I have a wonderful set of porcelain veneers that are beautiful. One of them on the front has some exposed dentin and my tooth is occasionally sensitive. My dentist wants to replace that veneer, but I have two worries. 1. Will the veneers match? 2. Can it damage the natural tooth underneath to take the veneer off early?
Janice- San Francisco
Janice,
The answer to your first question depends on the quality of your cosmetic dentist. If you have an excellent cosmetic dentist, with a high artistic standard, then he will have no problem matching the color of your other veneers. The fact that you are thrilled with your veneers, combined with the fact that your dentist wants to replace the veneer with the exposed dentin makes me think you are safe. Another way to check is to look at the mynewsmile.com website. That site screens cosmetic dentists and lets you know how qualified they are. If your dentist is recommended there, you are certainly safe.
Your second question is even easier. Exposed dentin has tubules that go straight to the pulp, which is why your tooth is sensitive. You actually run more risk to the tooth by leaving this source of irritation than by re-doing the veneer. The open tubules are a risk for bacteria getting into the pulp, which will lead to a lot of problems. You are safe having the veneer removed.
This blog is brought to you by York, PA cosmetic dentist Dr. Donald Currie.