Gums Inflamed After Porcelain Veneers
Posted by Annmarie SanSevero
I had porcelain veneers placed. The front four are red and inflamed. I went to see the dentist. His hygienist examined me and said she’s never seen that before. Then, she accused me of not taking care of my teeth. I’d just spent a fortune on those veneers. Why would I not take care of them. Plus, I’m an adult. I know how to take care of my teeth. I found her whole attitude offensive. A month later I was still having problems at a follow up. That’s when the dentist removed some excess cement. However, they are still bothering me a month following that. The dentist does not seem concerned, but I am. Plus, it’s just plain uncomfortable. Do you have any recommendations for me?
Juliet
Dear Juliet,
First, I’m going to say up front that I do not like it when a dentist or their staff blames a patient for their mistakes. I don’t think you are seeing the best dentist to meet your needs. It sounds like he is in over his head when it comes to cosmetic dentistry.
I have found that once someone gets a smile makeover, they are much more likely to take better care of their teeth, not worse. Plus, the fact that he left some excess cement on your porcelain veneers for over a month gives me pause about his skill level. This should have been taken care of during the procedure. In fact, there is a system most expert cosmetic dentists have to ensure that no cement is left over.
The type of inflammation you are talking about can be caused by several things. First, there is a possibility that there is still more cement left or that the gums are taking a bit to heal after the other cement was removed. Second, there could be an overhang where the porcelain veneers meet the the tooth. Third, the veneers could be too far under the gumline encroaching on the gingival sulcus.
My suggestion is that you get a second opinion by an expert cosmetic dentist. The best cosmetic dentists are AACD accredited. Just make sure it is a blind opinion. By that I mean that they do not know who your dentist is that did the procedure. This will prevent them from feeling conflicted if they know your dentist.
This blog is brought to you by Franklin, TN Dentist Dr. Christopher Weber.
