Is It True That Veneers Can Become Detached From Your Teeth?

Veneers ‘popping off’ can be a deterrent for some people who would really benefit from them. Fortunately it’s rare….

It isn’t always a teeth whitening procedure that people seek when they are looking to achieve whiter teeth. Porcelain dental veneers also offer a great way to achieve this too and can, at the same time, address other visible  issues such as cracks or chips in the teeth. They can even, in a few appropriate cases, be used to close gaps between the teeth.

Generally speaking then, although they usually require some invasive dental treatment, veneers provide an excellent and long lasting way to have a great looking smile.

There is one supposed issue though which may have deterred a few of our Canterbury patients from having veneers fitted when they would have been beneficial to them, and that is the alleged tendency for them to become detached from the tooth. How true is this though,  and what can patients who have them fitted do to minimise the risk of this happening?

A brief explanation about dental veneers

Dental veneers are usually made from porcelain and offer a stain resistant way of replacing discoloured or damaged tooth enamel. In order to do this, a fine layer of the damaged material is removed from the tooth and impressions taken, from which the veneers are made. These are then attached to the teeth using a special dental adhesive. If looked after well, your veneers should remain attached for ten years or more before they need to be refitted as the adhesive ages and weakens.

Given this longevity then, why is there sometimes concern that they might become detached? The fact is that this can happen, although it is much rarer than is sometimes believed. Thankfully, there are a number of things that wearers of veneers can do to minimise the risk of this occurring.

1 – Maintain good oral health care

The most essential thing that you can do is to make sure that you brush and floss your teeth well. Failure to do so could lead to tooth decay and weaken the hold of the adhesive which is holding the veneer in place. Make sure also to maintain your regular appointments at Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic with both your Canterbury based dentist and the hygienist to help ensure that your oral health is monitored regularly.

2 – Avoid biting on very hard foods or objects

One of the most common ways for a veneer to become detached, especially as the adhesive weakens over time, is to bite down on hard objects. Biting fingernails or on a pen is one of the most common ways that this can happen. Biting ice and other hard food substances may cause them to become detached too.

3 – Avoid very sticky foods

Similarly, while your professionally fitted porcelain veneers are relatively secure; chewing very sticky foods might ‘pull’ at your veneers and therefore, potentially at least, cause their detachment. You should seek to minimise this happening as far as possible.

4 – Wear a mouthguard at night if you grind your teeth

Bruxism, or tooth grinding, is one of the more likely ways to force the veneers from your teeth if you do this aggressively. Unfortunately, teeth grinding often happens when we are asleep so is almost impossible to control without addressing the root cause of it. In many cases this is likely to be anxiety and stress. If you are prone to this and have veneers fitted, please talk to our Canterbury dental team to discuss the possibility of a mouthguard to be worn at night to protect your veneers and your natural teeth.

5 – Your teeth are not tools!

Finally, the hopefully obvious one; do not use your teeth as tools. You should never do this even if you have strong healthy teeth. Foolish acts like opening bottles with your teeth is highly dangerous, but even trying to open crisp packets etc can chip your teeth or cause your porcelain teeth veneers to come away from the tooth it is attached to. Always use the right tool for the job …… and that is not your teeth!

If you take reasonable precautions then, porcelain dental veneers should give you many years of use. In the rare event that they should become detached though, it is important that you contact your dentist to have them refitted and, under no circumstances, should you attempt to do so yourself, and especially with any form of household glue. This could damage the veneer and also your tooth. We use a special clinical  adhesive at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic and you should always seek our help to reattach it for you.

We hope that this article has persuaded you that veneers offer a very secure and effective tooth restoration or smile makeover improvement. If you would like to find out more about them, you can call us at our Canterbury dental practice today on 01227 463529.