Bruxism (Tooth Grinding) and Veneers

Overview

Porcelain veneers are strong in compression but vulnerable to shear forces and edge-loading. Bruxism — habitual grinding or clenching, often at night — concentrates exactly the kind of forces that chip veneer margins and fracture the underlying bonded interface. Survival data for porcelain veneers commonly report 10-year survival around 90–95%^[2][1], but those numbers assume a controlled occlusion and a night guard where indicated.

Signs your dentist will look for

• Flat wear facets that match between upper and lower teeth.
• Scalloped tongue, masseter hypertrophy, morning jaw soreness.
• Cracked enamel lines, especially on the canines and lower incisors.
• Existing crown or filling fractures with no obvious decay cause.

Material and design changes

For bruxers, lithium disilicate (e.max) veneers are usually preferred over the more translucent feldspathic porcelains because of their higher flexural strength. Minimum thickness in occlusal contact areas is preserved; thin "no-prep" designs are usually contraindicated.

The occlusion is engineered to deliver canine guidance — when the patient slides side-to-side, the canines (often crowned or restored) bear the load and the incisors disclude. This protects the front veneers from lateral shear.

The night guard is part of the treatment

A hard, custom-fitted occlusal splint worn at night is not an accessory — it is part of the veneer prescription. Many clinicians make veneer placement contingent on the patient accepting a guard. Without one, bruxers should expect chipping and de-bonding events on a timescale of years rather than decades.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Complete guide to veneers
• Porcelain vs. composite veneers
• Whitening before veneers