Veneers Aren’t Forever: Three Tips for Getting the Most Life Out of Your Porcelain Veneers

On average, porcelain veneers last about ten years. However, they can last much longer than that if you take good care of them. In fact, they can remain beautiful for up to fifteen years.

Studies have shown that most porcelain veneers need to be repaired or replaced due to some sort of crack, fracture, or chip in the veneer itself. Fortunately, these types of damages are entirely preventable. Here are some tips for keeping your veneers beautiful and damage-free for years to come.

Be Mindful of Your Bite

Biting or chewing on hard objects can damage and fracture your veneers. Not only should you avoid biting down on non-food items, such as your nails or a pencil, you should avoid hard foods as well.

Biting into hard candy, ice and, even an apple may damage your veneers because they are not as strong as your natural teeth.

If you eat hard foods, do not bite into them with your front teeth. Instead, cut your food into small bites and chew with your back teeth.

Ask for a Night Guard

If you grind or clench your teeth in your sleep, be sure to ask your cosmetic dentist to provide you with a night guard to protect your veneers. If you notice that you grind your teeth when you’re awake, take immediate steps to stop the habit.

Constant grinding places pressure on veneers and will shorten their lifespan. If you are a grinder, be sure to bring it up when you have your first consultation for cosmetic dentistry and veneers here in Studio City.

Avoid Certain Dental Tools

Some electronic at-home dental tools may harm your veneers. For example, ultrasonic scalers have metal tips that will gouge and scrape your veneers, causing cracks and chips.

But not all electronic tools are bad. Electronic toothbrushes, for example, are usually safe to use.

A good rule of thumb to follow when it comes to home dental tools is to avoid any tool that is made of metal or any other kind of hard material. If you have any doubts as to whether or not you can use a certain tool, talk to your dentist.

If you want your veneers to remain beautiful for more than a decade, you have to take great care of them. In addition to following the above tips, be sure to see us regularly, so we can correct small problems before they become huge ones.