Reviews: I had two porcelain veneers placed on my front teeth. Since they were placed my gums have been painful and inflamed. The hygienist said she’d never seen that happen and wondered if I was brushing correctly. I’ve been brushing my teeth for several decades now, so…yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m brushing correctly. Actually, her response sort of ticked me off. Then, a month later I went in for a follow-up visit with the dentist and he removed some cement from the back of my teeth and smoothed down some rough edges. While that did help some, I am still in pain. They don’t seem to care, so I’m wondering what my next steps are.
Madeline
Dear Madeline,
I am sorry that this happened to you. It is infuriating when professionals blame others simply because they don’t understand their field well enough. My experience has shown that when people get a smile makeover, they usually care for their teeth even better than before, so no, I don’t think the problem is the way you were brushing.
This is especially true because of what you described in your follow-up visit. Not cleaning up all the excess cement is an issue we often see with dentists who do not place porcelain veneers very often. Those that do regular, advanced cosmetic work have a routine down to ensure this does not happen.
- First, they will tack the veneer on the tooth by curing the cement in the center only.
- Then, while the remainder of the cement is still soft, they will be certain to remove all the excess, knowing it is much easier to do while soft.
This did not happen in your case. While your dentist did remove some at your follow-up visit, it would not surprise me in the least if there were still excess cement lodged somewhere.
There is also a second possibility for what could be causing your inflammation and pain. If there is some unevenness where the porcelain veneer meets with your tooth (what dentists call the margins) this could lead to problems. Or your dentist could have placed the veneer too far under the gumline. If he did that and encroached on the gingival attachment, that would also cause the problems you mentioned.
Obviously, your current dentist is either disinterested or does not have the skill to recognize what he did wrong. You next steps, in either case, would be to see an expert cosmetic dentist and have them examine your porcelain veneers in order to let you know what went wrong, then you can formulate a plan based on the diagnosis.
I would use one of the cosmetic dentists listed on the mynewsmile.com website. They are pre-screened for their technical knowledge and skill, as well as their artistry. They will have the knowledge to let you know what went wrong.
This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.