Do Veneers Damage Your Natural Teeth?

It is a fair question for anyone considering veneers: what is this actually doing to my real teeth? The honest answer has two parts. Traditional veneers change your teeth permanently, because enamel is removed and does not grow back. Whether that leads to problems depends a great deal on whether your teeth are good candidates and how carefully the work is planned and done.

What actually happens to your enamel.

To seat a porcelain veneer so it sits flush and looks natural, your dentist removes a small amount of enamel from the front and sides of the tooth. The American Dental Association is direct about what that means: treatment is not reversible. A tooth prepared for a veneer will need a veneer, or another covering, from that point forward.

It is a permanent change, made deliberately, in exchange for the result you want, so it deserves a careful decision. Two questions matter most: whether your teeth are right for veneers, and whether the dentist preparing them is conservative with enamel.

Three things to look at before a veneer is bonded.

Skipped groundwork. The ADA says existing decay or gum disease should be treated first, because placing veneers over unhealthy teeth may make those problems worse.

The wrong candidate. The ADA notes that veneers may not be a good choice if you clench or grind your teeth or have a deep overbite. A dentist who evaluates your bite before your shade is protecting your investment.

Unqualified hands. The ADA has warned publicly about so called veneer techs, who advertise veneer placement without a dentist’s supervision. Its warning is plain: changing teeth outside a dentist’s care can cause harm that cannot be undone. Enamel removed incorrectly cannot be put back.

How a conservative approach protects your teeth.

The amount of enamel removed is not fixed. It depends on the condition of your teeth, the result you are after, and the plan. Careful digital records of your teeth and bite can help a dentist keep preparation conservative: remove what the restoration needs, and no more.

In some cases, minimal preparation or no preparation veneers are possible, though they are not right for every tooth or every goal. Whether they are right for yours is a diagnostic question, and it is one worth asking in your veneer consultation.

Caring for a tooth with a veneer.

Day to day, veneers ask for nothing exotic: brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth, and keep your regular dental visits. The ADA also recommends avoiding hard objects and foods, skipping the fingernail biting, and wearing a mouthguard for sports. Veneers can chip, crack, or loosen over time, so treat them like the fine restoration they are. We cover the lifespan question in more detail in how long do veneers last.

It may take a few days to get used to a new veneer, the ADA notes, and you should tell your dentist if your bite does not feel right. Pain that is severe or that persists is not something to wait out, so call your dentist.

The real safeguard is the diagnosis.

Careless preparation, poor candidacy and untreated disease are the problems worth asking about. Choose a dentist who treats your enamel as the irreplaceable material it is, and ask what the plan means for your teeth over the long term. Results vary from person to person, and veneers are a long term commitment.

If you are weighing veneers and want an honest assessment of what your teeth need, we would be glad to take a careful look. Schedule A Consultation.

This article is general information, not medical or dental advice, and it is not a substitute for an exam by a licensed dentist. Reading it does not make you a patient of Perfect White Smile. If you have pain, or a symptom that concerns you, contact your dentist or schedule a consultation with Perfect White Smile. If you think you have an emergency, call 911.

Published by Perfect White Smile, the Beverly Hills practice led by Dr. David Frey, DDS. Meet the team.