Porcelain veneer emergencies.

What should you do if your porcelain veneer comes off or breaks?

If your porcelain veneer comes off, carefully remove the veneer from your mouth without damaging it further.

If you find only one piece then the veneer may not have broken but instead may have just come off your tooth, fully intact. If the veneer is whole, your dentist may be able to reattach it to your tooth. If the porcelain veneer is broken your dentist's only option will be to make you a new one.

1) Check to see if the veneer is intact.

To get an idea if your porcelain veneer is whole, take a look at the veneer's general shape. The outlines of veneers are usually somewhat symmetrical and rounded.

You can also evaluate the tooth from which the veneer has dislodged. You may see a segment of the veneer still attached to your tooth, indicating that it is broken.

2) Store the veneer carefully.

Place your veneer in a protective container, such as a cotton-filled pill box. Even if the veneer is broken it's not a bad idea to save the parts and show them to your dentist. They could possibly be of interest or help to them.

3) Let your dentist's office know that your porcelain veneer is off.

You will, of course, need to contact your dentist's office and report to them what has occurred.

Ask your dentist for specific instructions regarding your situation. In general, however, if a porcelain veneer (like those we have described on these pages where only a minimal amount of tooth structure has been removed to make the veneer) has simply broken or come off there is little potential for a serious tooth problem developing. Remember, in many cases teeth being veneered are left uncovered for the entire one to two weeks during which their veneers are being fabricated.

Since all or part of the veneer is missing you can expect that your tooth's shape might be rough or irritating to your lip or tongue.

The tooth itself could be expected to have a heightened sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages because the veneer is no longer there to cover and protect the tooth's front surface.

4) Learn from past events.

For future reference, it makes sense to take note of what activity broke, or immediately preceded the breaking of, your porcelain veneer. Obviously, to the best of your ability you should try to minimize or eliminate this activity. Discuss your circumstances with your dentist. They may be able to suggest some solutions.