By Dr. Gregg Barry · Published 8 June 2026
It’s one of the first questions we get asked when someone sits down to talk about veneers, and it’s a fair one. You’ve probably seen the horror stories online — teeth filed down to little pegs, that grim “shark teeth” photo that does the rounds. So let’s be honest about it, because the honest answer is more reassuring (and more nuanced) than the internet would have you believe.
Look, the question really has two parts: do veneers have to involve aggressive drilling, and does having veneers harm the tooth in the long run? We’ll take both head on.
Do porcelain veneers ruin your teeth?
No — well-made porcelain veneers don’t ruin your teeth. In Dublin we typically remove between 0.3 and 0.5mm of enamel, and feldspathic veneers often need even less, sometimes none at all.
The “ruined teeth” reputation comes from a specific kind of bad dentistry: over-preparation, where far too much healthy tooth is ground away to mask poor planning or to fit bulky, manufactured veneers. That absolutely happens, and when it does the damage is real. But it’s a technique failure, not something inherent to veneers. Done properly, the goal is the opposite — preserve as much of your natural tooth as humanly possible, and add the veneer to what’s already there.
How much enamel is actually removed for a veneer?
For a traditional porcelain veneer, a Dublin dentist removes roughly 0.3 to 0.7mm of enamel — fractions of a millimetre, less than the thickness of a fingernail, and only from the front surface of the tooth.
That’s it. We’re not touching the back of the tooth, the biting edge stays largely intact, and the nerve is nowhere near the action. To put it in perspective, your enamel on the front of a tooth is around 0.5 to 1mm thick to begin with, so a careful preparation stays within that outer layer in most cases. The reason this matters so much is what’s underneath: keep the bond to enamel rather than dentine and you get a stronger, longer-lasting, healthier result.
Why do feldspathic veneers often need less preparation than other veneers?
Feldspathic porcelain can be built as thin as 0.3mm, so in suitable cases it needs minimal or even no enamel removal — far less than the press ceramics (like e.max) most Dublin practices use as standard.
Here’s a real case of ours that shows exactly what “minimal” means in practice — the natural teeth, then the same two central incisors after preparation, then the final feldspathic veneers:
This is the part that doesn’t get talked about enough. The material you choose dictates how much tooth has to come off. Press ceramics and zirconia are more forgiving for the lab to work with, but they need a certain bulk to look good and not crack — which means more preparation. Feldspathic porcelain is hand-layered by a master ceramicist, built up tooth by tooth, and it can be made beautifully thin. We really love working with it for exactly this reason: in the right case, it lets us be incredibly conservative. We’ll always be straight with you, though — “no-prep” isn’t a guarantee for every tooth, and anyone promising that sight-unseen isn’t being honest. Some teeth (crowded ones, darker ones, worn ones) do need a little reduction to get a natural result. The point is that the right material lets us remove the least amount possible.
What happens to the tooth underneath a veneer over the years?
The tooth under a well-bonded veneer stays healthy when enamel is preserved — research shows feldspathic veneers bonded to enamel survive at rates above 90% at both 15 and 20 years.
A systematic review in the European Journal of Dentistry found survival rates of around 91% at both the 15- and 20-year marks for feldspathic veneers bonded to enamel. That’s not just the veneer surviving — it tells you the underlying tooth and the bond stayed sound for two decades. In our experience that’s exactly what we see: a properly prepared, properly bonded veneer protects the tooth front rather than weakening it. The tooth doesn’t rot away underneath as long as your gums are healthy, your bond margins are clean, and you keep up with your hygiene visits. Veneers don’t get cavities, but the natural tooth around the edges still can — so looking after them is non-negotiable.
Are veneers permanent, and what happens when one needs replacing?
Veneers are not removable — they’re a permanent commitment, lasting 15 to 20 years on average, after which a worn veneer is replaced rather than simply taken off.
This is where we have to be completely transparent, because it’s the bit people don’t always realise. Once a small amount of enamel has been prepared, that tooth will always need a veneer (or a crown) on it. You can’t “go back.” So a veneer isn’t a haircut, it’s a long-term relationship with that tooth. The good news is that replacement is routine — when a veneer eventually fractures or wears (ceramic fracture is the single most common reason veneers need replacing, accounting for nearly 45% of failures in that same review), we remove the old porcelain and bond a fresh one. The tooth underneath is usually perfectly fine. But the decision to start should never be taken lightly, which is why we plan so carefully before we ever pick up a drill.
Is composite bonding a less invasive alternative?
Composite bonding requires no removal of tooth structure at all, costs €450 per tooth in Dublin, and is built directly onto the tooth — making it the most conservative cosmetic option we offer.
If the idea of removing any enamel doesn’t sit right with you, this is worth a proper conversation. Composite bonding is non-invasive — we add tooth-coloured resin straight onto the existing tooth and sculpt it by hand, no drilling required. It won’t last as long as porcelain and it’s more prone to staining and chipping, but for the right person it’s a brilliant, gentle option. We’ve written a full comparison of composite bonding versus porcelain veneers if you want to weigh them up side by side, and you can see what’s realistic in our porcelain veneers before and after gallery.
How do we make sure veneers protect your teeth, not harm them?
The single biggest factor in whether veneers help or harm is how much enamel is preserved — which is why we plan every Dublin case to remove as little as possible before any treatment begins.
It comes down to planning and craft. We design the smile first — on models, on photos, sometimes with a trial smile you can actually see in your own mouth — so that by the time any preparation happens, we know exactly how thin we can go. We choose feldspathic porcelain precisely because it lets us be conservative. And we’ll happily tell you if veneers aren’t the right answer for you at all. Not sure how many you’d even need? Our guide on how many veneers you actually need is a good place to start. For the full picture on materials, cost and process, our porcelain veneers page lays it all out.
The honest bottom line
Do veneers ruin your teeth? Not when they’re done well. Aggressive, over-prepared veneers can cause real harm — but conservative, properly planned, well-bonded veneers (especially thin feldspathic ones) preserve your natural tooth and can last two decades. The “ruin” stories are stories about bad dentistry, not about veneers themselves. The trick is choosing carefully, both the treatment and the person doing it.
If you’re weighing this up and want a straight answer about your own teeth — no pressure, no hard sell, just a proper conversation — we’d be glad to see you.
Docklands Dental
1 Forbes Street, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 2, D02 FN53
Phone: 01 636 0192
Email: hello@docklandsdental.ie
Web: docklandsdental.ie
Written by Dr. Gregg Barry, Docklands Dental, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 2.
Frequently asked questions
How much tooth is removed for a veneer?
For a traditional porcelain veneer, roughly 0.3 to 0.7mm of enamel is removed from the front surface of the tooth only. Feldspathic porcelain can be made as thin as 0.3mm, so in suitable cases little or no enamel needs to be removed.
Are porcelain veneers permanent and reversible?
Porcelain veneers are a permanent commitment and are not removable. Once a small amount of enamel has been prepared, that tooth will always need a veneer or crown. Veneers last 15 to 20 years on average and are replaced when they eventually wear or fracture, rather than simply taken off.
Can you get cavities or decay under veneers?
The veneer itself cannot decay, and the tooth underneath stays healthy when enamel is preserved and the bond margins are clean. Research shows feldspathic veneers bonded to enamel survive above 90% at 15 and 20 years. The natural tooth around the veneer’s edges can still decay, so daily brushing, flossing and regular hygienist visits remain essential.
Still unsure about veneers? You can book a cosmetic consultation online — thirty minutes with one of our dentists to look at your teeth and talk through the options and what they would cost (€80, as listed on our price list) — or call 01 636 0192.
