How to Care for Your Porcelain Veneers

So, you’ve been fitted with new porcelain veneers and your teeth look beautiful. Where do you go from here? Your journey doesn’t end with the placement of your veneers - without good aftercare, you could find yourself back at square one before you know it. Dr. Wayne Myles, DDS, knows that the porcelain veneers patients at his Reston office need proper aftercare instructions.

How Can I Take the Best Care of My Porcelain Veneers?

Taking good care of your porcelain veneers is not that different from taking care of natural teeth. As long as you keep these points in mind, your veneers should last for years to come:

• Practice Good Dental Hygiene - Having porcelain veneers placed is no excuse to let dental hygiene fall by the wayside - your natural teeth are still there behind each porcelain veneer, and they are still just as susceptible to plaque and tartar buildup as they were before. Be sure to keep up with a daily regimen of brushing and flossing to prevent cavities and other signs of decay from forming.
• Have a Gentler Touch - When dealing with your porcelain veneers, especially in the first few weeks after placement, a gentler touch is often required. Switch to a soft-bristled toothbrush and be thorough but not overly aggressive with your brushing. 
• Follow Up With Your Dentist - This is one of the most important tips of all. It is important to keep up with routine visits to your dentist, who can assess your teeth and spot any early signs of decay before they evolve into major problems.

What Not to Do When You Have Porcelain Veneers

Now that you know what to do when you have porcelain veneers, it’s also important to remember that there are some things you should never do when you have porcelain veneers:

• Don’t Chew on Excessively Hard or Sticky Items- It’s important to always keep in mind that your porcelain veneers are not your natural teeth, and that their thin shell is not as strong as tooth enamel. Chewing on hard items, like ice cubes, pen caps, or your nails, can crack a porcelain veneer or shatter it completely. Sticky foods like hard candy or caramel apples, meanwhile, can pull a porcelain veneer off your tooth base.
• Don’t Grind Your Teeth- Chronic tooth grinding, also known in the dental world as bruxism, can cause serious damage to natural teeth and porcelain veneers alike. The constant pressure and friction of tooth grinding can take years off the lifespan of porcelain veneers. If you suffer from tooth grinding, talk to your cosmetic dentist - he or she may be able to outfit you with a mouth guard that you can wear at night to protect your teeth. If possible, talk to your dentist about bruxism before having porcelain veneers placed.

You may also want to avoid smoking or eating and drinking foods and beverages with staining properties - while they won’t break your veneers, they do pose a risk of staining them. Since teeth whitening treatments are ineffective on veneers, your only choice to correct a stained veneer is to replace it.

Learn More about Porcelain Veneers Aftercare

If you have porcelain veneers or are just considering them, getting the facts is important. Contact the office of Wayne Myles, DDS, today to schedule an appointment and learn more about porcelain veneers from start to finish.