Dental veneers?

[badg3r]

I have really bad fluorosis on my front teeth and increasing pain/sensitivity. The dentist has advised that veneers are probably the best cost effective way to treat this. I'm a bit concerned about how long they last though, will my front teeth look enormous, will they get that black line round the gym that many seem to get? So, if you have veneers, what are they like, how do you look after them and how often do they need replaced? Thanks!

I had my first set of veneers at 19 and my second set at 28. I only have my front top teeth veneered. Second set are potentially starting to cause issues 14 years later. I am dreading how much the next set will cost. Dentist has also said that there's only so many times I can replace veneers before I will have to move to crowns. The same dentist has done both sets.

I think I know what you mean by the black line round the gums and I've only seen that on people who have crowns, my veneers are porcelain and so are tooth coloured all the way up to the gum.

My veneers have comes with several issues.

First issue is I grind my teeth and have ground veneers off in my sleep, so consider if you are a teeth grinder or not. I have been lucky not to swallow them so have just had them re-cemented.

You have to be careful what you eat, I can't bite anything hard or tough like apples, chocolate or meat with my front teeth now and I was told not to eat or drink anything that could stain like red wine or tomato soup. Also plaque seems to be attracted to my veneers so I have to be really diligent in keeping those teeth extra clean.

My second set of veneers were made a bit longer than my teeth which took a bit of getting used to and I have a bit of a lisp now.

And finally the kicker for me, in the last two years one of my veneered teeth has died, apparently this is a risk of getting veneers which I was never made aware of at the time. So veneered teeth are more at risk of dying and becoming infected/potential tooth loss apparently. Dentist has said that he thinks the trauma of getting the veneer was what caused that tooth to die on me.

All that said, my colleague's wife has the same teeth veneered due to marks left by her train track braces and she hasn't had any of these issues, so I have had bad luck. I would recommend that you weigh up the risks and benefits and maybe get an opinion from a second dentist and take your time before you make a decision.

Thanks @Treeballarae, that's really helpful. I didn't know that teeth can die under the veneer! If you don't mind me asking why did you decide to get the mm in the first place? Like you I would just get my two too front ones done, but there is nothing wrong with one of them (yet) apart from quite bad discolouration. However it would look really bad I think if I didn't get both done, it would make the remaining tooth look worse by comparison, but I don't like the idea of weakening a perfectly ok tooth when it forms need it.

Clip on veneers may be worth considering and are way less expensive than real ones. Have a look at Fab Smile: fabsmileveneers.co.uk

Maybe try composite bonding? It’s cheaper and much less invasive as in they don’t have to touch your teeth underneath!

Here’s my before pic

Hers after composite bonding

Honestly this crazy trend for veneers us going to cause so many problems later on for all the instagrammars. I have one veneer at the front. I’ve had to have it replaced first time because of gum recession. Then the dentist killed my tooth underneath through overfiling do I had to see a specialist for a root canal. The second veneer looks okay but I have persistent gingivitis around it that I have to work very hard to keep in check. They think ideally it could do with being replaced again to sort that out but we darent do it as it’s so rough on the existing tooth I suspect is end up needing an implant.

My advice is to do anything else but that. It will look wonderful when you’re young and be an absolute thorn in your side as you age.

I have veneers on my two front teeth because they were badly chipped at the bottom and the fillings kept coming away. Veneers were a more permanent solution. I've had them about eight years now. The dentist said there is no reason why they can't last the rest of my life. I'm in my mid fifties.

My teeth don't look any bigger than before and there is no black line at the gum.

I have ceramic veneers and they are not discoloured by tea, red wine etc. like natural teeth. The only disadvantage is if you want to bleach your teeth to whiten them the veneers will stay the same colour as before.

As for looking after I don't have to do anything special, just floss and brush them the same as natural teeth.

Thanks everyone. I got the impression too that veneers either work really well or... don't, and I guess you never know which camp you fall into until you try. @Dontsayyouloveme , how did the composite work? Do they just basically do a flat filling on top of your tooth? They look great!!

Whatever you do don’t go to the same dentist that Charles Drury went to! His veneers are bonded in day glo white and he looks hilarious!

The poster above looks great as she has gone for a natural colour.

The trend for bright white tombstone teeth is awful.

Katie price had already said that she has him recession which is why she has to keep getting her teeth replaced and why they now look like completely tombstones. Just don’t do it.

*gum

Haha yes I don't want them to look like perfect little white tombstones! It would just be nice if they didn't ache! My gums are already crap after three kids so I am not keen on encouraging any further regression....

That black line you mentioned is quite often a sign of gum disease. You see it quite of on veneered teeth. I’m assuming it’s because the veneers make it quite difficult to clean the gum line properly.

• you see it quite a lot!

badg3r yes, exactly that!! My teeth did feel huge after but you soon get used to it! Thanks.. I love them!