Whitening
If only the color bothers you. It lasts about 3 years, according to the NHS. Crowns, veneers and composite do not whiten: if you plan to whiten, do it first.
Gloss Dent Polanco
Dental veneers in Polanco
What veneers are, porcelain or lithium disilicate (e.max) versus composite, who they suit, visits, aftercare and how long they last in studies. Clinic in Polanco.
What they are
A thin layer over the front of the tooth
A veneer covers only the visible front of a tooth. It is used to change color, shape or size, or to close small gaps. A crown, by contrast, covers the whole tooth.
Not every cosmetic change needs veneers. Sometimes whitening, composite bonding or aligning the teeth first is enough. At our Polanco clinic we check for cavities, gum health and your bite before discussing aesthetics, and you receive a written plan with the alternatives.
Types
Porcelain, lithium disilicate (e.max) or composite: how they differ
There are two families. Ceramic veneers are made in a laboratory; the most studied are feldspathic porcelain and lithium disilicate, the material behind brands such as IPS e.max. Composite veneers are shaped directly on the tooth.
| Ceramic (feldspathic or lithium disilicate) | Composite | |
|---|---|---|
| How they are made | In a laboratory, from a scan or impression of your teeth. | In your mouth: the composite is bonded, shaped, hardened with light and polished. |
| Enamel removed | Usually some; sometimes little or none, depending on the tooth. | Usually none or very little. |
| Appointments | More: assessment, try-in, preparation, laboratory and bonding. | Fewer: usually 1 or 2 after the assessment. |
| Over the years | Resists staining and wear better. | Stains and chips more; needs polishing or touch-ups. |
| If it is damaged | The veneer is repaired or replaced. | Repaired with less work, often in one appointment. |
| How long they last in studies | Between 89% and 97% were still in place at about 9 or 10 years, depending on the material. | 88% were still in place with 2 to 8 years of follow-up. |
These are averages from studies (sources below), not a promise for your case. Still in place does not mean problem-free.
Are they right for me?
Who they usually suit, and who they do not
They are usually considered if…
- Your teeth are chipped, fractured or irregularly shaped.
- You want to close small gaps between teeth.
- You have stains that whitening does not remove: from medications such as tetracycline, fluorosis, or a tooth that turned dark after a root canal.
- There are minor rotations or shifts and moving the teeth with aligners is not advisable.
They are not usually the first step, or something is treated first, if…
- You have cavities or inflamed gums: these are treated first.
- You clench or grind your teeth, or have a deep bite: veneers may not be a good option, or may call for a different material and a night guard. In a 20-year study, bruxism was associated with 7.7 times more failures.
- Little enamel is left: veneers bonded to dentin (the layer under the enamel) failed about 10 times more often than veneers bonded to enamel.
- Your teeth are crowded or rotated: aligning them first can save tooth reduction.
- Only the color bothers you: whitening may be enough.
- You want something that can be undone: a conventional porcelain veneer does not allow it, because enamel is removed.
Alternatives
Before deciding on veneers, compare
Composite bonding
For chips, small gaps or the shape of a few teeth, usually without removing enamel. In a meta-analysis, 90% to 95% success at 10 years, depending on the type of restoration.
Aligners
If your teeth are crowded or rotated. With the tooth in place, less or no reduction is needed, before veneers or instead of them.
Crown
For a heavily restored, fractured or weak tooth. It removes more tooth: 63% to 72%, versus 3% to 30% for a veneer, in a laboratory study.
The process
Visit by visit, with ceramic veneers
- 1
Assessment and diagnosis 1 to 2 appointments
Medical history, a check of cavities, gums, bite and bruxism, X-rays if needed, photos and a 3D scan. At Gloss Dent the first consultation takes about 90 minutes.
- 2
Proposal and try-in 1 appointment
The shape is designed around your face, lips and gums. In many cases it is tried in your mouth with a resin model (mock-up) placed over your teeth without reducing them, so you can give your opinion and it can be adjusted.
- 3
Written plan and consent
A written plan with the alternatives, the risks and what cannot be undone. Mexico's NOM-013 standard requires consent to explain the alternatives in plain language.
- 4
Preparation and temporaries 1 appointment
Little or no enamel is removed, depending on the tooth; your teeth are scanned and you leave with temporaries.
- 5
Laboratory about 2 weeks
At Gloss Dent, porcelain veneers are made in the clinic's own laboratory.
- 6
Try-in and bonding 1 appointment
They are tried in, adjusted and bonded.
- 7
Follow-up 1 appointment
A bite check and, if you clench your teeth, a night guard.
How long they last
What studies say about how long they last
In studies, between 89% and 97% of ceramic veneers were still in place at about 9 or 10 years, and 88% of composite veneers with 2 to 8 years of follow-up. “Still in place” includes veneers that chipped or needed adjustment: in one study at 9 or 10 years, fewer than 10% had no complication at all.
| Study | What it found |
|---|---|
| Meta-analysis of 13 studies (Morimoto 2016) | 89% of ceramic veneers were still in place at a median of 9 years. The most frequent problem was fracture or chipping (4%). |
| Meta-analysis of 29 studies (Klein 2025) | At about 10 years, 96% of feldspathic porcelain veneers and 97% of lithium disilicate veneers were still in place. Fractures, chipping or debonding affected 41% of feldspathic and 6% of lithium disilicate veneers, with wide variation between studies. |
| Up to 20 years of follow-up (Beier 2012, 318 veneers) | 94% were still in place at 5 years, 93.5% at 10 and 83% at 20. Half of the patients clenched or ground their teeth. |
| Still in place versus problem-free (Panayong 2025, 233 veneers) | At 9 or 10 years, 89% were still in place, but fewer than 10% had had no complication. Most common: edge adaptation, inflamed gums and staining at the edge. |
| Composite (Lim 2023, meta-analysis of trials) | 88% of composite veneers were still in place with 2 to 8 years of follow-up. Most reported: rough surface, color mismatch and staining at the edge. |
| Composite versus ceramic in the same mouth (Gresnigt 2019, trial) | At 10 years, 75% of laboratory-made composite veneers and 100% of ceramic veneers were still in place. |
| Private practice, 1,459 veneers (Mazzetti 2022) | Yearly failure was 3.9% to 4.1% for direct composite, versus 1.2% to 1.4% for ceramic. |
These are averages for groups of patients, often treated by specialists or at universities. In your case, how much enamel is preserved, whether you clench your teeth and aftercare all play a part.
Aftercare
What helps them last
Hygiene
Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth. Cavities can form under or around a veneer.
Force
Do not bite your nails or hard objects. Wear a mouthguard for contact sports.
Night guard
If you clench or grind your teeth. Among patients with bruxism, the risk of fracture was 7 times higher without a guard.
Stains and checkups
Coffee, tea and wine stain, especially composite. Checkups catch chips or debonding early.
Where we are
Gloss Dent Polanco: address, opening hours and booking
Veneer assessments are by appointment. You can book online, call or message us on WhatsApp. If you are travelling from another city, confirm the number of visits before booking your trip.
Gloss Dent Polanco
Address
Torcuato Tasso 325, Mezzanine 1, Polanco, Miguel Hidalgo, 11560 Ciudad de México, CDMXUsual opening hours
Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 19:00, and Saturday, 9:00 to 14:00. Visits by appointment.
Phone and WhatsApp
Common questions
Before you book
How much do veneers cost in Polanco?
It depends on how many teeth are treated, the material, and whether cavities, gums or tooth position need treatment first. That is why at Gloss Dent the price is given after the assessment, with a written plan. Ask for the estimate to list the teeth, material, try-ins and checkups.
How many veneers do I need?
There is no right number for everyone. It depends on how many teeth show when you smile and what you want to change. The average smile shows the 6 front teeth and the premolars, which is why plans range from 1 or 2 to 4, 6, 8 or 10 per arch.
How many visits does it take?
With ceramic, after the assessment it usually takes 3 to 5 appointments over 3 to 6 weeks, if no prior treatment is needed. That is common practice, not a study figure. With direct composite, 1 or 2.
How long do veneers last?
In studies, between 89% and 97% of ceramic veneers were still in place at about 9 or 10 years, depending on the material, and 88% of composite veneers with 2 to 8 years of follow-up. Still in place is not the same as problem-free, and these are averages, not a promise for your case.
Can veneers be removed?
Conventional porcelain veneers require removing enamel, so the treatment cannot be undone. Veneers placed without reduction still need the enamel to be treated with acid to bond them, and removing them means grinding away the ceramic and the cement. If you want something that can be adjusted later, composite is the most conservative option.
Do they look natural?
It depends on the design, the shade chosen and how they sit next to your gums and lips. That is why they are planned from photos and a scan, and in many cases the shape is tried in your mouth before the final work.
Clinical sources
The criteria and figures on this page come from these sources. They are averages from studies, not a promise for any individual case.
- ADA · MouthHealthy: Veneers
- ADA · MouthHealthy: 8 Great Ways to Improve Your Smile
- Smielak 2022: conventional and no-prep veneers at 9 years
- Morimoto 2016: survival of ceramic veneers (meta-analysis)
- Klein 2025: feldspathic, lithium disilicate and zirconia veneers (meta-analysis)
- Beier 2012: porcelain veneers at 20 years
- Panayong 2025: ceramic veneers over the long term
- Gurel 2013: preserved enamel and veneer failures
- Lim 2023: composite veneers (meta-analysis)
- Gresnigt 2019: composite and ceramic veneers at 10 years (trial)
- Mazzetti 2022: ceramic and composite veneers at 10 years
- Tjan 1984: which teeth show when you smile
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS: Crowns, patient information (2025)
- NHS: Teeth whitening (2025)
- ADA: Whitening (Oral Health Topics)
- Heintze 2015: composite restorations in front teeth (meta-analysis)
- Edelhoff 2002: how much tooth each preparation removes
- NOM-013-SSA2-2015, Mexico's Ministry of Health (clinical records and consent)
Book your assessment at Gloss Dent Polanco
We review your dental health, what you want to change and the options for your case, and you receive a written plan.