Can Veneers Be Thinned?

Dental veneers are used to improve the appearance of teeth. They should be applied by a dentist who specializes in cosmetic dentistry. Veneers are made to fit for each patient, and should not be uncomfortable. In certain cases, however, they may feel too thick for the wearer, causing lisping or other speech problems, difficulty chewing, poor bite, or even pain.

Types

• Veneers are typically made of porcelain or composite; a mold is taken, and the veneers are sculpted around the teeth to ensure a natural look. The teeth are then filed or buffed down to allow the veneer to fit. Lumineers and DURAthin allow the teeth to remain without buffing away enamel that protects the tooth.

Thickness

• For some patients, veneers will feel too thick. This may just be a physical sensation of having a full mouth, or could include difficulty with speech. Excessive saliva may even be present. It does take time to adjust to having veneers, but if a few weeks have passed and there is no improvement there may be a problem.

Comfort

• Often a wax mock-up is used prior to the application of veneers. If this is not done, the patient will only learn what their veneers feel like when the temporary veneers are placed. If there is poor planning for the final set, or the teeth have not been properly buffed down, the discomfort will extend after the application of the permanent veneers.

Appearance

• For some veneer wearers, the teeth appear to be fake. If the thickness of the teeth does not feel natural, it may not look natural. Patients who had large gaps or chips in teeth prior to application may experience this, as suddenly they no longer have large spaces that they are accustomed to.

Fitting

• Generally, if a visit to the dentist confirms that the original veneer is too thick to be considered healthy, they will need to be removed and replaced. Removal can be extremely tedious if the original set was properly bonded when applied.