Dental veneers are a dental treatment given to people who are trying to improve their smile. It is a wonderful way to give you a million-dollar smile, and there by improve your self-esteem and self-concept. This treatment is done by cosmetic dentistry which is a branch of regular dentistry that deals in aesthetics part of dental treatment. Cosmetic dentistry has achieved great advances in technology to provide many aesthetic services to people who are looking for better smile to enhance their look. People who have high profile lives, and maintain a certain life-style opt for cosmetic dentistry which provides several procedures to improve your smile. Dental veneers are one among them.
Common dental veneers in use today
Dental veneers can be made of many materials but porcelain is the most common material used for dental veneers because it matches the colour and look of the natural teeth. Porcelain veneers are basically a thin layer of porcelain, made of medical grade ceramic, that are attached to the front teeth with a dental grade adhesive, covering the surface area. The porcelain dental veneers are very common because they can be customised according the need of the patient perfectly and give a very natural look.
Who can benefit from dental veneers?
People who have crooked or stained teeth or who have gaps in between the teeth benefit from dental veneers because these can be completely hidden with dental veneers.
Can dental veneers fall off?
Yes. Dental veneers can fall off although it occurs rarely. But it does happen. Porcelain veneers are made to last a life time. On an average, porcelain veneers last very well at least for 10 years. They last longer on majority of cases, but in a few cases they start developing problems due to other factors. There are reasons that make your dental veneers fall off.
Bruxism
Bruxism or teeth grinding is a common factor for making the veneers fall off. Many people have a habit of grinding their teeth during sleep. Some others have a habit of grating their teeth when they are angry or when they are unable to express their feelings openly. The reasons for bruxism are biological or psychological. In such cases the pressure that comes on the teeth is considerable. When the pressure continues night after night or day after day, the veneers give way, and come loose from the teeth they are adhered to, and fall off.
Tooth decay and gum disease
Usually before the treatment of applying veneers on your teeth, the dentist will check your teeth and mouth thoroughly to rule out the possibility of tooth decay and gum disease. If he sees any cavities, or dental decay, he will clean the decay, perform any root canals if necessary and check for health of the gum and jaw bones. He will fill cavities and ascertain that all the bacteria and debris are cleared away. Only then he will proceed with the dental veneer application. In spite of taking such precautions, some patients develop tooth decay later on, which makes the veneer unstable and fall off. The decay weakens the chemical in the adhesive which is used to come loose from the tooth.
Injury and damage to the face
During rigorous outdoor play you may get sports related injury on the head and face. Or sometimes people get injured on the face due to any accident at home or outside. In such cases, if the face gets impacted, the veneers take that impact and become loosened from the teeth and fall off. The teeth take the brunt sometimes when the head is impacted. In all these cases the veneers come apart from the teeth.
Food habits
When you get the veneers applied on your teeth, the dentists give you instructions about taking care of your veneers. And a list of dos and don’ts, which should be followed. Dental veneers are applied on the teeth with strong dental adhesives, but if constant pressure is put on it by chewing or biting into hard foods like ice; which the hardest food, will pressurise the veneers. Sticky and chewy foods like candies also makes veneers loosened from the teeth and fall off.
What to do if veneers fall down?
Follow the tips below if you find yourself with a dental veneer that has fallen off your teeth.
Pick up the veneer and put it in a safe container
When veneers fall off for whatever reason, the first thing you should do is to pick up the fallen veneer and wrap it in a tissue and safe keep it. If your veneer is chipped or broken, even then pick them up and put them in a container. Do not try to put it back on the tooth because it is hazardous. If your veneer is in one piece your dentist may think about put it back in its place on your tooth.
Call your dentist
The next thing you should do is to call your dentist and ask to see him immediately because you would like to get the veneer put back on, or get a temporary substitute. While putting on the veneer on your tooth the cosmetic dentist has to shave the surface of your tooth to prepare it for receiving the veneer so that all the teeth look in proper alignment. Since the enamel on the tooth has been scraped off, the tooth is vulnerable without the hard enamel and is prone to further damage and injury. The enamel does not regrow that is why it is important to keep your teeth safe in some way. Your dentist will instruct you about how to keep your tooth safe till you see the dentist.
Take care while waiting for the dental appointment
Although fallen veneer is not considered an emergency, because only a little enamel has been removed from the front of the tooth, it may become sensitive to hot or cold sensations and may become painful when you eat something. Take care while eating or drinking so as to avoid touching the food to the exposed tooth. Your lips and tongue also will feel rough while touching the tooth.
Temporary relief
It is not advisable to try and put the veneer back on the tooth unless directed by your dentist, because doing so will further damage either the veneer or the scraped tooth. But to get some temporary relief, you can apply a little dental wax on the affected tooth. Squish a thin layer of wax on the rough surface of the tooth. It will act as a barrier.
Visit the dentist
Finally, when you see the dentist, he will make sure that you nor uncomfortable because of any shred or a tiny piece is still stuck on the tooth and harming you in any way. Then the dental team will determine what has caused the failure and will address these issues that has caused the dental veneer to fail. Once the cause is removed, the dentist will proceed to reinstall the veneer if it is not damaged, and has a perfect fit. If the veneer is chipped or broken, or somehow damaged and does not fit properly then he will order a new one for the same tooth. In the meantime, he will cover the scraped tooth with a temporary material to keep it safe.