Comparing your options
Veneers, bonding or whitening: cost, time and how long each lasts
Most people arrive with one question: which treatment is right for my teeth? The honest answer depends on what you want to change, how healthy your teeth are and how long you want the result to hold. Here is how the main cosmetic treatments at our Kallangur clinic compare. Timeframes and lifespans are typical ranges, and individual results vary.
- Teeth whitening. Take-home kits start from $250 and in-clinic whitening from $800. An in-chair session takes around an hour. Results commonly last from several months to a few years, depending on coffee, tea, wine and smoking habits. Whitening does not change the colour of existing fillings, crowns or veneers.
- Dental bonding. Usually finished in one visit with little or no drilling. Small bonding jobs are often among the more affordable cosmetic options. Bonded resin can pick up stains and may need polishing or touching up after several years.
- Composite veneers. $800 per tooth, usually placed in a single visit. They commonly last around five to seven years with good care and can be repaired in the chair if an edge chips.
- Porcelain veneers. $1,900 per veneer, or $11,400 for a set of 6. Expect two or three visits over a few weeks while the laboratory makes them. With good care, porcelain commonly lasts ten years or more and holds its colour well.
- Clear aligners. From $4,500, depending on how much movement is needed. Treatment commonly runs for many months, and wearing a retainer afterwards keeps teeth where they have moved to.
- Dental crowns. Prices start from $1,900 per crown, usually over two visits, and crowns commonly last ten years or more with good care.
- Gum contouring and smile makeovers. These depend heavily on the individual case, so you receive a written estimate before any treatment starts.
If you are weighing up veneers against bonding or whitening, the consultation is where we look at your enamel, bite and gum line and tell you plainly which options suit you, including when a simpler treatment will do the job.
