The answer is not often--WHEN they are designed correctly. The key is to make sure you have a cosmetic dentist that is thorough and skilled in dealing with bite alignment. The health and precision of your bite largely determines how trouble-free your veneers can be. I have one patient in a wheel chair who has 20 veneers. He HAS to use his teeth as tools to assist him in his daily life. He has had his veneers almost 10 years now without a problem. (I do not recommend this, but in his situation this is what he needed). I have had patients come to me because the veneers they had made somewhere else have started chipping. The issue was a bite problem. When it was corrected, the new veneers have done very well. Another factor that can affect if your porcelain veneers will chip is how you use them and care for them. They need to be cared for thoughtfully. Many patients ought to have a night guard to sleep with for extra protection. In general, veneers are extremely durable and trouble-free. If you are considering a smile makeover or smile enhancement I would not let a worry about the durability sway you. You will be amazed the impact a new smile will have on your confidence! Thank you, Dr. Scott Greenhalgh, DDS
Veneers, properly placed, do not often just pop off. Some do chip and this usually happens because of two reasons: 1. the patient was not mindful of what they were biting into with their front teeth...chewing ice, peanut brittle etc. and 2. There were bite problems that were not diagnosed by the dentist before the veneers were placed. If you have bite problems, the bite needs to be adjusted first before you consider veneer placement. If the reason behind you needing the veneers is your front teeth were worn down and chipped, that would immediately show there is a bite problem present. If you are getting veneers to close spaces and improve color and smile than it is not because of the your bite. Make sure you discuss this with your dentist before placing any anterior veneers!
