What Is Veneer Smell? And How I Make Sure It Never Happens

A lot of people online have asked about something called veneer smell. I've also heard it called veneer rot and veneer breath. It's real, and here's the way I want you to think about it.

The Jar Lid

A veneer is kind of like a lid for a jar. The two need to connect to each other properly. When the veneer isn't sealed correctly and you get saliva, plaque, and bacteria underneath, you can't brush it out and you can't floss it out. It's like it's fermenting under there. That's where the smell comes from.

I've seen this many times with people who come to me after another dentist did the work. At that point I'm the fix-it guy, and I take extraordinary measures to make sure the tooth and the veneer fit and seal properly, so it's something you never have to worry about again.

Keeping the Field Dry and Clean

The bonding process is moisture-sensitive. I use a specialized rubber barrier over your teeth that keeps your lips and tongue out of the way so there's no saliva contamination. A lot of dentists work without this protective barrier, and what they're risking is moisture from the lip, the inside of the lip, the tongue, and the cheeks getting onto the surface. That moisture can contaminate the tooth and cause problems with how the veneer adheres. Having a dry, isolated, sterile working field is critical to bonding the veneers correctly.

Why I Use Timers

I actually use timers to monitor how much time I spend on each tooth, because the manufacturers of the bonding materials specify a certain amount of time for scrubbing in the bonding agents. Imagine trying to count to 15 seconds in your head. You'll either count too quick or too slow, and it won't turn out right. So I use timing and rhythm to make sure every tooth gets equal treatment. You'll see that the maneuvers are the exact same thing for every single tooth, and that's what gives you consistency and quality in the bond.

If you already have veneers and you're noticing an odor, don't ignore it. It isn't something you can clean away, and it needs to be addressed by someone who can remove the compromised work and redo it correctly.

Patients who developed this after work done elsewhere often come to us from across the Westside, including Beverly Hills patients seeking porcelain veneers done under surgical magnification.