When you have porcelain veneers you need to make sure that you are using a soft toothbrush when you brush your teeth. Hard-bristled tooth brushes can cause the polish on your veneers to become damaged. Try and stay away of toothpastes that have harsh abrasives as they also can cause damage to your veneers.
It's crucial to brush your veneers — and teeth — twice a day. We recommend reaching for a non-abrasive toothpaste that's free from gritty ingredients like baking soda and charcoal. And use a soft-bristled manual or electric toothbrush to ensure a thorough yet gentle clean.
Fluoride toothpaste is not only safe for porcelain veneer patients, they are actually recommended. While veneers themselves are impervious to cavities, the underlying tooth structure is still vulnerable. Fluoride helps keep the teeth strong and healthy, ultimately prolonging the life of your veneers.
This one's easy! You can maintain your veneers the exact same way you look after your regular teeth – with a good oral health care routine. That means brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing regularly, using antibacterial mouthwash, and avoiding sugary or acidic foods/drinks where possible.
While most foods are safe to consume with porcelain veneers, you do need to be careful with hard foods like apples, raw carrots, and bone-in meats. It is possible to crack the porcelain when biting down on extremely hard foods, which is why it's generally recommended that you chew these foods with your back teeth.
Veneers can be removed and leave the tooth somewhat intact depending on the skill of the dentist, but there should not be any reason to do this. If the consultation with your dentist was comprehensive and your veneers were high quality and properly fitted to begin with, they shouldn't need to be removed anytime soon.
Veneers do not stain as easily as the natural enamel found on your teeth; however, they can still become yellow or discolored over time. Surface stains can develop after prolonged exposure to highly pigmented drinks such as red wine and dark coffee.
The dental veneers will chip or crack or get worn down. Composite or porcelain veneers can be durable, but they can start to wear down and may even crack over time. Your tooth supporting the veneer can become decayed. The veneer can be intact and strong even if the underlying tooth is not.
As for the underlying tooth or teeth involved, nothing bad happens. Since a dentist only has to remove a small amount of enamel, nerves and roots are never touched. With the veneers in place, the person's natural teeth remain intact. The natural teeth simply serve as the foundation for the new veneers.
For all veneers, Dr. Kosdon encourages patients to use the Sonicare® electric toothbrush, which has been proven to remove more plaque than traditional toothbrushes. Daily maintenance: Brush and floss at least twice daily. You should be able to care for your veneers the same way you would care for your natural teeth.
Aftercare for Your Porcelain Veneers
We recommend non-abrasive toothpastes like Sensodyne ProNamel. If you use a mouth rinse, we recommend using one that does not contain alcohol, such as Listerine Total Care or Crest Clean Mint.
Yes, you can use an electric tooth brush on veneers. Care should be take not to brush too hard and to use gentle pressure for up to 3 minute until the teeth are clean.
Do They Shave Your Teeth for Veneers? Yes, the dentist must shave your enamel for porcelain or composite veneers. Enamel is the hard, white outer layer of your tooth. Getting shaved teeth for veneers is a permanent process because enamel can't regrow—once enamel is removed, it's gone forever.
Most patients report that their adjustment to porcelain veneers lasts about two weeks. After two or three weeks, patients should be used to the way the veneer feel and function.
There is no age limit to who can have porcelain veneers. However, we do not recommend dental veneer treatment for patients under 18.
Most dentists recommend waiting until girls are between the ages of 14 to 16 and boys are around age 18, as this is the typical age range when the size and shape of the jaw has stopped growing and changing. Placing veneers before jaw growth is complete can result in shifting teeth and crooked veneers.
Keep in mind that veneers are permanent and require preparation (light shaving) of your natural teeth. Once you receive them, you can't go back to your natural teeth.
The short answer here is yes, porcelain veneers can become stained, even though they're technically more resistant to staining than your natural teeth. Coffee and many other foods and drinks contain certain pigments that can discolor your veneers the same way they can discolor your natural teeth.
We can always make upper veneers whiter than the lower teeth without making your smile look unnatural. Because lower front teeth do not show as much, it is natural to have whiter teeth on the upper. In most cases, we do not have to do the lower teeth.
People with Tooth Decay
Whether a tooth shows signs of tooth decay known as demineralization or has a full blown cavity, your dentist will not place a veneer over compromised enamel.
Can you get a cavity with veneers? Cavities are damaged areas in the teeth that develop into holes or tiny openings. Veneers aren't a magical solution for the teeth and gums. A veneer itself cannot get tooth decay, but it's possible to get a cavity in a tooth that is covered by this veneer.
If you don't like your porcelain veneers, a dentist can remove and replace them with new veneers. But we encourage patients to research the porcelain veneers process and choose a dentist carefully to ensure they are satisfied with the results.