain veneers. When the plan includes a colour change, we quite often whiten the opposing arch first so the shades can match. Cases commonly involve 4, 6, or 8 teeth. The exact count is set at that visit.

Who Veneers Can Help

Veneers can help when the concern is the look of a tooth that is still in place. Healthy teeth and gums, and good oral hygiene, are the starting point. A consultation is required.

Discolouration or staining that does not respond well to whitening
Chipped, cracked, or worn edges
Slightly crooked teeth or small gaps
Uneven shape or size, including undersized teeth
Damaged enamel — lost enamel does not grow back

When Another Option Comes First

Poor oral hygiene and advanced periodontal disease are treated before veneers. Other situations that usually point away from a veneer:

Poor oral hygiene
Advanced periodontal disease
Significant decay or extensive fillings
Too little enamel, or so much tooth missing that a crown may be the better restoration
A missing tooth — veneers cover a tooth that is still there

How Veneers Are Placed

A case takes several visits over a few weeks. How Do Veneers Work? walks through what those visits involve.

Consult: Goals, an exam, candidacy, and how many teeth to include — often 4, 6, or 8. Smile design is completed here when the case needs it.
Wax-up: A planned model of the smile.
Try-in of the wax-up: You review shape, size, and colour before any irreversible preparation.
Prep day: Some enamel is usually removed. Temporaries are placed on every case.
Insertion: The final porcelain veneers are bonded, the bite is adjusted, and the veneers are polished.

How Long Veneers Last

Porcelain veneers can last up to 10 to 20 years with proper care. Lifespan still varies with hygiene, grinding, injuries, and using teeth as tools. How Long Do Veneers Last? and how to care for porcelain veneers go further into those details.

We always review aftercare with you. Night-guard use if you grind, and avoiding ice, are examples of that counselling.

Brush twice a day with a soft brush and a non-abrasive toothpaste
Floss daily along the veneer margin
Avoid biting ice, hard nuts or candy, pens, and nails
Rinse after coffee, red wine, and dark berries so natural teeth and the margins do not yellow beside the veneer
If you grind your teeth, ask about a night guard
Keep regular hygiene visits, usually every 6 months

Book those visits through our dental cleanings page.

Veneers, Bonding, or a Crown?

Porcelain veneers are usually the best choice for that smile change. Bonding is a compromise for small changes. A crown fits when a tooth is already heavily restored. We recommend based on how much tooth is left and what you want to change.

Bonding: A compromise for small changes only. It has a shorter lifespan and needs replacement more often than porcelain veneers.
Porcelain veneers: The preferred choice for this smile change, and the most durable option we use for it. Veneers here are typically IPS Empress.
Crowns: The better path when a tooth is already heavily restored and the need is structural, not only appearance.

Compare the options in bonding vs. veneers and veneers vs. crowns, and see crowns and bridges when full coverage is the question.

Request an Appointment

Porcelain veneers are placed in our Sunnyside office. Request a cosmetic consultation and we will talk through your goals, how many teeth to include, and the porcelain plan that fits.

Request your appointment today.

Request Appointment