Once you see yourself in the mirror with your new porcelain restorations, your life will never be the same again. You now have that perfect symmetrical and confident smile you have always longed for. Your gaps, cracks, and discoloration issues have all been taken care of.
However, when you come back down to earth, one thing that definitely pops up in your mind is how to take care of veneers and make sure they remain as good as ever in the coming 5, 10 or 15 years?
This is a totally legitimate question. Modern-day porcelain restorations are indeed an example of advanced science that is incredibly durable and stain-resistant but still requires some effort on your part. We understand how important your smile is to you and have compiled the ultimate guide to helping you keep it beautiful, healthy, and natural-looking for many years to come.
1. Establish a Flawless Veneer Maintenance Routine
The cornerstone of proper veneer maintenance lies in how you will take care of them in everyday life. Most people wrongly think that since they have acquired artificial teeth, they do not decay and thus they have nothing to brush for. This is absolutely wrong.
Although the porcelain coating itself does not decay, there is still a chance that your natural tooth underneath it could. The development of cavities around or even inside the veneer could affect the whole tooth. Hence, good oral hygiene is essential.
What is the proper way to clean veneers then? You will have to get rid of some products from your arsenal.
First of all, you must get rid of your old, hard-bristled toothbrush. There is no need to use anything but a soft-bristled one, either manual or electric. Hard bristles may gradually cause small scratches on your veneers' shiny surface.
The second thing you should do is to take a good look at your toothpaste ingredients. The right veneers cleaning regimen involves a lifetime commitment to non-abrasive formulations. Whitening toothpastes or any products that have baking soda or activated charcoal are simply too harsh. This toothpastes act as tiny pieces of sandpaper damaging your porcelain investments. Once these scratches are made on the glazing layer of your teeth, it becomes more susceptible to staining. Choose only gentle gel toothpastes.
And third, you should always be consistent about flossing. It is necessary for healthy gums and their absence will cause your gums to recede. With gingivitis receding gum line you will get an unpleasant black margin where your veneer meets your natural tooth root.
2. The Secret to Keeping Veneers White
One of the main advantages of premium porcelain is its exceptional discoloration resistance. As opposed to natural enamel that is highly porous and able to absorb pigments, dental ceramic has a non-porous, glass-like surface which cannot stain easily.
But if porcelain is not prone to staining, what is the reason for all those questions about maintaining veneers in a white condition?
It becomes clear when we look at the boundaries. Even though the porcelain part remains bright and does not change color, the composite resin cement which keeps it attached to your tooth can be easily stained by dark beverages and foods after many years of such exposure. That is why a brown or yellowish contour around your teeth becomes an evidence of veneer discoloration.
In order to avoid it and keep everything beautiful, pay attention to your diet. It does not mean that you need to say good-bye to your morning coffee and evening glass of wine.
Drink dark beverages such as iced coffee, cola, and black tea using a straw to avoid contact with your front teeth. Following consumption of berries with very dark color, curry containing a lot of turmeric, or wine, it is imperative that you rinse your mouth with clean water immediately afterward.
Moreover, smoking can be considered the ultimate enemy of cosmetic dentistry. The tar and nicotine will very actively stain the bonding cement yellow.
3. Essential Veneer Care Tips for Structural Integrity
In order to keep the color of your teeth natural, they should stay whole because any chipping or fracturing of the tooth will instantly grab everyone’s attention.
Although dental porcelain is very strong when it comes to compression and deals perfectly with vertical chewing forces, it has low tensile strength, which means that twisting or pulling the porcelain will cause it to break or crack. Therefore, veneer care advice focuses on keeping your teeth edges from any harsh pressure.
Avoid using your teeth to perform other functions than chewing food; therefore, avoid using them for such purposes as nail biting, tearing plastic, holding hairpins, ripping off clothing tags, etc. Avoid excessive biting of tough foods like ice, hard candies, meat that you rip right off the bones.
One of the biggest enemies of your smile is the condition called bruxism or teeth grinding. Many people grind their teeth subconsciously in their sleep due to stress.
Human teeth can crack or chip easily because of the tremendous force created in our mouths when we sleep. Should you find yourself experiencing pain in your jaw, headaches, or stiff facial muscles, make sure to mention it to your dentist. The use of a night guard at night will be the best protection for your smile.
4. Why You Still Need Routine Dental Checkups
While the home care routine is essential, it is the professional upkeep that makes sure your smile lasts 10, 15, or even 20 years.
Having regular visits to the dentist every six months is absolutely mandatory. But it’s crucial that your dental hygienist knows how to work with cosmetic dentistry. In the process of professional teeth cleaning, hygienists usually use ultrasonic scalers to remove calcified plaque from the surface of the tooth. This procedure works perfectly on real enamel but may damage the edges of the porcelain veneer. Rather, he needs to utilize soft-hand tools around your cosmetic restoration work. Moreover, your dentist can carry out a special procedure of veneer polishing with the help of nonabrasive polishing pastes especially designed for porcelain. It is an expert technique which takes away the minute amount of debris from the surface and returns the reflective gloss that gives a natural look to the tooth.
At The Dental Roots Clinic, regarded as one of the best cosmetic clinics in Delhi & Gurgaon, we know very well that it is as important as getting the veneers in place. Our talented experts provide customized aftercare programs that help your perfect and customized smile stay bright, sturdy, and perfectly natural for years and years to come.
Your smile is the symbol of your happiness and self-confidence. With the help of proper techniques and habits, your veneers will become an integral part of your life, looking and feeling natural as always.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Dental Roots Editorial Team
Written by our panel of specialist dentists & patient educators
