How many veneers do I need?

How many veneers do I need? It is one of the first questions I hear, and the answer is never a package.

I want to treat the fewest teeth I can. But the number has to finish the smile, and that is decided by how wide your smile is and where it turns.

Where your smile turns

Your smile is a curve. The turning point of that curve is the canine, the pointed tooth at each corner.

If only the front teeth are treated and made brighter, the work ends right where the smile turns. The bright teeth sit in front, your natural teeth fall away behind them, and the smile looks like it stops.

No seams

I don’t want any seam where my dentistry starts and ends.

So I radiate the color. The front teeth are a little brighter. The teeth beside them carry a blend. The canines match the teeth behind them. The whole smile looks a little brighter, and there is no sharp point where the color drops off.

That is why the number depends on your face. On one smile, the design is complete with fewer teeth. On a wider smile, it needs more of them.

See it, then decide

A number is hard to judge in the abstract. It is much easier to judge on your own face.

At your consultation, we look at your smile from every angle, and wherever possible I show you the difference in your mouth, not on a screen. Most patients can see the right number for themselves.

For the full picture of how I plan a smile, read my guide to porcelain veneers in Beverly Hills. I’m based in Los Angeles and take one trip a month to our New York office.

Continue reading: Ceramic veneers: why the whitest shade isn't always the best one · Why a natural smile isn't perfectly symmetrical

Common questions

How many veneers do most people need?

There is no standard number. It depends on how wide your smile is and where it turns, and the goal is the fewest teeth that complete the design.

Are six veneers enough?

On some smiles. On others, six ends right at the canines, the turning point of the smile, and the color drops off where the work stops.

Why do some veneers look like they stop?

Bright front teeth next to untreated side teeth create a seam. Radiating the color gradually across the smile avoids it.

How do I find out how many veneers I need?

At a consultation, where your smile is examined from every angle and, wherever possible, the difference is shown in your mouth.

This article is general information only and not a substitute for a personal exam and treatment plan from your own dentist.