Crooked or discolored teeth often have a negative impact on one’s smile. Thankfully though, cosmetic dentistry has come up with long lasting and even permanent dentistry solutions. It is now possible to have clear white and perfectly aligned teeth, something that was quite costly not so long ago. There is a problem though. Not so many people who use these dental solutions know how to take care of their solutions. Take Porcelain veneers for instance. They are in so many ways ideal for anyone who needs the said perfectly aligned and enamel white teeth. But what exactly should once your veneers break? Read on to learn more.
Handle the Veneer with Care
To start with, it is very important to get the pieces out of your mouth. You don’t want to break them further by biting down on them or worse, swallow them. Examine it carefully if there is just one piece and if it is smooth and symmetrical, it might have come off in one piece and can be rebonded. If the piece is jagged and uneven or there are multiple pieces, the veneer probably broke, and should be replaced. A further inspection of the tooth where the veneer came from can tell if it broke or came unbonded. The veneer most likely broke if there are pieces of veneer still clinging to your tooth.
Edges of the veneer that are sharp may irritate your cheek or tongue. To stop this, pick up some dental wax at the nearest drug store. This helps people with braces to avoid irritation from the wires, and works just as well for chipped teeth and broken veneers.
Contact Your Dentist
In a situation where the dentist who placed the veneers is still practicing and in a convenient location for you, and perhaps you have been happy with their work, contact them about the broken veneer. All being well, they should try to get you an appointment as fast as possible. Keep in mind that this is not a medical emergency, but if you have reasons that demand the veneer replaced immediately, make that clear.
If where the veneer broke you are experiencing sensitivity, coating the broken area with dental wax can help insulate your tooth.
Consider Your Options
You have to decide how you wish to proceed once you get your dental appointment. On board are many options, depending on how the veneer broke off.
Rebond: We can quickly and easily bond it back in place, if you were lucky and the veneer came off whole.
Repair: There are a couple of potential repair options, if the damage to the veneer is minor. First, with dental bonding, we can repair the veneer in the same way we might repair a chipped tooth. But this is not a long-term option and in some cases it can be a short-term fix. On the other hand, we might buff out the damage for a really minor damage. However, this is also not a great option because the surface of a veneer is designed with special stain resistance and luster which may be hard to reproduce on the damaged part.
Replace: This is what is normally required when you break a porcelain veneer. Your dentist will remove the last of the old veneer and replace it with a new veneer. In this case, you might as well consider whether you desire to replace other veneers if these are not as appealing as before.
In the event that you break multiple veneers in a relatively short lapse of time, it is time to reconsider. It is by chance that the veneers may not be a high quality material or may have been poorly placed by your dentist. It is wise that you should see a second dentist about your veneers and get to learn what might be behind the breakages.
It is equally very possible that your veneers are breaking since you are developing bruxism or TMJ. This is proof it is good to work with a cosmetic dentist who is additionally a neuromuscular dentist.
It may be possible that for other reasons, dental crowns can be a better option for your restorations than porcelain veneers.
If you are looking for an expert to evaluate, repair or replace your porcelain veneers, you should consult an experienced dental surgeon, such as Dr. Alex Rubinov. Contact us at (718) 253-0800 to schedule an appointment.
