I’ve been recovering from bulimia and doing very well. I was proud of that, but couldn’t say the same about my smile. The damage from my bulimia left me with a smile I was too embarassed to show. When I spoke with my dentist, she suggested porcelain veneers. I was happy with the results, but the veneers keep falling off. I’ve been to the dentist at least eleven times to have them put back on. Do you know what is going on, because I’m beginning to think my dentist doesn’t.
Elana H. – Chicago
Elana,
First, I wanted to say job well done on your bulimia recovery. You should be proud of that.
Generally, when porcelain veneers don’t stay on, it is because their dentist doesn’t understand the bonding procedure. The exception would be if you are a teeth grinder. Sometimes, you can grind your teeth in your sleep and not even realize it, which will loosen your veneers. However, there would be some evidence on your teeth. If that is the problem, there is a simple solution. You simply wear a night guard while you sleep and your porcelain veneers will be well protected.
However, your past bulimia is an added complication. The acid from your purging erodes the enamel on your teeth. Usually, that only affects the back of your teeth, but if it damaged the sides or front of your teeth, bonding will be quite difficult. If that is the case, you were not a good candidate for porcelain veneers. Instead, your dentist should have given you porcelain crowns. You can get an equally beautiful smile with either procedure. It’s just a matter of which one is a better fit for you.
What it boils down to is either, your dentist doesn’t understand how to bond the veneers on or she didn’t carefully examine your teeth for ideal candidacy. My suggestion is to speak with her about the issue and see what she recommends.
This blog is brought to you by Grosse Pointe Woods Dentist Dr. Theodore Hadgis.