What to Do When Your Dental Veneer Comes Loose

Dental veneer is a thin customized outer covering usually made of porcelain or composite plastic material used to cover the front side of a tooth to improve its appearance and aesthetics. Sometimes the veneers become loose after placement due to misfit, improper alignment, etc, and the issue needs to be addressed.

Why Do Dental Veneers become loose?

There are several causes for dental veneers becoming loose. Some of the common reasons are listed below:

• Due to weak bonding of the veneers to the sometimes the veneers become loose and their fitment has to be checked. The adhesive chemical used during placing of veneers to the teeth  sometimes looses its sticky nature which causes the veneer to become loose as it is not firmly attached to the teeth.
• If tooth decay is not prevented after placing of veneers the bond between the tooth and veneer becomes weak and causes the veneer to move out of place form the front of the teeth.
• Biting into very hard food can also cause the veneer to fall out of place and become displaced from its original position.
• After continuous use of veneers for more than ten years the veneers become loose as the fall out of shape due to corrosion. At this point the veneers need to be replaced as soon as possible.

What are the Steps to be Taken after that?

Repairing a loose veneer depends on the cause and condition of both the veneer and the underlying tooth. Different steps are taken to control the damage:

• The first step is to diagnose and evaluate the cause of the loosening. A proper X-ray of the teeth and gum health is checked first to proceed with the repair of the loose veneer. Dental Veneers are popular among patients worldwide.
• If the veneer is reusable, proper polishing and etching of the teeth surface is done so that the veneer can be reattached properly. Residue of the old adhesive chemical is thoroughly cleaned before applying the new adhesive so that the bonding is stronger.
• A strong dental resin glue is used to attach the loose veneer again to the surface of the tooth. After this, the veneer is carefully placed on the teeth and cured with a special light so that the adhesive becomes hard and attached perfectly to both surfaces of the veneer and the tooth.

Tips to Maintain the Dental Veneers

Proper maintenance of dental veneers is required to extend their life to more than ten years. Some useful tips in doing so are mentioned below:

• Brushing of veneers twice daily using a soft-bristle toothbrush is highly recommended to avoid corrosion of the veneers from different substances present in different food items.
• Flossing of teeth once daily helps prevent plaque accumulation over the veneers which in turn keeps them healthy.
• The usage of mouthwash to prevent bacterial infection around the veneers must be done.
• Hard food should be avoided to avoid unnecessary pressure on the veneers. Staining substances such as coffee, tea, tobacco, etc., should be minimally consumed or avoided if possible.
• Regular dentist visits and checkups should be done often.

Loosening of Dental veneers is a common phenomenon, and people should not panic in such conditions and instead consult a dental expert to know how to proceed to repair or replace the loose veneer.Proper Dental care and regular rinsing of teeth and gums ensures longevity of the veneers