The short answer is yes. While porcelain veneers can last a lifetime if you practice proper dental care, they can be damaged by trauma and poor oral health practices. Luckily, broken veneers can be easily repaired.
If one of your porcelain veneers fell off or broke, Flatrock Family Dentistry can help. Our board-certified dentists Dr. Christopher J. Rouse and Dr. Khan have decades of combined experience. They understand that a broken veneer can be painful and embarrassing. They’ll help restore your smile to something you’re proud to show off.
How Can Porcelain Veneers Break?
Porcelain veneers can break or fall off for numerous reasons, including:
- Trauma: Whenever your face takes any damage, your teeth will absorb some of it, too. An impact on your teeth can break your veneers, but trauma anywhere on your face can weaken or loosen the bonds that attach your veneers to the original teeth.
- Grinding teeth: Teeth grinding and lip biting are also bad for the bonds between your veneers and original teeth. If you do this habitually when you are stressed or upset, it can weaken your veneers over time.
- Tooth decay: Even after a veneer is attached, the tooth behind it can decay. If this happens, the part of the tooth that is bonded to the veneer can deteriorate to the point that the bond no longer exists. Then, the veneer will fall off.
- Diet: Hard, sticky, and sweet foods can all damage porcelain veneers. Hard foods such as ice and candy can break a veneer off your tooth. Likewise, sticky, sugary foods are difficult to remove and can damage the bond between the veneer and tooth.
What to Do If a Porcelain Veneer Breaks
If your porcelain veneers break or fall off, these steps can help make your restoration process go as smoothly as possible:
- Find the veneer and store it in a safe, sanitary place.
- Call Flatrock Family Dentistry and ask about our same-day emergency dental services.
- Bring the veneer in for your appointment.
Most of the time, Dr. Rouse or Dr. Khan will be able to reattach the veneer that fell off. If the veneer is damaged beyond repair, we’ll order a new one and apply a temporary veneer until the new one comes in.
Never try to glue a broken veneer back onto your teeth by yourself. Glue can be toxic for your teeth and your overall health. If you are embarrassed by the look of your teeth and cannot immediately come into our office, you can buy over-the-counter dental cement to reattach the veneer.
Schedule Your Greenville Porcelain Veneers Consultation Today
At Flatrock Family Dentistry, our Dr. Rouse and Dr. Khan are committed to providing compassionate care that leaves you with a radiant smile. They’ve seen firsthand the positive effects that porcelain veneers can have on their patients. If your veneers break, they will work efficiently to restore your smile.
We opened a new, state-of-the-art facility last year that enables us to provide same-day emergency dental care because, if your porcelain veneer falls off, you can’t afford to wait.
We serve Greenville, Five Forks, Greer, and nearby areas of South Carolina. Call (864) 756-5576 today to schedule a consultation.