Removing Porcelain Veneers - Dentalfind.com

Porcelain veneers have paved the growth for cosmetic dentistry.  The highly popular procedure of veneering has produced amazing results for many people of all shapes and sizes.  Veneers are ideal for teeth that are too small, too big, or teeth that have uneven surfaces.  It is very common for people to have imperfect teeth, either oddly shaped teeth, chipped teeth, crooked teeth, teeth with small holes in them, or an inappropriate sized tooth or teeth that have an odd appearance.  Veneers solve such irregularities and create a durable and pleasing smile.   

Porcelain veneers are custom made specifically for your individual specifications.  Subsequently, the porcelain veneers will cement your veneers onto your teeth.  Placing veneers is a meticulous and delicate procedure since each veneer must be trial fitted and assessed for aesthetic and functional success before final cementation.  Once they are fully cemented on your teeth, porcelain veneers should remain there and NOT be removed.

However, there are instances where the porcelain veneer needs to be removed for reasons such as:

    * Refreshing the structure – i.e. changing color, changing the shape
    * If the veneer has been damaged – i.e. chipped and now needs replacing.

Since veneers are not meant to be removed, the question of "how difficult is it to remove veneers and place new ones" is really a question answered by the question - How well these veneers have been put on, and with what cement?

Many times veneers can be easily removed by notching them and they pop off.  The tooth structure then can be refurbished or "freshened" up.  It is important that the shade of the tooth be taken after the old veneers are removed so the lab can fabricate new veneers with the proper shade. This is important because the color of the underlying tooth greatly affects the final shade.

Also, having your veneer removed allows new tooth impression to be taken.  The dental lab can make a new veneer with proper shape and color if required before cementing them in.

If a porcelain veneer has broken, there is no way for your dentist to repair it.  Unfortunately the only option will be to make a new porcelain veneer.  This means that you will have to endure the cost of having the new veneer made, as well as endure the time it takes for the new veneer to be fabricated and ultimately bonded into place.  If a porcelain veneer has simply come off there is a chance that your dentist will be able to reattach it to your tooth.

If you need to remove your veneer for additional work or because it has been damaged, contact your dentist immediately.