Even though permanent veneers are supposed to last for at least 10 years before being replaced by new veneers, sometimes patients might experience their falling off much earlier which is not normal. The main question here is “why do veneers come off?”. Usually it’s because of problems affecting your teeth under the veneers, because of the quality of your veneers or because of a bad installation from your dentist.
In this article, we dive deep into the reasons that cause dental veneers to fall and what to do following this incident.
Without further ado, let’s begin.
Why do veneers fall off?
Dental veneers are designed to last for a long time but on rare occasions, they can detach from the tooth surface and come off. The reasons vary from the patient’s not being so attentive to their oral health to the problems on the dentist’s side. Knowing the causes can help prevent them and have a beautiful smile with the desired veneers’ longevity.
In this article, we will discuss 9 reasons why porcelain veneers come off. The reasons being:
- #1: You have outdated veneers
- #2: Your veneers are damaged by what you eat
- #3: Your tooth is decayed
- #4: You may have faced physical injury and trauma to the face
- #5: You might have neglected dental care
- #6: You may have a bite abnormality
- #7: You might grinding or clenching your teeth
- #8: You have temporary veneers
- #9: The dentist’s negligence
Let’s have an in-depth explanation for each number.
#1: You have outdated veneers
Permanent veneers are expected to be functioning correctly for at least 10 years, with reports of people claiming their porcelain veneers have lasted for more than 25 years. As time goes by, the bonding agents start to loosen, finally causing the veneers to fall off. This means they are old and should be replaced.
#2: Your veneers are damaged by what you eat
Patients should avoid applying too much pressure on their teeth and consequently their dental veneers by bad chewing habits. Biting down on hard stuff, such as candies, so often causes the veneers to become weak and fall off. Chewing sticky candies and ice also causes damage to your veneers, the latter being dangerous for your natural teeth as well.
#3: Your tooth is decayed
Decaying of the tooth on which the veneer is bonded is another common reason. Other than destroying the tooth and facilitating the falling off of a veneer, tooth decay can weaken the chemical bond between the tooth surface and the veneer, and leads to its detachment. Before installing the veneers the dentist should examine the oral cavity properly for tooth decay or gum disease.
#4: You may have faced physical injury and trauma to the face
Direct or blunt trauma to the face can damage the tooth structure, dislocate it, and cause the dental veneers on their surface to come off. People with cosmetic dental works such as veneers should wear a mouthguard during contact sports that have high possibilities of facial and physical injury.
#5: You might have neglected dental care
Undoubtedly, proper dental care plays a crucial role in oral and dental health, improving the results of a cosmetic dental procedure and the longevity of the cosmetic veneers. Inappropriate approaches to dental care result in the failure on veneers, a few of which we mention here:
Poor oral hygiene
Not following the standard of care for the oral cavity can end up as tooth decay which is an important reason for falling off of the veneers.
Improper dental care products
Oral care products that contain alcohol can damage porcelain veneers and should be avoided. Alcohol softens the bonding agents and loosens the porcelain veneers attached to the tooth surface. Recent studies have shown the long-term use of alcohol-containing mouth rinse can affect the thickness of the veneers and thus their falling off.
Another frequent question patients ask their dentists is “could Listerine make veneers come off?” The answer to this question is yes, as it is an alcohol-based mouthwash that can destroy the bonding agents. However, there are alcohol-free Listerine mouthwashes that might be useful. We highly recommend you to discuss using this product with your dentist.
Using the right toothbrush with non-abrasive toothpaste also plays a significant role. Brushing with a toothbrush that has hard bristles is harmful to the veneers on the teeth, weakens them, and facilitates their falling off.
#6: You may have a bite abnormality
Teeth in the upper and lower jaws should be aligned to distribute the biting force evenly. If teeth in the upper and lower dental arches don’t meet perfectly in an aligned way an abnormal bite occurs. It is also called malocclusion and has many types such as overbite, underbite, crossed bite.
The presence of any kind of biting abnormality increases the chances of veneers detachment due to the imbalanced distribution of pressure on teeth.
#7: You might be grinding or clenching your teeth
Grinding teeth, or bruxism, for either physical or psychological reasons, during the day, night, or both can leave them chipped, broken, or detached from the veneers. Continuous and regular grinding and clenching of the teeth impose more force on veneers than they can endure, causing them to come off.
#8: You have temporary veneers
Do temporary veneers come off? Temporary veneers are not meant to last for a long time, as they are installed just to be replaced by permanent ones once they are ready. Temporary veneers stay for about a week and they might come off during this period since they are not strongly bonded. However, by choosing the right dentist you can rest assured even your temporary dental veneers won’t fall off easily.
#9: The dentist’s negligence
The way veneers are applied by the cosmetic dentist can determine their stability and duration. Negligence during the procedure can cause the permanent veneers to be short-lived. The mistakes a dentist can make include:
Aggressive preparation
While preparing the tooth, the dentist removes a layer of enamel as thin as less than one millimeter. Excessive tooth preparation leads to loose veneers that can’t adhere properly to the tooth’s surface and will eventually come off.
Bonding process
During the bonding process, many factors can contribute to veneers weakening and falling off. The dentist must apply the appropriate bonding material in sufficient amounts. Using the proper bonding technique which is decided by the dentist for each individual, and spending enough time for veneers adhesion can prevent them from becoming loose and falling.
Ignoring any pre-existing condition
Just like any other cosmetic dentistry procedure, before planning a treatment the dentist should perform a thorough dental examination. They should check for possible pre-existing dental and oral problems. For example: gum disease, tooth decay, teeth misalignment, or broken tooth. Leaving any of these conditions untreated before getting permanent veneers leads to poor adhesion and coming off earlier than expected.
What to do when your veneers come off?
In case of a veneer coming off, the patients should not attempt to put them back themselves. Veneers are sensitive materials that can easily be damaged when unprofessional work is done. So what to do?
Collect all the pieces
The first thing you should do is to put all the fallen-off pieces in a small box or container. That protects them from further damage
Call your dentist
As coming off of veneers is considered a dental emergency. Once a veneer falls off you should immediately contact your dentist and arrange an appointment. At the dental office, the dentist will take a close look at the veneer to see if it is possible to put it back or if a new veneer is required. If the same veneer is applicable, the dentist will evaluate it precisely and will put it back with the correct bonding agent. This veneer is expected to last for a long time before being replaced by new ones.
