Compensation for Dental Veneers
Unhappy with veneers? Find out what you can do and whether you can claim compensation below after a negligent treatment
What are dental veneers?
Veneers are extremely thin slices of porcelain that are added to the front of a tooth using dental cement to usually give a more attractive cosmetic appearance. More rarely, they can also be used to slightly strengthen a cracked or damaged tooth.
The porcelain veneer itself looks very similar to the enamel surface of a tooth and act as a good stand-in cosmetically.
They work by removing the outside areas of enamel from a tooth (usually the visible front teeth) and replacing it with porcelain. They give a much brighter, whiter look to your teeth and can resist staining for longer, especially if you smoke or drink wine, coffee or other similar foods.
What can go wrong with veneers?
Veneers are most commonly used to restore the white colour and look to the most visible teeth at the front of the mouth, which means they’re most likely being used to make a person’s smile look more pleasing. However, you can quickly become unhappy with veneers when something goes wrong, as the results can be extremely damaging, both cosmetically and in regards to the health of the tooth.
Infections due to over-reduced enamel
A veneer treatment shouldn’t reduce the tooth enough to increase the risks of infection. However, if this is the case, not only can the veneer fail, but the tooth itself might require extraction or a root canal if it’s not fixed promptly. If the veneer is not properly sealed when added to your tooth, bacteria can get in between the dental cement and the tooth, causing it to decay. This isn’t always obvious at first, but can lead to severely decayed teeth and the veneers falling off.
If this happens and you feel it’s a direct result of your dentist not fitting your veneer properly, get in touch and we can help you find the evidence you need to make a claim.
Fractured veneers after placement
Veneers are rarely used on the NHS and can be expensive, so you want to ensure the veneers you get are going to last a long time. Unfortunately, due to the material used, they can easily chip or break during or after the treatment. If this is the case, your dentist should immediately stop the treatment and rebuild the veneer.
If this happens, you can end up with a jagged piece of tooth, leading to damage to your tongue, lips, or the insides of your mouth, which in turn can lead to infections and mouth ulcers.
Your dentist should ensure that your veneers are strong and well-fitted, so if they’re not, you may be able to claim compensation.
Oversized or poorly fitted veneers
Veneers are usually custom made in a specialist dental lab to fit to your tooth. Sometimes, though, this isn’t the case and you can be left with a veneer that sticks out from the tooth, or one that chips and breaks off. If this is the case, it’s likely that your dentist hasn’t fitted them correctly and you have the ability to make a complaint and claim against them.
Veneers weren’t required
A simple scale and polish can often enough to restore your teeth to a brighter shade. If you’ve seen a dentist who has added veneers without a good reason, you can make a compensation claim, and if you can prove they weren’t required, you stand a good chance of winning your claim.
Unhappy with veneers? Not sure what your options are? Fill out our questionnaire form to get in touch with our dental law specialists and we’ll help you claim the compensation you are rightfully owed.