Dental

E-max veneers

A conservative way to change how front teeth look, removing far less tooth structure than a crown — but a permanent commitment nonetheless.

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What this treatment involves

A veneer is a thin shell bonded to the visible surface of a tooth. E-max is a brand of lithium-disilicate glass ceramic, chosen for veneers because it is strong enough to be made thin and because light passes through it in a way that resembles natural enamel.

A small amount of enamel is removed so the veneer sits flush rather than making the tooth look bulky. The shells are made in a laboratory to an agreed shape and shade, then bonded individually.

Who may be suitable

Veneers are usually considered for teeth that are structurally sound but discoloured in a way whitening cannot correct, chipped, slightly crooked, or uneven in shape or spacing.

They are less suitable where a tooth is heavily filled or broken down — a crown covers and protects, a veneer does not. Active gum disease or decay is treated first. Untreated grinding will fracture veneers, so a night guard is often part of the plan rather than an afterthought.

Why patients choose it

Compared with crowning a sound tooth, a veneer removes considerably less tooth structure while still allowing the shape, shade and alignment of the visible surface to be changed.

The ceramic resists staining from coffee, tea and tobacco better than natural enamel or composite bonding, so the shade chosen tends to be the shade that stays.

How treatment works

Three lithium-disilicate veneers — wafer-thin translucent porcelain shells, light passing through their edges. — A generated image of the kind of component this treatment uses — not a photograph of a patient, a procedure or a result. The exact system is chosen when your treatment is planned.

Assessment and planning
Visit 1, day 1
Examination, X-rays and photographs establish whether the teeth are suitable and how much can realistically be changed. Shade is chosen with you in natural light.
Design preview
Day 1
A digital design or a wax mock-up shows the proposed shape before any tooth is touched. This is the point to change your mind.
Preparation and temporaries
Day 1–2
Enamel is reduced under local anaesthetic, impressions or a digital scan are taken, and temporary veneers are fitted.
Laboratory work
4–6 days
The veneers are made to the agreed design.
Try-in and bonding
Day 6–7
The veneers are tried in for fit and shade before bonding, so adjustments happen before they are permanent.

Which surface a veneer covers

1. The tooth
Seen from the side. The front surface faces left.
2. Enamel reduced
A small amount of enamel is reduced from the front surface only.
3. The veneer
A thin shell bonded to the front. The rest of the tooth is left as it is.

A schematic diagram, not an anatomical drawing. It shows how the parts fit together and in what order; it is not to scale and does not represent any individual anatomy. Your own treatment is planned from your scan.

What happens in Istanbul

Most dental treatments are completed across two visits to the clinic within a single trip, typically five to seven days apart. Your coordinator confirms the schedule before you travel so you know how many appointments to expect and how much free time you will have between them. Airport transfers and accommodation arrangements are confirmed in writing before departure.

Recovery

There is no surgical recovery. Sensitivity to hot and cold for a few days after preparation is common and usually settles within a week or two.

Temporary veneers are worn between appointments; they are more fragile than the finished ones, so avoid biting directly into hard food on those teeth. Once bonded, speech and biting can feel slightly different for a few days while you adjust.

Risks and considerations

Preparing a tooth for a veneer removes enamel permanently. This cannot be reversed — the tooth will always need a veneer or a crown from that point on, for the rest of your life.

Veneers can chip, fracture or debond, particularly on teeth that take heavy biting force or in people who grind. The bond margin can stain over time, and gum recession over the years can expose the join at the gum line.

Preparation can irritate the nerve inside the tooth; in a proportion of cases root canal treatment is needed later. Shade is chosen before manufacture, so it is worth being certain — matching a single veneer to surrounding natural teeth is more difficult than treating several together.

This information is general and educational. Whether a procedure is appropriate for you can only be determined by a qualified medical professional after an individual assessment, including your medical history and an examination.

Systems used for this procedure

The manufacturers whose systems are used here, so you can check them yourself rather than take our word for it.

IPS e.max
Ivoclar Vivadent AG
A lithium disilicate glass-ceramic made by Ivoclar Vivadent, used for veneers, inlays and single crowns.
About IPS e.max Manufacturer's site

Naming a manufacturer is not a claim that one system produces a better result than another. Outcomes depend far more on planning, on the surgery itself and on how you heal than on whose system is used. Ask for the make, model and reference number of anything implanted, in writing, before you travel home.

Common questions

Are veneers reversible?

No. Preparing a tooth removes enamel, and enamel does not grow back. From that point the tooth will always need a veneer or a crown. This is the most important thing to be certain about before starting.

How many veneers would I need?

It depends on how many teeth show when you smile, which varies between people. Treating only the teeth that show can leave a visible difference at the edges, so the number is usually decided by where your smile line falls rather than by a standard package.

Should I try whitening first?

Often, yes. Whitening removes no tooth structure and is far less of a commitment. If discolouration is the only concern and the teeth respond to whitening, that is the more conservative route. Veneers make sense when shape, alignment or spacing also need changing, or when the discolouration does not respond.