Can All-Porcelain Crowns and Veneers Be Combined?
When placed by a qualified provider, both all-porcelain crowns and veneers can offer beautiful, long-lasting results on their own. But what happens when both are used together? One patient’s experience illustrates how a combined treatment plan can achieve a seamless, natural smile when everything is carefully coordinated.
A Patient’s Story
This patient, who was from Denver, CO, had already had a dental crown placed on the tooth adjacent to one of her front teeth. When she began exploring porcelain veneers to brighten and even out her smile, she assumed it would be simple – until her dentist told her it was “impossible” to get veneers because she already had a crown.
Confused and disappointed, the patient wondered if that was truly the case. Was her existing crown really an obstacle, or could there be another way? She reached out to David R. Newkirk, DDS, our Naperville cosmetic dentist, for a second opinion.
Dr. Newkirk’s Evaluation
After hearing the patient’s situation, Dr. Newkirk explained that her dentist’s statement wasn’t accurate. Veneers and crowns can be combined – but doing so takes advanced cosmetic expertise and careful planning.
Dr. Newkirk clarified that a porcelain veneer cannot be bonded over an existing crown, since the crown already covers the entire surface of that tooth. However, he explained that a patient can still receive veneers on all the surrounding teeth. The crowned tooth simply needs to be replaced with a new all-porcelain crown designed at the same time as the veneers. When the two are crafted together, the results should look completely natural.
Dr. Newkirk also emphasized that when a dentist says a treatment “can’t be done,” it may simply reflect their limitations or lack of cosmetic experience, not an actual impossibility. In this case, the patient’s former dentist may not have been comfortable working with a mix of restorations or with custom shade matching.
How Crowns and Veneers Can Work Together
According to Dr. Newkirk, the key to combining crowns and veneers successfully is consistency in materials and design. Here’s how a skilled cosmetic dentist would approach a case like this:
- Replace the existing crown with an all-porcelain restoration that matches the intended veneer color, translucency, and contour.
- Design veneers for the neighboring teeth to complement the new crown, creating a uniform smile line.
- Customize the restorations to ensure that every tooth shares the same level of shine, shade gradient, and surface texture.
- Refine bite alignment and margins so the restorations fit together comfortably and function like natural teeth.
When performed with precision, this strategy can allow crowns and veneers to blend flawlessly – so that no one, not even another dentist, should be able to tell which teeth were restored.
Why Expertise Matters
Dr. Newkirk noted that combining crowns and veneers demands both artistic and technical skill. The dentist must have a deep understanding of color layering, translucency, and facial aesthetics. Even slight variations in tone or surface texture can make one restoration stand out against the others. For this reason and countless others, it’s important to choose a dentist with extensive training in cosmetic and restorative dentistry: someone who can manage complex cases where crowns and veneers need to harmonize.
Dr. Newkirk also recommended that patients review before-and-after photos of similar treatments and read testimonials to gauge a dentist’s experience. A truly skilled cosmetic dentist will approach the case holistically, planning the entire smile rather than treating each tooth in isolation.
The Outcome
This patient was relieved to learn that veneers were still an option for her. With Dr. Newkirk’s guidance, she understood that she simply needed a new, matching all-porcelain crown to compliment the veneers she envisioned. His advice empowered her to seek a qualified cosmetic dentist who could design a cohesive smile plan. She now knew what questions to ask, what materials to request, and how to ensure her outcome would be both beautiful and durable.
The Takeaway
This case illustrates an important truth: porcelain crowns and veneers can absolutely be combined, as long as they’re carefully planned and made from the same high-quality materials.
If a dentist tells you it “can’t be done,” it may be worth seeking a second opinion from a cosmetic dentist experienced in advanced restorative work. The right provider will take the time to match color, shape, and translucency across every restoration, creating a flawless, natural result.
Our Naperville cosmetic dentist encourages patients to ask questions, explore their options, and never settle for less than a smile they love. To learn more, we welcome you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Newkirk.
Editor’s note: This blog was originally posted on March 10th, 2016.