Sensitive Teeth After Veneers

Are you worried about having sensitive teeth after veneers? This situation is rare, but it can happen. Here's what you should know about veneers, why you might have sensitive teeth after having them placed, and your treatment options afterwards.

What Are Veneers?

Veneers are thin shells placed on the front sides of the teeth. They're typically made from composite resin or dental porcelain. Porcelain is a little more durable and lasts a few years longer, but it's also more expensive. In rare cases, dentists may order veneers made out of other materials.

Placing a veneer on a tooth involves shaving about 0.3 mm of enamel off the tooth's surface, then bonding it to the remaining enamel.

Dentists recommend veneers for various causes, ranging from correcting underbites to protecting the tooth from problems that fillings aren't the right answer to. Veneers are also used for cosmetic reasons because they can instantly whiten a smile.

Why Might The Procedure Cause Sensitivity?

The main reason that veneers can cause sensitivity is the need to reduce the enamel amount on the front of a tooth. When that's gone, heat and other sensations can go through the tooth more easily. The teeth are most sensitive immediately after the procedure, but this sensitivity usually goes away over time.

Veneers can also cause sensitivity if they're bonded improperly or if they become damaged over time. For example, if the top of the veneer chips off, heat could transmit exceptionally well through the tooth's new gap.

Treatment Options If The Sensitivity Remains

The best treatment options vary. Your dentist may need to ask several questions or run a few tests to determine the actual cause. Once they have that information, they'll be in a much better place to recommend treatments. Here are some of the possibilities you could hear.

Option #1: Replacement

If the problem is with the veneer itself, such as the laboratory making it too thin, your dentist may suggest replacing the veneer with a slightly thicker one. This usually resolves any sensitivity issues created by the veneer and allows you to retain the benefits of having them.

Option #2: Observation

If you've only just started experiencing sensitivity, your dentist may recommend waiting a week or two to see if the problem resolves. If it does, you're in luck because no further treatment is necessary, and you won't have to spend any more.

However, make sure you tell your dentist immediately if your sensitivity worsens. That usually means there's a bigger problem to deal with, and chances are they'll want to examine you as soon as possible.

Option #3: Root Canals

If your tooth is damaged or decayed behind the veneer, you may need more aggressive treatments. This could take the form of a root canal, or even extracting the tooth and replacing it with an implant. This isn't required in most cases, but if the tooth itself is too far gone, veneers can't help it.