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Post Operative Issues with Veneers

Although the majority of people that have veneers are happy with the result, a minority are having significant post operative issues with veneers.

The extent of the post-operative issues is closely linked to the amount of enamel and tooth structure that is removed to ensure the porcelain veneers are a good fit, and the skill and precision of the bite alignment by your cosmetic dentist. Removing the enamel is permanent. It does not re-grow and once you've ground down the teeth, it's irreversible. You are stuck with the need for veneers for life. Removing the protective enamel layer makes your teeth highly subject to dental cavities later in life. Once the teeth are ground down, they need a porcelain covering. You can't go back to other treatments or alternatives Be very wary if your cosmetic dentist says they are only going to grind down a small amount of enamel. Enamel varies in thickness between 1-3 mm. Not much room for error there!

Other options instead of traditional porcelain veneers are lumineers - very thin veneers which don't require the teeth to be ground, tooth whitening, and speed braces combined with lumineers that can provide rapid orthodontic treatment and cosmetic results to quickly achieve good results without harming the structure of the original teeth.

If you grind your teeth or have gum disease you are not a good candidate for veneers. Veneers can be extremely expensive for you, but potentially very lucrative for your cosmetic dentist. Since this is an 'elective procedure' i.e you choose to have it done for cosmetic reasons and not medical need, you have much less recourse should things go wrong with the procedure later on. If you grind your teeth or have gum disease, you need to re-consider veneers. They are not a good option for you. Don't be like this person below:

Issues with Veneers can be divided into four main groups:

General Sensitivity and Pain Issues - Ranging from extreme sensitivity to hot and cold, pain around the gum line where the tooth is exposed, temporal headaches, joint pain in the jaws, severe aching in treated teeth, sharp pains shooting through the teeth, sensitivity and general soreness in the upper teeth and gum region, nagging soreness in the treated teeth that won't go away, and pressure on the teeth and discomfort and pain at the end of the day.

Bite Issues - Ranging from getting used to the feeling of porcelain veneers, inability to eat crunchy or hard foods, veneers overhanging the original tooth, improper fitting for bite, jaw problems caused by incorrect bite alignment, and chipping and cracking of the porcelain due to bite pressures.

Tooth Decay and Root Canals - Once the enamel is ground back, the tooth becomes vulnerable to dental decay. The strong layer of enamel protects the tooth from invasion by the dental bacteria that cause tooth decay. When significant erosion of the underlying enamel takes place, serious tooth decay can occur. Many patients need to have root canals on their front -teeth post the veneer operation. Removing the root also decreases the pain associated with the veneers, but means that your tooth is now dead and still subject to further decay and root infection.

Veneer that Fall off or Chips - Veneers are bonded into place with a glue. If the veneers is not glued correctly the whole thing falls off. If part of the veneers breaks off, it may be an indication of a fundamental bite issue.