Patient Awareness of Soft-Tissue Irritants After Placement of Porcelain Laminate Veneers

Background Porcelain is considered the most esthetic and biocompatible material in dentistry with the ability to imitate sound enamel. Research into porcelain laminate veneers has focused mainly on technical or aesthetic aspects, rather than the reaction of the surrounding soft tissues. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding patient maintenance of soft-tissue alternation occurring after the placement of veneers. Methodology A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was chosen for this study to identify patient gingival alternation that occurred after the placement of veneers. Statistical analysis was performed using R version 3.6.3. Counts and percentages were used to summarize the study variables. The chi-square test was used to assess the association between categorical variables. Adverse events included hyperplasia, gum recession, change in color, change in taste/smell, toothache, and redness. Spearman’s correlation was used to assess the association between hygiene, awareness, and the number of adverse events experienced after installing the veneers. Hypothesis testing was performed at a 5% level of significance. Results The study questionnaire was completed by 98 respondents. Males and females represented 34.7% and 65.3% of the study sample, respectively. One-half (53.1%) of the respondents were 30-40 years old, and one-quarter were 41-50 years old. Only one-half of the respondents were satisfied with the final result after installing the veneers (53.1%). Satisfaction was not significantly different between males and females (p = 0.818). Results showed better awareness and dental hygiene in females. Only 11.8% of the males reported visiting the dentist due to gingival problems before installing the veneers compared to 35.9% of the females (p = 0.021). The most common problems reported by the respondents were hyperplasia (62.2%) and a change in smell/taste (66.3%). Other common problems included color change (58.2%), toothache (59.2%), and redness (55.1%). Satisfaction was significantly higher in patients who did not experience gingival hyperplasia (70.3%) than in those who did (42.6%). Experiencing toothache and redness in the gums surrounding the lenses were associated with lower satisfaction (p < 0.001). The use of antibiotics was not associated with satisfaction (p = 0.495). Conclusions Our study indicated a low level of awareness and satisfaction with porcelain laminate veneer placement. There was a statistically significant association between dental hygiene and awareness scores. Dental hygiene was also positively associated with satisfaction with dental veneers. A lower awareness score was associated with lower satisfaction. Further, higher awareness was associated with higher satisfaction.