Porcelain veneers work even if you grind your teeth, but not Lumineers

I would like to have dental veneers or lumineers. My dentist says since I grind my teeth at night they will break and fracture. I have a mouth guard. The damage was done before I started wearing the mouth guard. I have a small hairline crack. He also told me that my bite will prevent me from having successful smile makeover, that my bottom teeth are digging in to my top teeth. What can I do? Any other options?
– Diana from Texas

Diana-
You can grind your teeth at night and still get a beautiful smile makeover with porcelain veneers, but the dentist has to know what he or she is doing. An expert cosmetic dentist will know how to approach that. In our office, Dr. Newkirk has done cases with people who have been real grinders, and they have worked out fine.

Lumineers, however, the way they’re promoted, would probably not work. When Lumineers are done without any tooth preparation, they have to be made about two millimeters longer than your own teeth. They will be very likely to break off if they are made that long if you’re a “grinder.”

Many dentists simply don’t do many porcelain veneers, so they’re quite uncomfortable, especially with situations like yours. And unless the dentist knows what they are doing, yes, the veneers will break off if you grind your teeth. I would commend your dentist for telling you what he did, rather than try to do the veneers and have them break. But there are ways to work around bite problems like this, if you go to the right dentist.