1. What happens if one of my veneers comes off?

If a veneer does happen to come off a number of things can be appropriate. If the entire veneer does pop off and it is intact it can often simply be carefully cleaned and then rebonded to the tooth by your dentist. If the veneer breaks or fractures during the process it can often be temporarily repaired but would need to eventually be remade. This will sound funny but if you cannot get a hold of your dentist or make it to their office before a social or business event there is a quick temporary solution. After drying the tooth and the veneer you can actually place a very small dab of superglue on the veneer and carefully place it back in onto the tooth. You should practice placing the veneer back on the tooth a few times before applying the superglue and think of it as placing a piece of a jigsaw puzzle together. This is a bit tricky but will work in a true emergency for a short period of time. You should get to your dentist as soon as possible to have them assess the situation for you.


2. Can veneers be taken off if I want them removed?

You can have your veneers taken off but in almost all cases you would need to have another set of veneers placed on your teeth since often the teeth have been prepared (changed) slightly before the veneers were originally placed. There are some cases with "no prep" veneers where you could remove the veneers since minimal to no change was made to the original teeth. In an experienced cosmetic office most people would never got to this point as each step in the process would be approved by the patient. For example in our office we would sit down before we even started to discuss what the patient is trying to achieve. We have many examples on the walls of all different smiles and types of veneers for people to choose from. We would also encourage people to bring a photo or photos of a smile they like. If they still are having a tough time we have a book with the same patient with different shapes of veneers on the teeth so that they can almost pick what they like from the catalog.

The most crucial step is what we call the "Trial Smile" and that is where once the decision is made to proceed a beautiful set of custom temporary veneers are made and our patients get a chance to "test drive" their new smile. This allows our patients to take their time and have their friends and family help them evaluate the results. We usually would have you back into the office a few days after that to have you let us know if you would like any changes from color to size and shape. The temporaries are made of a very durable and easily modifiable composite resin that looks extremely good when carefully made. Only after you are 100% happy with the temporary veneers do we proceed to the final veneers. The "trial smile" is used as a blueprint for the final veneers which avoids any surprises. We even take it one step farther and place the permanent veneers in place for you to look at one more time so that you approve them again before we bond them into place thus avoiding any surprises and disappointments.


3. What will my teeth feel like after a veneer has been placed?

If a veneer is done properly and a talented lab was used your veneers should feel just like a natural tooth and you will be able to take care of them just like you would a natural tooth. Most of our patients make a comment about this and say something to this effect after a few days, "I don' t even feel them now", " They look so beautiful and natural that people can' t even tell, one lady even asked me if I had been working out or had been on vacation, I looked younger."


4. Composite vs. porcelain veneers; what' s the difference?

The main difference between composite and porcelain veneers would be in a couple areas. Probably the most important would be longevity and durability. The porcelain veneers would win here hands down and are also more stain resistant long term, which I know is important to most patients. The initial cost of the veneers might be slightly different with the composite veneers being marginally less expensive. A great use for the composite veneers is for younger teenage patients whose tissues (gums and bone) haven' t fully developed yet. They can get a great smile and maintain their self esteem and confidence during those critical years of development and then move to porcelain veneers later in life.


5. Do dental veneers look fake?

This is an excellent question. Let me ask you this, does a toupee/hairpiece look fake? A really good one you can t even see and a bad one stands out like a sore thumb. The key thing here for patients considering veneers is that a poorly made or executed veneer does look fake just like a bad toupee. The key to beautiful and natural looking veneers is the experience and artistic ability of the dentist and the laboratory used to make them. Just like in every other area of life not everyone has the same talents and abilities. Not every dentist is the same and not every veneer is the same. You should look for someone who does veneers regularly and has lots of photos to show you of their own patients. My website jeffgraydds.com has a section dedicated to this called "How to choose a Cosmetic Dentist." You will be making a significant investment in yourself and your smile, so take your time to do your research. Many offices offer complimentary consultations. This is an excellent way to get a feel for the dentist and the team in the office and is a critical step in you making your decision on whom you are allowing to enhance your smile.


6. How do I keep my dental veneers white?

Your veneers should not really discolor much at all if they are porcelain. Any stain that gets on them will be able to be gently polished off at your normal cleanings. Your best bet for keeping them white is just to brush and care for them like you would your natural teeth on a daily basis.