Taking Care of Dental Veneers: Maintenance Tips

Dental veneers are custom-made teeth shells designed to cover the front surface of your teeth and improve their aesthetics. They can transform your smile from unsightly to beautiful, making your dental imperfections a distant memory. Traditionally, veneers can last for over a decade before you need to replace them. But with proper care and maintenance, you can further extend their lifespan.

Here are five maintenance tips to help you get the most lifespan out of your dental veneers.

 

Good Oral Care

You should care for veneers in the same way you look after your natural teeth. Remember, the installation of veneers does not prevent decay buildup on your teeth. Thus, you must maintain good oral care. This involves brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day.

 

Don't Chew on Hard Objects or Foods

Just like your natural teeth, veneers are not immune to chipping or cracking when you chew on hard foods. For this reason, don't bite directly into raw carrots, nuts, corn, and chocolate bars. Instead, chop them up into small pieces for easy consumption and use your back teeth to bite on them. The same applies to chewing hard objects like pencils, pens, or opening soda bottles or condiment packets with your teeth. All these may damage your veneers.

 

Avoid Bruxism (Grinding or Clenching Your Teeth)

People suffering from stress or sleeping disorders find themselves grinding or clenching their teeth together. Over time, this may cause damage to their veneers. If you have porcelain veneers, it is recommended that you get a night guard to safeguard your veneers when you're sleeping.

 

Reduce Your Alcohol Intake

Remember, the veneer is bonded to the tooth's surface. If you are consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, you are on the way to weakening the bonding agent that fastens both the veneer and the tooth. The bonding agent is vulnerable to stains, erosion, and damage. Alcoholic drinks may also tarnish the white appearance of your veneers. The best option is to avoid alcohol altogether if you can't reduce your consumption.

 

Routine Dentist Checkups and Cleanups

There are areas in your tooth that your toothbrush can't reach. Over time, plaque may build up in these places, and, to clean them, you may need to remove your veneers.

You also need routine visits to your dentist to check the health of your veneers and whether there are any signs of vulnerability or early decay. The dentist will perform a cleaning to get rid of any plaque deposits.

Choosing a Reputable Dentist

Dental veneers are an investment in your smile. For this reason, you want them to be installed properly. At Concierge Smile Boutique, we believe your smile is the most important thing you wear.

Thus, you can trust us to recommend and install the best veneers to improve your smile. You can be sure that they will last for the long haul. Call Concierge Smile Boutique at 424-404-6400 to book a veneer consultation appointment or just walk into our clinic at Culver City, California.