Archive for June, 2009

Can a porcelain veneer be re-cemented?

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

I wonder if you could help me. I have porcelain veneers and a couple of days ago one of them fell off. The veneer is intact and has no signs of wear. It was made and fitted nearly 15 years ago by an excellent dentist who is now retired. I could not find any authoritative information on whether it is possible to recement old veneers. My local cosmetic dentists seem to be reluctant to perform this operation. I would be very much obliged if you could tell me whether my veneer can be recemented, how many visits it might require and how much it could cost.

Yours sincerely
- George from the U.K.

George,
Yes, definitely, your porcelain veneer can be re-cemented, and if it is done right, it will be as good as new. But don’t go to any of these dentists who aren’t too sure it can be done, because it requires special procedures that are very strict, and they need special training. You need to find a real cosmetic dentist. The inside of the veneer needs to be properly etched and primed with very specific materials that most dentists don’t have in stock. The tooth also needs to be properly prepared.

I don’t know who to refer you to there in the UK. What you might do is call one of these offices where they claim to be a cosmetic dentist and ask them who is the most expert cosmetic dentist they know. Then if that dentist doesn’t know how to do it, ask them for another name.

For more information about veneers, see our Cleveland porcelain veneers page.

Cleveland cosmetic dentist Dr. Jay Goldstein

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How should I have a molar replaced?

Monday, June 15th, 2009

I am 55 years old. I had the upper right (next to last tooth) molar removed due to multiple cracks in the tooth. The missing tooth is not noticeable as it is so far back but I’m concerned about the shifting of my upper teeth. I have perfectly straight teeth at this time. None of the tooth replacement options seem ideal to me. What would be your recommendation?
- Denise from Pennsylvania

Dear Denise,
You’re smart to be concerned about the possible shifting of your teeth, because this is a serious issue, especially if you are missing a first molar (that’s the tooth that is second from the back in most people). The teeth on either side tip into the space and the tooth below usually drifts upward some, and it can really mess up your bite. It can cause TMJ disorder and muscle spasms in your chewing muscles because your bite which is supposed to be harmonious doesn’t mesh properly any more. In addition, it can promote loss down the road of the tipped teeth, which are now subject to unnatural stresses. It’s important to get a missing molar replaced before these teeth start to move, which occurs in a matter of weeks.

Of the two replacement options, having a dental implant is the nearest thing to having your own tooth back. The drawback of that is that it is a surgical treatment. But if the teeth next to the missing tooth have large restorations, it would make sense to do a dental bridge, since that will put dental crowns on those teeth, which may be close to needing crowns already anyway.

The most unattractive option is doing nothing, because that could lead to serious other problems down the road.

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