Can Veneers Fix Bruxism Damage?
If you suffer from persistent and prolonged bruxism, the constant grinding may ultimately wear down your teeth, leading to problems like damage and enamel loss. From a cosmetic point of view, you may start to worry about the appearance of your teeth and may start to look for ways to make them look better. Your research may throw up veneers as an option. How effective a solution are veneers if you have bruxism.
How Veneers Work
A veneer treatment fits a shell over a tooth to cover it up. Often used to whiten up smiles, veneers can also fix other dental problems. For example, veneers can cover gaps between teeth, hide damage or discolouration and can change the shape of a tooth. So, for example, if your bruxism has worn down your teeth, making them look shorter and unnatural, a dentist could design a veneer to add shape and length to the tooth.
However, while veneers may look like a good solution for bruxism damage, your dentist may have reservations about using them as a fix.
Bruxism and Veneers
While veneers can make bruxism damage disappear cosmetically by covering it up, they don't do anything at all to fix your tooth grinding problem. This factor typically makes dentists worried about fitting veneers on patients with ongoing bruxism. With veneers on, your grinding may not affect your teeth as much; however, it is likely to start affecting the veneer shells, making it eight times more likely that your veneers will fail.
If your teeth grinding continues after a veneer treatment, the veneers themselves may be damaged by your bruxism. While strong, veneer shells may be more prone to cracking, chipping or splitting through grinding than your teeth. Constant grinding may also simply pull off the veneer shell over time.
Although there is an increased risk of failure or damage to veneers if you grind your teeth, you may still be able to persuade your dentist to go ahead with a veneer treatment. However, you're likely to have to work with your dentist to find a fix for your bruxism first.
Minimising Bruxism Risk
If you can find a way to stop grinding your teeth, your dentist may be happy to apply veneers to cover up previous damage. If your bruxism is stress-related and happens most often during the day, your dentist may recommend that you see your doctor. Stress management programs or muscle relaxants may go some way to solving your problem. If you grind your teeth when you're asleep, your dentist may advise that you wear a mouthguard in bed. This guard won't stop your bruxism; however, it will help protect your veneers from grinding damage.