Composite Veneers glossary of terms & specifications
15 technical terms, material grades and Irish standards explained in plain English so you know exactly what is on a written quote.
Sorted A to Z for quick reference when comparing specifications.
Free, no obligation. One registered dental clinic in your county replies, not five.
Key composite veneers terms explained
14-Day Post-Whitening Oxygen Washout
Waiting two weeks after finishing home carbamide/hydrogen peroxide whitening trays before bonding composite veneers so residual oxygen leaves the enamel and bond strength reaches 100%.
37% Orthophosphoric Acid Etch
A gentle 15–30 second surface conditioner applied to cleaned tooth enamel that creates microscopic pores so the dental adhesive locks onto the tooth without drilling.
Additive (No-Prep) Protocol
Sculpting ultra-thin layers of nano-hybrid composite directly over intact natural enamel without grinding down healthy tooth structure.
B1 & Bleach (BL1–BL4) VITA Shades
The clinical shade scale used to select your veneer brightness: B1 is the brightest natural tooth shade, while BL3 and BL2 offer a brighter Hollywood smile.
Clear Silicone Palatal Index (Stent)
A transparent custom mould taken from your approved 3D digital wax-up that guides the dentist in building the exact length and incisal edge position of every tooth.
Dentition &Dentine Opacity Layering
Combining a warm dentine core shade underneath a translucent nano-ceramic enamel outer layer so the veneer reflects light like a real tooth rather than looking flat or chalky.
Diastema Closure
Closing a midline gap between the two upper central incisors or lateral incisors seamlessly by widening the adjacent teeth with sculpted composite veneers.
Digital Smile Design & Trial Mock-Up
Scanning your teeth in 3D and placing temporary bis-acryl resin over your teeth at the consultation so you can see and approve your new smile in the mirror before bonding.
Edge Bonding vs Full-Surface Veneer
Edge bonding adds composite only to the chipped or short bottom 1–2mm tip of a tooth; a full-surface composite veneer covers the entire visible front face from gumline to biting edge.
Finishing Strips & Interproximal Contouring
Ultra-fine diamond and aluminium-oxide strips passed between every veneered tooth so you can floss normally and your gums stay healthy.
Incisal Halo & Mamelon Detail
Subtle opalescent blue-amber translucency sculpted along the biting edge of young natural teeth so composite veneers look completely lifelike up close.
Indirect / Injection-Moulded Composite Veneers
Composite veneers pressed through a clear 3D-printed stent using heated high-filled injectable composite or milled/cured in a dental lab across two visits.
Michigan / Soft Nightguard
A custom vacuum-formed or hard-soft acrylic bite guard worn during sleep to protect newly bonded incisal edges from night-time tooth grinding (bruxism).
Multi-Step Diamond Paste Polish
Polishing cured composite with silicone points, goat-hair brushes and 1-micron diamond paste to create a glass-like lustre that resists coffee and red wine staining.
Nano-Hybrid / Sub-Micron Enamel Resin
Modern high-lustre dental composite containing spherical sub-micron ceramic fillers that hold their gloss for years and can be invisibly repaired in 20 minutes if chipped.
Real examples and installation detail
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Composite veneers guides & price breakdowns
Straight answers to what people ask most: itemised costs, specifications, planning or grants, and what to check before you book.
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Questions patients ask
How much do composite veneers cost in Ireland?
Direct chairside composite veneers cost €250 to €450 per tooth, while digital injection-moulded or lab-made composite veneers cost €450 to €650 per tooth. For a 6-tooth upper smile makeover (canine to canine), clinics typically charge €1,400 to €2,400 for direct veneers or €2,500 to €3,600 for digital/indirect composite veneers.
What is the difference between composite veneers and composite bonding?
Composite edge bonding (€180 to €350 per tooth — see compositebonding.ie) only adds resin to the biting edge or corners of a tooth to fix a small chip or narrow gap while leaving 70%+ of your natural enamel visible. A composite veneer covers the entire front surface of the tooth from the gumline to the biting edge, allowing the dentist to change the shade, length and shape completely.
Do they shave down your natural teeth for composite veneers?
In almost all cases, no. Unlike traditional porcelain veneers — which usually require 0.3mm to 0.7mm of enamel to be drilled away — composite veneers are an additive treatment bonded directly onto lightly roughened, intact enamel. Because the underlying tooth is untouched, the procedure is reversible and rarely requires local anaesthetic injections.
Composite veneers across all 26 counties
Requests from all 26 counties go to one vetted local specialist who covers your county — from Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick to Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Waterford and Donegal. Pick your county below for local prices, specifications and advice. Compare all areas covered →
Want a clear price for composite veneers?
One Dental Council-registered clinic covering your county contacts you. Nothing is booked until you have a written treatment plan.