Can A Patient Have Veneers After Tongue Piercing?

Veneers are thin shells that cover up teeth that are misshapen, discolored or unattractive. They can enhance a person's smile and give them a reason to flash their pearly whites more often. Many individuals wonder if they can still have this enhancement performed by their dentist if they've had their tongues pierced. Piercing various body parts has become quite popular with the younger generation especially. In the olden days, ears were the only body parts that were punctured in order to be adorned with jewelry and women were usually the only ones who chose to do this. Today, both males and females poke holes in many body parts to accessorize with precious metals and jewels. Earrings today aren't confined to just one hole per ear, either. Many individuals have jewels dotting the entire external ear structure. Five or more pierces are not atypical. Are they suitable for a person who has a tongue-ring? Here are some things to think about:

- What veneers do: These products are shells that are attached to the teeth to cover up flaws. The flaws may be gaps, discolorations or jagged indentations. They are affixed to the front of the tooth to alter size, shape and color.

- The process: In order to attach these enhancements, the dentist will need to shave away a portion of the enamel. This is so that there's room to slip the veneer covering over the tooth. Each covering is custom made to be an exact fit and create a natural look in the person's mouth. After these devices are affixed, the process can't be reversed because the enamel has been whittled away beneath it.

- Tongue piercing: Even though this may be a cool and trendy adornment in some circles, individuals should be forewarned that dentists are thrilled with the practice. Having an opening punched into soft oral structures such as the tongue can cause an array of problems including bacterial infection, impaired speech, increased saliva production and inability to eat properly. Severe problems can include nerve damage which can hamper functionality.

- How pierced tongues might interfere with veneers: Individuals who want to create an attractive smile free of spotty discolorations, gaps and jagged spots might want to reconsider their tongue-rings. In order to perform any type of elective cosmetic oral enhancement, the patient's mouth should be in tiptop shape. If the person is constantly fighting off bacterial growth due to the puncture, this could cause less than satisfactory results with any cosmetic dental procedure. The positive thing about body parts that have been punctured for jewelry is that the tissue will grow back together to seal the hole. If you decide to enhance your smile, you might want to give up your diamond studded mouth.

Tongue piercings may be popular as a fad but they're reversible and may not work well with cosmetic enhancements. If a person wants to get veneers, he or she might want to re-think his or her decision to wear mouth jewelry.