Achieving a perfect bright smile is possible by dental veneers. Many with chipped or broken teeth or teeth with uneven edges opt for this aesthetic dentistry. Veneers are soft shell-like coverings placed on top of damaged teeth. By reshaping the teeth by using dental veneers, the teeth achieve its complete structure. Teeth get discoloured due to aging or sometimes due to habits such as smoking or even consuming food that gives out colour and these are absorbed by the teeth – situations like this can also be saved by dental veneers.

Advancement in dentistry has made it possible to give sparkling bright teeth to many. Giving perfection to teeth is what veneers do. So, for this to be possible, precision and expertise are required. The shape of the teeth, obtaining the shape of the jaws are all needed to make a perfect fit. Images are obtained using specialised techniques and later the colour of the veneer is also chosen to make it identical to the remaining teeth. Once the shape and size and colour of the veneer identical to the natural teeth are obtained, the next procedure begins. Cementing of the veneers is critical and important in this procedure. If required teeth are also shaped a bit, the dental enamel to be exact so that the teeth do not jut out when the dental veneers are placed. Strong adhesives help the veneers to stay in position.

Commonly used dental veneers are porcelain veneers. These are made of ceramic materials and quite different from the regular ceramics used. This is medically engineered and safe to be used in a human body. Veneers are shaped according to the need of the patient – is it for chipped teeth, broken or stained teeth. Even though good care is given when veneers are placed and glued to the teeth, they sometimes fall off.

Reasons why veneers fall off

Damage or impact

Tremendous force on to the front part of the face, can force the veneers to fall off. Falling or accidents can bring about this issue. When great pressure is applied to the front portion of the teeth, the impact can cause the bond to the veneers be removed.

Grinding

Many have the habit of teeth grinding when they are stressed or tensed. This will lead to applying more wear and tear to the teeth. If these teeth have been covered by dental veneers, this grinding will loosen the veneer bonding and they fall off.

Tooth decay

Tooth decay is common and possible even if veneers are placed. The veneers are only an outer covering. Decay in the teeth is caused by bacteria and the chemicals released by tooth decay will loosen the bond.

Hard or chewy food

Biting into hard food like ice or nuts can cause the veneer to fall off. The pressure that is put on them while biting into hard food can cause this. Similarly food that is chewy and sugary often sticks to the teeth and is quite difficult to remove. This can cause the veneers to lose contact with the teeth.

Over prepared teeth

Dental veneers are often placed or glued on to the dental enamel. Only a small portion of the enamel is removed and the cementing material is placed on the enamel. But sometimes the dental enamel is thin and a considerable amount is removed while preparing the teeth. The cementing will be then done on to the dentine which is the inner covering of the teeth. This portion does not hold the cement as strongly as dental enamel and veneers fall off.

Lack of care

Dental veneers are very delicate devices and they require good care. Lack of proper treatment and negligence can affect the bonding of the veneers to the teeth adversely and they might loosen.

Caring when veneers fall off

Now it is clear that dental veneers do not fall off without a reason. So proper care and treatment should go into taking care of veneers. Care needs to go into consuming food or following personal oral hygiene practices. But despite, this if veneers fall off- one mustn’t try and fix it by themselves. The process of applying veneers is possible only by the use of specialised tools. To re-bond it will require preparing the teeth, removing any extra cement are present from the earlier process. Re-bonding cannot be done at home, ordinary glue available in the market does not help in this case. Even if it is tried at home, they will not stay. It will only do more harm than good. The fallen or damaged veneers must be placed carefully in a small box. Try and obtain an appointment with the dentist as soon as possible.

The dentist will need to examine if the earlier veneer can be used. If it is broken or damaged, then a new process needs to be done. Veneers need to be made that match the shape, size and colour of the teeth and fixed to the teeth by cementing them. Repairing and re-bonding the dental veneers is all expert knowledge and can be done only by dentists and hence getting a dental consultation will be the best solution.

Tooth decay is usually one of the reasons why veneers fall off. Using some lifelong drugs or other disease conditions can cause the enamel to wear off. Dental veneers might not be a good option. While seeking expert advice, do discuss your medical history with your dentist as this will help in deciding if you are a good candidate for dental veneers. Paying attention to oral hygiene practices and making sure teeth are in good health is important for overall general health and also for the durability of veneers. So is also the case, if one has a habit of teeth grinding, mouth guards are usually prescribed by dentists for these situations.