Baton Rouge Dentist

My Gums Are Still Swollen Around My New Porcelain Veneers

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Since I got veneers last fall, my gums have been swollen around my porcelain veneers, and my teeth look horrible. When I had a dental cleaning two weeks ago, the hygienist implied that I was not flossing between my teeth or brushing them too hard. She is wrong. When I saw my dentist last Wednesday, he removed some cement around the veneers and told me to call if it didn’t improve. My gums are swollen, and I am concerned that the problem will worsen if my dentist does not take responsibility. Should I insist that he take another look or get a second opinion? Why would I have lingering swelling after getting veneers? Thanks. Yasmin

Yasmin,

Although Dr. Tostado would need to examine your teeth, gums, and veneers, we can explain the possible causes of your gum inflammation.

What Causes Swollen Gums After Getting Porcelain Veneers?

picture of a porcelain veneer being placed on a prepared toothSwollen gums after getting porcelain veneers can result from one or more of these factors:

  • Excess cement left around the veneers
  • Improper porcelain veneer position
  • Irregularities where a veneer meets your tooth
  • Sensitivity to dental ceramics

We will explain.

Excess cement left around the veneers

When a dentist cures the cement in the middle of a tooth and removes the excess around the porcelain veneer immediately, it is unlikely that the bonding agent will irritate your gum tissue.

Improper porcelain veneer position

A porcelain veneer that fits too far beneath your gumline can inflame the tissue and lead to infection.

Irregular margins

Unevenness where the veneer and a tooth meet can irritate gum tissue. If inflammation or infection lingers, you may need to see a periodontist (gum specialist).

Ceramic sensitivity

Sometimes, sensitivity to dental ceramics can cause inflammation or infection.

We recommend consultation with an experienced cosmetic dentist for an exam and a second opinion. A cosmetic dentist will identify the cause of the irritation around your porcelain veneers and recommend treatment.

Baton Rouge family dentist Dr. Ryan Perry sponsors this post. Please read about how he strives to provide his patients with the best care possible.

 

 

How Can I Brighten Dull Porcelain Veneers?

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I got my porcelain veneers in 2022, but they are not as bright as they used to be. I thought veneers were colorfast. I talked to my dentist about the veneers, and he asked me if I was a heavy smoker.  Why blame me for the discoloration? I want to brighten my veneers. How can I do it? – Thanks. Jackie

Jackie,

Porcelain veneers are colorfast. A glaze covers them to promote stain resistance. However, damage to the glaze can cause porcelain veneers to attract stains.

Factors that may damage the glaze on porcelain veneers:

  • Abrasives – Abrasive whitening toothpaste can scratch the glaze and increase the risk of staining.
  • Dental cleaning or polishing techniques – Power polishing equipment, pumice paste, air-powered cleaners, or acidulated fluoride scratch porcelain veneers.
  • Tobacco use – Regular tobacco use can cause surface stains on veneers.
  • Heavy coffee drinking – Heavy coffee drinking may leave surface stains on porcelain veneers.

What Can You Do to Brighten Porcelain Veneers?

Whitening toothpaste or bleaching gels will not penetrate and remove the stains from porcelain veneers.

  • Use toothpaste for restorative dentistry. Supersmile is a non-abrasive toothpaste that removes surface stains from cosmetic dentistry work, but it will not remove deep stains.
  • See an expert cosmetic dentist. A skilled cosmetic dentist can polish porcelain veneers and restore their shine, increasing stain resistance.

 A cosmetic dentist will inspect your porcelain veneers to identify the source of discoloration and explain whether polishing them can help.

Why Are My Porcelain Veneers Turning Dark?

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Why are my porcelain veneers turning dark? Although I got them in 2005, should they be darkening? I got the veneers to hide calcium deposits on my teeth. But now, when I compare current pictures with some from a few years ago, my teeth almost look gray. Is this something that a dentist can correct, or will I need new veneers? Thanks.  Thu from TN

Thu,

A dentist with cosmetic dentistry experience would need to examine your teeth and veneers to determine why they look darker. But we can provide some insight.

Do Porcelain Veneers Change Color?

Porcelain veneers do not change color unless they are damaged. Porcelain is more stain resistant than tooth enamel. But your teeth behind the porcelain veneers can make them look darker.

  • Damaged porcelain veneers – If a dental hygienist mistakenly uses power polishing equipment on porcelain veneers, it will destroy the glaze. Within a few weeks, the veneers will attract stains and become darker. In addition, acidulated fluoride treatment or other harsh chemicals can erode the glaze and cause veneers to attract stains and darken.
  • Darkening natural teeth — Porcelain veneers are translucent, so the color will show through if your teeth get darker behind the veneers. If your veneers are leaking and bacteria is seeping between them and your teeth, your teeth will look darker. Leaky veneers promote tooth decay, which will darken teeth and show through.

Schedule an Exam

Find an advanced cosmetic dentist in your area to examine your teeth and veneers and determine why your veneers look darker. The dentist will explain your treatment options. Some possible options include:

  • Lightening your teeth beneath the veneers – Teeth bleaching may lighten your teeth.
  • Polishing the veneers – Sometimes, diamond polishing instruments and polishing paste will improve the veneers’ appearance.
  • Replacing the veneers – You may need new veneers if yours are extensively damaged or worn.

 

Best wishes.

Baton Rouge family dentist Dr. Ryan Perry sponsors this post.  Read how Dr. Perry strives to provide some of the best dental care in Baton Rouge.

Why Are My Gums So Puffy Around My Veneers?

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A woman's close-up smile, portraying healthy, not puffy, gums around porcelain veneers
Well-bonded porcelain veneers promote healthy gums

Since I got porcelain veneers in May, my gums have been puffy and tender around them. I had an appointment with my dentist last month, and he told me I probably need to improve my flossing technique. Before he left the treatment room, he said that his hygienist would show me how to floss and watch me as I did it. I have been flossing correctly all along but have not returned to my dental office, although my gums are still irritated. Now, I feel sensitivity in my teeth with veneers, and I am afraid I will need root canals or have gum disease before it’s over. Why are my gums so tender around my veneers? Thank you. Cyan

Cyan,

We’re sorry to hear about your discomfort and challenges after a smile makeover with porcelain veneers.

Why Are Your Gums Puffy Around Your Porcelain Veneers?

When your gums are puffy around your porcelain veneers, excess cement between the veneers and your gums is usually the cause. Many cosmetic dentists follow a process to minimize complications and remove excess bonding composite.

The steps may include:

  • Prime the tooth surface with etching and bonding agents
  • Place the bonding composite in a veneer and press it onto the corresponding tooth
  • Allow excess composite to ooze out the side
  • Remove the excess composite before curing the composite with a high-intensity curing light
  • Use an ultra-small light tip to cure the composite in the center of the tooth, tacking the veneer in place
  • Floss around the teeth to remove any residual composite
  • Smooth the surfaces between all teeth
  • Use a larger light curing tip to ensure the veneer is attached to the tooth
  • Use fine polishing tips to ensure smoothness

Can Puffy Gums Around Veneers Lead to Gum Disease?

Excess cement around porcelain veneers can irritate your gum tissue and lead to the beginning stages of gum disease or gingivitis. If left untreated, gum disease will advance. A tooth infection can result, which will require root canal treatment.

If your dentist thinks your flossing technique is causing puffy gums around your porcelain veneers, we recommend getting a second opinion. Look for a skilled cosmetic dentist and schedule an exam. If your dentist’s bonding techniques are questionable, you can present the findings of the second opinion dentist to the one who placed your porcelain veneers. You can decide if you want your dentist to remove, clean, and re-bond your porcelain veneers or if you want him to refund you or pay for the cost of having another dentist remove, clean, and re-bond the veneers.

Baton Rouge family dentist Dr. Ryan Perry sponsors this post. Please read how he strives to provide his patients with the best care possible.

What is the best way to whiten my porcelain veneers?

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I had kind of a wild youth. I have made lots of changes in the past few years and my sweet mother has been there for me the whole time. She sent me to see a dentist since I haven’t been in for a cleaning in a long time. My teeth were so bad that the dentist did work I needed. He then suggested that I get porcelain veneers to fix my front teeth, to help them not be so crooked and to look better to get a job. My mom paid for them and they look better than they did before. Now that they have been on for a few months, I’d like to whiten them. I just want to make sure I do it the right way. What is the best way to whiten porcelain veneers?

Thanks,
Mariah

Dear Mariah,

Teeth whitenedIt is great that you have made changes for the better in your life. Unfortunately, you will not be able to make changes for the better to your porcelain veneers. Whitening your teeth isn’t the same as whitening your veneers. Your porcelain veneers can’t be whitened once they are placed on your teeth.

How porcelain veneers are made

When you decide to get porcelain veneers, your dentist will match the shade of your new veneers to the teeth surrounding so your new teeth don’t stick out and look unnatural. The dentist sends the specs, along with the shade the new teeth should be, along to a ceramist to be made. The veneers are then made in the shape and shade the dentist specified.

If your dentist was experienced or really wanted you to have the smile you desired, he should have suggested that you whiten your teeth before you got your veneers. That way your new teeth could have been a whiter shade, matching the whiter teeth around. It’s unfortunate that he didn’t make sure you were completely happy with how your porcelain veneers were going to look before they were bonded on.

At this point, the only way to fix them is to basically start over. A good cosmetic dentist could carefully grind off the porcelain veneers you have had placed. He could then help you with new ones, but you would experience the cost again.

This post is sponsored by Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

How do I fix my all gums, small teeth smile?

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My smile is all gums and I hate it. I have small teeth, too, so whenever I smile, you see a little bit of teeth and a lot of pink gums. Is there anything I can do to change it? Could I somehow use porcelain veneers and at least have bigger teeth?

Sara, Grand Rapids

Dear Sara,

There is something you can do to fix your “gummy” smile, but it’s not a correction any regular dentist could accomplish.

If you have spoken to a dentist in the past about changing the way your gums or teeth look when you smile, it may have been recommended to see an oral surgeon to have your entire upper jaw shortened to fix it. This is a very extreme and unnecessary procedure that can lead to other complications. It can change your bite, which could then lead to problems with your upper jaw or TMJ.

Thankfully there are cosmetic dentists, dentists who have gone above and beyond the training of a regular dentist, who can perform what is called a “gum lift.” The dentist would remove a small amount of gum tissue and some of the supporting bone that was beneath the gum line for each upper front teeth. This would expose some of the roots of those teeth.

Porcelain veneer going onto tooth

A porcelain veneer would then be placed over the tooth and the exposed root section. Cosmetic dentists can make the veneers look as natural as your existing teeth, with matching coloring. You then have a smile with less gums and more teeth that you desire.

Because this is not an easy procedure, you want to find the right experienced dentist to perform it. Don’t hesistate to call cosmetic dentists’ offices and ask if they have performed a gum lift before. If so, ask if they have a portfolio that would show pictures of the before and after cases.

This post is sponsored by Dr. Ryan Perry in Baton Rouge.

Can I go to a dental school for porcelain veneers?

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I have always hated the stain on my teeth from the antibiotic tetracycline. I have hidden my teeth when I smile for as long as I remember. We just retired and all the kids are gone, so I’m ready to do something for me and fix my smile. I think I want to get porcelain veneers. My daughter mentioned that they took my granddaughter to a dental school for orthodontics and it saved her a lot of money. I am wondering if I can go to a dental school for porcelain veneers? What are the drawbacks?

Thanks,
Ann, Birmingham, AL

Dear Ann,

Porcelain veneers are a great way to cover tetracycline stains since teeth whitening isn’t effective. They can help you get a beautiful smile–if it is done by the right dentist.

Dentists who create a smile that you would be proud to show off have completed extensive training after dentistry school to learn the artistic aspect of veneers. They learn coloration, shaping, size, and opacity. These cosmetic dentists listen to what you want your smile to look like, what you want to change. They will often create a “mock up” so you can see what your veneers will look like on your teeth before they bond on your permanent veneers. This ensures that you are happy with the final product.

Unfortunately, a dental school is not the place to get porcelain veneers. Students there are learning the fundamentals of dentistry. They are learning how to fix your teeth. That is the priority, not aesthetics. Likely, if you went to a dental school for porcelain veneers, you would have a student doing it for the first time and you would get what you paid for.

If you want porcelain veneers, a better option would be to save your money and do it right the first time with a cosmetic dentist rather than spending the money and having to still pay the greater amount later to have them fixed.

This post is sponsored by Baton Rouge Family Dentist.

Why are My Veneers Turning Yellow and Going Black on Top?

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I’m planning to marry in a few months and I can’t stand my smile. My teeth look terrible. I have two veneers on my front teeth and have had them half my life; I’m 34 now. My teeth are looking yellow and I see a black color on top. What can I do about this? I need to look beautiful for my wedding.
– Tara from Louisiana

Tara,
Your porcelain veneers should be able to last for at least 16 to 18 years if they are taken care of and they should not look yellow. One thing you did not mention is if they were porcelain or composite veneers because this makes a difference.

I will assume they are composite veneers. Composite veneers discolor very quickly due to their materials. In fact, they may begin to discolor within the year of being placed. This will also depend on what you eat and drink as foods and drink with strong colors will permeate the composite veneers.

Porcelain veneers are known for staying white unless they are cleaned with the Prophy Jet, which can rough up the porcelain surface and diminish the glaze. When this happens, the surface becomes porous and this makes it easy for staining foods to adhere to the teeth.

Your veneers need to be replaced because you have black showing at the top. This is probably from leaking and the bond is failing near the gum line.

A dentist must be careful when they are placing veneers because the place where that bond is created is delicate. If the procedure isn’t correctly done, fluid may seep up from the gum line and the bond will fail. Dentists trained in cosmetic dentistry will be experienced enough to know they need to pack a retraction cord between the gum and the tooth, and this cord will be saturated with an astringent that prevents fluids from seeping in and contaminating the bond.

The best advice – you need to replace your veneers. Not only do you want to look good for your wedding but you also need to fix the problem before leakage leads to underlying decay and other issues.

For more information about Baton Rouge Family Dentist, visit Dr. Perry’s site.

Do they do smile makeovers with crowns?

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Not long ago, I decided to have a smile makeover. I thought I received porcelain veneers, but when I look at my teeth, the porcelain appears to go all the way around my teeth. I’m wondering if this was completed like this because my teeth weren’t strong enough before the makeover. Is it normal to have my entire tooth covered even though my procedure was done for cosmetic reasons?
– Anton in Louisiana

Anton,
There isn’t a big difference between porcelain veneers and porcelain crowns. In fact, it’s hard to determine when a porcelain veneer becomes a crown. In terms of fees, most cosmetic dentists have fees that are close to the same for either procedure because both types of dental work take about the same amount of work to finish.

When you receive cosmetic work, it’s quite common to have porcelain crowns done across your front teeth. Your dentist usually has a good reason to have the whole tooth done in the makeover. In fact, there are many reasons your tooth may be crowned.  If your tooth was weak in any way, if there were fillings in the teeth or if your bite needed improvement, you would need more extensive treatment.

It’s important that dentists discuss with you why they might recommend crowns. The majority of cosmetic dentists do their best to be conservative with their work. They do this by trying to preserve as much or your natural tooth structure as possible. They know that crown work is more aggressive and requires a substantial amount of tooth reduction all the way around and they do their best to avoid it whenever possible. However, sometimes the tooth is too weak and needs more stability with crowns. Veneers require only a slight shaving of the front of the tooth.  This is why you need to have a proper explanation for why you might need crowns.

This blog brought to you by Baton Rouge family dentist, Dr. Ryan P. Perry.

My teeth are so small. What can I do to make them look more normal?

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All of my permanent teeth came in very small. My friends think they are still my baby teeth and I am becoming very insecure about my smile.  What can I do to my permanent teeth to make them look a more normal size?

Thanks for your advice, Tina

Dear Tina,

We understand the concern about your permanent teeth and how it may make you feel. When our permanent teeth do not develop correctly it is called anodontia, most common in premature babies however can be a genetic disorder as well. There are also certain environmental factors that can influence teeth development. The good news is that there are some amazing dental techniques that can greatly improve your smile and bring back the confidence you are looking for.

Depending on the shape and alignment of your teeth you may be a candidate for porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns, both of these procedures are permanent, long lasting, and look very natural. Porcelain veneers cover just the front surface of the tooth, requiring very little reshaping of the tooth surface. Porcelain crowns require more shaping of the tooth surface and cover the entire tooth.

We recommend you schedule a consultation with a dentist that specializes in cosmetic dentistry and has a lot of training in the field of cosmetics. Choose wisely while searching for a dentist because cosmetic dentistry is a skillful art and takes much talent.

Post courtesy of Dr. Perry, Baton Rouge Dentist.