Why am I talking funny after porcelain veneers?

I just had quite a bit of cosmetic dentistry work done, with several porcelain veneers in front and some crowns on my back teeth. It has probably been six weeks ago now that the majority was complete. I had no issue when the temporary veneers were in. But once the permanent porcelain veneers were in place, I feel like I have a lisp. The restorations feel small and my tongue is constantly pushing on them. At first, I thought it was in my head. But my lip keeps catching on them too, so I know something isn’t right. When I complained, the dentist did a few adjustments. It’s still not right and each time I call in to have them try to fix them, I feel like I’m being bothersome. Don’t I deserve to have it corrected? Or do I have to live with it?

-Gary in California

Gary,

First off, no you should not have to settle with the inconvenience. But it sounds more like you actually have porcelain crowns on your front teeth and not porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are tiny shells that fit on the front of your tooth, like a shell. If you had veneers, your tongue really wouldn’t touch them. Therefore, it sounds like you may have crowns, which go completely around the tooth. They cover the tooth entirely and can be used on front teeth, as well as back teeth.

Having misshaped teeth will negatively affect your speech. So, although it’s not uncommon to take a short time to adjust to your new cosmetic dentistry work, it shouldn’t be impacting your pronunciation. But if you have had them for six weeks, it doesn’t sound like you are adjusting. Something isn’t done correctly, maybe they are too thick or long.

How are they when you are biting and chewing? If you are having any discomfort or awkwardness when eating, you may end up causing serious problems with your jaw. When this occurs, TMJ disorder can set in and cause painful headaches and eventually may cause damage to your teeth.

Try to work with the dentist to see if the work can be corrected. Otherwise, you may need to move on and find a new cosmetic dentist. It should be the original dentist’s responsibility. But if it’s not being done right, you may need to seek a second opinion.

Thank you for sharing your story. Hopefully, this is resolved soon.

This post is sponsored by Lexington cosmetic dentist Hamburg Expressions.