Dental News

Do’s and Dont’s for Porcelain Veneers

November 24, 2014

Learn about life with porcelain veneers before you decide to invest in this cosmetic dental treatment.

Do’s and Dont’s for Porcelain VeneersIf you are unhappy with the color, shape, size, or evenness of your teeth, porcelain veneers might be an excellent cosmetic option to consider. Porcelain veneers cover up your imperfections, to give you the straight, shapely, bright, beautiful teeth you’ve always wanted. Learn about the do’s and don’ts involved in getting and caring for veneers.

Do…

Be Certain You Want Veneers: In order to place your veneers, the dentist will have to remove a bit of enamel from your tooth so that the veneers don’t look raised or pasted on compared to other teeth. This process is not reversible, so veneers are not a cosmetic procedure you can try just to see if you like it. If you are not totally thrilled with the look of the product being offered, do not go forward with the procedure.

Get Whitening First: Your porcelain veneers will be shaded to match any of your natural teeth that remain visible. It is very important to make sure these natural teeth are as white as you want them to be before you get your veneers, because veneers cannot be whitened and you would have to order a whole new set if you wanted to change the shade.

Keep Brushing & Flossing: Teeth with veneers need good oral care just like natural teeth. Continue to brush and floss regularly to keep populations of plaque bacteria under control and prevent gum disease.

Tell Your Dental Hygienist: Because porcelain veneers can get scratched, it is important to make sure your dental hygienist realizes you have veneers before they begin your dental cleaning. This way they can be sure to use a less abrasive polish during the cleaning.

Don’t…

Smoke Excessively: While most experts agree that smoking will not stain your veneers, especially if you smoke out the side of your mouth, many smokers end up experiencing receding gums. This would be very bad for the look of your veneers, because receding gums would expose the top of the veneer and leave an unsightly gap between the porcelain and your gums where the old tooth would show through.

Grind Your Teeth: If you grind your teeth habitually, you may risk damaging your veneers. A damaged veneer typically cannot be repaired but would have to be replaced instead. A night guard can protect your veneers from grinding in your sleep.

Use Your Teeth As Tools: Though veneers behave just like natural teeth for all normal eating and chewing, you should not use your veneers to bite your nails, chew ice, or crunch down on anything really hard that could potentially crack, chip, or dislodge the veneer.

Expect Insurance to Cover Veneers: Most insurance plans do not cover porcelain veneers, so you will not be able to count on any help from insurance when budgeting for your veneers. However, at California Dental Group we can assist you in exploring financing options that will allow you to get your veneers immediately and pay them off affordably over time.

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