Short answer? For a chip, a small gap or a couple of front teeth that are a bit uneven, we’d usually start with composite bonding. No drilling in most cases, one visit (60 to 120 minutes), and it costs a fraction of veneers. Veneers are the better call when you want a big change in colour or shape across lots of teeth, or something that won’t pick up coffee stains. And now and then the honest answer is neither, in which case we’ll say so.
Patients ask us this all the time. So below you’ll find the differences, how long bonding lasts, rough costs and the whitening question, all on one page.
Imagine a tooth-coloured putty. We push it on, sculpt it with hand tools, harden it with a small blue lamp, and polish away till you can’t see the join. Usually nothing gets drilled away. Most people don’t even need an injection, unless there’s decay or an old filling to deal with first.
Good for:
Nervous? A lot of our patients like that they can watch the tooth take shape as we go.
Thin porcelain shells, made in a lab and fixed to the front of the teeth. To make them sit flush we normally take off a little enamel, so there’s no going back afterwards. Expect two visits at the very least. First we prep and scan, then, usually a week or two later, the veneers go on.
| Composite bonding | Porcelain veneers | |
|---|---|---|
| Tooth preparation | Usually none | Some enamel removed |
| Visits | One, about 60 to 120 minutes | Two or more |
| Price at Pinner Green Dental | Priced per tooth after your consultation | From £795 per tooth |
| Typical lifespan | 7 years or more with good care | Often 10 years or more |
| Staining | Can pick up stains from coffee, tea, red wine and smoking | Resists staining well |
| Repairs | Easy to top up or polish in the chair | A damaged veneer usually has to be replaced |
| Best for | Chips, small gaps, small shape changes | Larger colour or shape changes across many teeth |
Seven years plus isn’t unusual if it’s looked after and polished at check-ups. Mostly, though, it’s down to your habits. Nail-biters, biro chewers, people who open crisp packets with their front teeth: you know who you are, and your edges will chip. Smoking, and a lot of tea, coffee or red wine, dulls the colour.
The good news is that bonding is easy to fix. Chip an edge, and we can normally add a bit of resin and polish it in the same appointment. No need to start from scratch.
That’s exactly what it’s best at. One chipped front tooth is often a quick job. For a small gap, we build up the sides of the teeth either side until they meet. Big gap, or your bite is pushing the teeth apart? Then we might suggest straightening first, Invisalign for example, so the bonding isn’t working against your bite.
If you want lighter teeth, yes. Whitening gel doesn’t change the colour of resin. We match the bonding to your teeth as they are on the day, so if you whiten later, your own teeth get lighter and the bonding doesn’t. It shows. So: whiten, give the shade a couple of weeks to settle, then bond.
We price bonding per tooth, so you only pay for what we actually treat. Fixing one chip costs far less than reshaping six front teeth. Across the UK people tend to pay somewhere around £150 to £400 a tooth, with London at the higher end. We’ll give you an exact figure once we’ve seen your teeth.
To compare: our veneers start at £795 a tooth, and whitening is £395 to £695. Full prices are on our dental fees page.
If you grind your teeth a lot. If you want to change the colour of most of your teeth. If they’re quite crowded. Then whitening, straightening or veneers usually win, and you’ll hear that from us before you spend anything.
Not better, just different. For a small fix, bonding wins on price and speed, and usually nothing gets drilled. Want a bigger change that shrugs off coffee for years? That’s where porcelain veneers pull ahead, and why we reach for them on full makeovers.
Usually not. The resin goes on top of the tooth and little or no enamel comes off, so your own tooth is still there underneath.
No. The gel lightens natural teeth, not resin. That’s why we whiten first.
Most people say it’s just a bit of pushing. We’ll only reach for the anaesthetic if there’s decay to clear or an old filling coming out.
Usually 60 to 120 minutes, depending on how many teeth we’re treating.
Can’t decide? Pop in. We’ll look at your teeth, ask what’s bothering you, and give you a clear price before we do anything. Find out more about composite bonding in Pinner or call us on 020 8866 0362.
Want a dentist to look at this for you?
Pinner Green Dental, 8 Pinner Green, Pinner HA5 2AA. Call us or book online and we will find you a time.
