Floss is Catching on My Porcelain Veneers
Posted by writeradmin
I recently got four porcelain veneers and I’m having trouble flossing. My flosser keeps catching on the veneers. My dentist thinks it is fine because my gums cover the problem. I’m just afraid that if we leave it like this, then food and things will get trapped in there. Won’t that leave me vulnerable to decay?
Carolyn
Dear Carolyn,
When you have porcelain veneers placed on your teeth, the margin needs to be completely smooth and flush with your teeth. It sounds like that didn’t happen for yours and you have an overhang. This can happen when the dentist does not get a clean impression at the end of the tooth preparation. Then the lab can’t make smooth finish from the veneer to the tooth.
The overhang not only means that you can’t get your floss there, but that food and other debris will get caught there, as you are concerned about. While there is a risk of decay, I think the bigger risk is gum disease. This really does need to be fixed. When gum disease is left untreated, it leads you bone loss and the loss of your teeth.
If your dentist has a good sense of ethics, they will replace this free of charge. If they refuse to, then you will need to get this fixed for the health of your gums.
You may want to try getting a second opinion. If another dentist agrees that there is an overhang, they may be able to convince your dentist that they need to redo them. Sometimes a dentist is more likely to listen to a colleague than a patient. It shouldn’t be that way, but it can happen.
I’m sorry this happened to you. Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty, which means any general dentist can do cosmetic work regardless of whether they’ve invested in any post-doctoral training. If you do have to pay to have them done by someone else, make sure they have a beautiful smile guarantee.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
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