Cosmetic Dentistry · Led by Dr. Rosie Nguyen · Last reviewed May 2026
Emax Veneers The Ceramic
Top Cosmetic Clinics Use.
Picasso Dental places Emax Press veneers in Vietnam, with Emax Press Plus at. Emax is pressed lithium disilicate ceramic, manufactured by Ivoclar Vivadent (Liechtenstein), and the standard veneer material at top cosmetic clinics in Sydney, Paris and New York. Every Emax veneer carries a 7-year material warranty, is designed digitally before any tooth is touched, and is bonded by Dr. Rosie Nguyen, our dedicated cosmetic dentist.
What Is an Emax Veneer?
An Emax veneer is a thin shell of pressed lithium disilicate ceramic, manufactured by Ivoclar Vivadent in Liechtenstein, bonded to the front of a tooth. The material is naturally translucent (close to natural enamel), monolithic (no layered porcelain to chip), and strong, with a flexural strength of roughly 360-400 MPa for Emax Press. It is the standard veneer ceramic used by top cosmetic clinics worldwide.
Emax vs Zirconia vs PFM Veneers
The technical comparison patients ask for most. Three veneer materials, three different jobs.
| Property | Emax | Zirconia | PFM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Lithium disilicate | Zirconium dioxide | Porcelain fused to metal |
| Translucency | High (mimics enamel) | Lower (more opaque) | Lowest (metal substructure) |
| Flexural strength | ~360-400 MPa | ~900-1200 MPa | ~100 MPa (porcelain layer) |
| Tooth reduction | 0.3-0.5mm | 0.5-0.7mm | 1.0-1.5mm |
| Best for | Front aesthetic veneers | Back-tooth crowns, high-load | Older restorations, less common today |
| Aesthetics | Excellent | Good but more opaque | Visible metal margin risk |
| Picasso price | 9- | (as crown) | (as crown) |
For full-coverage restorations, see porcelain crowns. For minor cosmetic correction at lower cost, see composite veneers.
Emax Variants at Picasso
Four pressed-ceramic options, all carrying the 7-year material warranty. Your cosmetic dentist will recommend based on tooth condition, bite, shade goals and how much enamel can be safely preserved.
Emax Press ·
Pressed lithium disilicate from Ivoclar Vivadent. Our standard veneer material, naturally translucent, strong, and the option chosen by most patients. 0.3-0.5mm preparation, 7-year warranty.
Emax Press Plus ·
Refined Emax with improved aesthetic layering for blending with natural neighbouring teeth. A small step up in cost for cases where shade and translucency matching is critical.
Non-Prep Emax ·
Ultra-thin Emax veneers requiring zero enamel removal. Suitable where the tooth is the right size and shape and only colour or minor surface correction is needed. Reversible in principle, though rarely removed once bonded.
Lisi ·
Premium pressed-ceramic alternative to Emax for showcase smile makeovers where every nuance of translucency and surface texture matters. Our top-tier porcelain option.
Why Emax Is the Industry Standard
Six reasons pressed lithium disilicate became the default veneer ceramic at top cosmetic clinics.
Optical Translucency Mimics Enamel
Natural tooth enamel is translucent, light passes through it and reflects from the underlying dentine. Emax has similar light-handling, which is why it looks like a real tooth and not a flat panel.
Monolithic Strength
Emax veneers are pressed as a single monolithic ceramic piece. There is no layered porcelain on top of a substructure to chip off, the failure mode that plagued older PFM restorations.
Excellent Bond Strength to Enamel
Lithium disilicate etches with hydrofluoric acid and bonds reliably with silane-coupled resin cement to natural enamel. The bonded veneer-to-tooth complex is mechanically very stable.
Glazed Surface Resists Staining
The Emax surface is glazed ceramic. It picks up coffee, red wine and tobacco staining far less readily than natural teeth or composite resin veneers.
Used by Top Clinics in Sydney, Paris, NYC
Emax Press is the default front-tooth veneer ceramic at high-end cosmetic practices in major Western cities. The same lithium disilicate material is what we press at Picasso, sourced from Ivoclar Vivadent.
10+ Years of Clinical Evidence
Long-term studies including Layton & Walton (2012) and Pieger et al. (2014) report high survival rates for pressed lithium disilicate veneers and crowns. The material has a documented track record, not just a marketing one.
When Zirconia Veneers Make More Sense
Honest counter-recommendation. Emax is the right answer for most front-tooth veneer cases, but not all of them.
Zirconia is significantly stronger and more opaque than Emax. Those properties matter in three specific scenarios:
- Heavy grinders who fracture porcelain veneers repeatedly even with a nightguard. Zirconia's higher flexural strength (~900-1200 MPa) survives bite forces that crack Emax.
- Posterior teeth where chewing loads are higher and aesthetic translucency is less critical. Zirconia crowns dominate in the back of the mouth for this reason.
- Masking very dark teeth where Emax's translucency is a disadvantage. Zirconia's opacity blocks the underlying discolouration so the final shade is predictable.
In all three cases, we generally recommend zirconia as a crown material ( at Picasso) rather than as a veneer. Bonding zirconia to enamel is harder than bonding Emax, and the strength advantage is more useful as full coverage. For pure cosmetic veneer work on front teeth, Emax remains the correct choice.
Emax Pricing
Per-unit pricing in writing after consultation. Smile makeovers typically involve 6, 8 or 10 veneers across the upper front teeth, your final quote depends on the material, number of teeth and any preparatory work needed.
| Service | Price | Warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Emax Press veneer | 7 years | |
| Emax Press Plus veneer | 7 years | |
| Non-prep Emax veneer | 7 years | |
| Lisi premium veneer | 7 years | |
| Emax inlay / onlay | 5 years | |
| Emax overlay / tabletop | 5 years | |
| Emax porcelain crown | 7 years |
Need full-coverage instead of front-surface? See porcelain crowns.
Who Is, and Isn't, a Good Candidate?
Emax veneers suit some patients beautifully and are the wrong tool for others. Here is the honest version, decided after photographs, an iTero scan and a bite assessment.
You're a Strong Candidate If
You want to correct shape, colour, small gaps or minor edge irregularities on otherwise healthy front teeth.
Your bite is stable, no significant overbite, crossbite or grinding-driven wear pattern.
Your teeth have intact enamel for the Emax to bond to, lithium disilicate bonds best to enamel, not dentine.
Your gums are healthy, with no active periodontal disease.
You are willing to wear a nightguard if you grind, and to attend 6-month hygiene visits.
You have realistic expectations, Emax improves appearance, but it does not move teeth.
Emax May Not Be Right If
You have moderate or severe misalignment: Invisalign or braces should come first.
You grind or clench heavily without protection, even Emax can fracture under repeated bruxism.
You have large existing fillings, fractures or weakened tooth structure, an Emax crown is the correct restoration, not a veneer.
You have very dark underlying teeth, Emax's translucency may not mask discolouration; zirconia or internal whitening may be needed.
You have significant enamel loss, there may not be enough surface for reliable bonding.
You expect veneers to function permanently with no maintenance, they will need replacement at some point in your lifetime.
How Emax Veneer Treatment Works
Five steps from first photograph to final bonding. Most cases complete in two to three appointments over two to three weeks.
1. Consultation + Photography
Dr. Rosie or another cosmetic dentist examines your bite, takes high-resolution clinical photographs, and discusses what you want to change. We confirm whether Emax veneers are the right tool, or whether whitening, orthodontics or crowns would do a better job.
2. Digital Smile Design + Wax-Up
We model your new smile digitally and produce a physical wax-up. You see exactly how the planned Emax veneers will look, in 2D and 3D, before any clinical work begins.
3. Mock-Up in Your Mouth
A temporary, removable composite mock-up is placed directly on your teeth so you can speak, smile and live with the new shape for a short trial. Adjustments are made before any preparation begins.
4. Preparation + iTero Scan
Minimal enamel is removed (0.3-0.5mm for Emax Press; none for non-prep Emax). We capture an iTero scan, fit a temporary set, and the lab presses your final Emax veneers to digital tolerances.
5. Bonding + Polish
At the bonding visit, each Emax veneer is checked for fit, shade and contact, then bonded with light-cured resin cement. Final polish, occlusion check, photographs, done.
Aftercare
Brush, floss, regular hygiene visits. We recommend a nightguard if you grind, and cleaning visits twice yearly to preserve the bond margins.
Risks & Longevity
Emax is well-documented in the long-term clinical literature. Here is what the studies report, what can go wrong, and how Picasso minimises avoidable risks.
Documented Longevity
Layton & Walton (2012) reported approximately 94% survival of pressed-ceramic veneers at 10 years and 67% at 20 years. Pieger et al. (2014), in a systematic review of lithium disilicate restorations, reported high success rates for both veneers and crowns. Most Emax veneers eventually need replacement; few last a lifetime untouched.
What Can Go Wrong
Debonding (the veneer comes off the tooth, usually re-cementable). Fracture (the Emax chips or cracks, typically from trauma or unprotected grinding). Marginal staining (colour pickup at the bond line over years). Sensitivity (typically transient, in the weeks after preparation).
How We Minimise Risk
Conservative 0.3-0.5mm preparation only. Digital Smile Design and physical mock-up before bonding. iTero digital impressions for sub-30-micron fit. Bite assessment and nightguard recommendation for grinders. Ivoclar-documented Emax with traceable batch records.
The Irreversibility Tradeoff
Conventional Emax Press veneers require a small amount of enamel removal, that enamel does not regrow. Once you commit, the tooth will always need a veneer or crown to seal the prepared surface. Non-prep Emax veneers preserve all enamel and are reversible in principle.
If a Veneer Fails Within Warranty
Within the 7-year warranty period and under normal use, Emax replacement is covered. Re-cementing a debonded veneer is. We retain your digital impression files so a duplicate can be pressed quickly without re-scanning.
What We Will Tell You No To
If your case really needs orthodontics, a crown, or whitening rather than Emax veneers, we will say so, even if it loses us the immediate work. Veneers placed on the wrong patient look beautiful for a year and fail expensively after that. We are not interested in that outcome.
Who Designs Your Emax Veneers
Your Cosmetic Team
Dr. Rosie Nguyen
Cosmetic Dentist. Leads veneer cases at Picasso. Smile design is a different discipline from general restorative work, your Emax veneers are designed by a dentist who does this every week.
Dr. Emily Nguyen
Founding Clinical Director. Founded the original clinic in Hanoi in 2013, trained at Pearl Dental Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City, sets clinical standards for case selection, surgical protocols and prosthetic delivery group-wide.
Common Questions
What is an Emax veneer?
An Emax veneer is a thin shell of pressed lithium disilicate ceramic, manufactured by Ivoclar Vivadent in Liechtenstein, bonded to the front of a tooth. Emax is the trade name; the material is highly translucent and strong (around 360-400 MPa flexural strength for Emax Press), and it is the standard veneer ceramic used by top cosmetic clinics worldwide.
Is Emax Press the same as Lisi?
Both are pressed lithium disilicate veneers, but they come from different manufacturers and labs. Emax Press is Ivoclar Vivadent's pressed lithium disilicate. Lisi is a refined pressed-ceramic option we offer at a higher price point for showcase makeovers where every nuance of translucency and surface texture matters.
How strong is Emax compared to zirconia?
Emax Press has a flexural strength of approximately 360-400 MPa. Zirconia (zirconium dioxide) is significantly stronger at roughly 900-1200 MPa, but it is also more opaque. For front-tooth aesthetics, Emax wins on translucency. For high-load posterior crowns or heavy grinders, zirconia wins on raw strength. We use Emax for front veneers and zirconia for posterior crowns.
Will Emax stain?
Emax is a glazed ceramic, so the veneer surface itself resists staining far better than natural teeth or composite. The bond margin between veneer and tooth can pick up colour over years of coffee, tea, red wine and tobacco, which is one reason we recommend 6-month hygiene visits.
Can you do an Emax veneer over a dark tooth?
Sometimes, but it is harder. Because Emax is naturally translucent, very dark underlying teeth can show through unless the veneer is made thicker or more opaque, which compromises its main advantage. For severely discoloured teeth, internal whitening, a more opaque material like zirconia (used as a crown), or a different layering protocol may be the better answer. We assess this with photographs and shade tabs at consultation.
Do I need a nightguard with Emax veneers?
If you grind or clench, yes. Bruxism is the single biggest avoidable cause of veneer fracture. We assess wear patterns at consultation and recommend a custom nightguard for any patient with signs of grinding. The nightguard cost is separate from the veneer cost.
Can Emax break?
Yes. Emax is strong but not unbreakable. Reported failure modes include debonding (often re-cementable at), fracture (usually from trauma or grinding), and marginal staining over time. Within the 7-year warranty period and under normal use, replacement is covered.
How is Emax different from regular porcelain?
Older porcelain restorations were typically feldspathic porcelain layered onto a metal substructure (PFM, around 100 MPa for the porcelain layer). Emax is monolithic pressed lithium disilicate, no metal, much stronger (~360-400 MPa), and far more translucent. There is no layered porcelain on an Emax veneer to chip off.
Do you offer zirconia veneers?
We use zirconia primarily as a crown material , not as a front veneer in most cases. Zirconia is more opaque than Emax, which is an advantage for masking very dark teeth or for posterior crowns under heavy bite forces, but a disadvantage for natural-looking front-tooth aesthetics. For most veneer cases, Emax is the correct choice.
What's the difference between an Emax veneer and an Emax crown?
An Emax veneer covers only the front (and edge) of the tooth, requires 0.3-0.5mm of enamel reduction, and is purely cosmetic. An Emax crown covers the entire tooth, requires 1.0-1.5mm of reduction all around, and is used when the tooth is structurally compromised by decay, large fillings or fracture. Both use the same lithium disilicate material; the difference is coverage.
Start Here
Designed Digitally,
Pressed in Lithium Disilicate.
Book a free cosmetic consultation. We'll photograph and scan your smile, build a Digital Smile Design preview, recommend the right Emax variant and number, and quote you in writing before any clinical work begins.