Caring for Veneers

What Is the Best Way to Care for Veneers?

Choosing porcelain veneers as your cosmetic treatment can be a very exciting change, improving the overall look of your smile and boosting your self-confidence. But your treatment is not over the day you leave our office with your new veneers. At Charleston Center for Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry in Charleston, SC, Dr. John Rink and his team will instruct you on how to care for your veneers to help them stay bright and healthy for as long as possible. Although you can care for your veneers just like your natural teeth, you should practice good oral hygiene, avoid color-rich foods and drinks, and refrain from biting your nails to avoid early damage. With proper care, some veneers can last up to two decades before needing replacement.

How Can I Prevent Stains?

Because porcelain is non-porous, it does not absorb color from food or drinks. However, this does not mean that you do not have to care for your smile. Your surrounding teeth are still susceptible to discoloration and decay. With proper care and good oral hygiene, your porcelain veneers can last up to 20 years before they need to be replaced.

In addition to practicing attentive oral hygiene, you should also do your best to keep your surrounding teeth bright and healthy by refraining from smoking, drinking tea or coffee, and eating color-rich foods such as berries and pasta sauces. If your surrounding teeth become stained, yellowed, or discolored, it can make your veneers stand out against the rest of your smile. Brushing and flossing are a key part of maintaining your veneers for as long as possible.

How Much Should I Brush and Floss?

One of the greatest advantages of receiving veneers is that they can be cared for just like your natural teeth. To keep your surrounding and underlying tooth structures healthy and free of decay, you should brush your teeth twice per day and floss at least once each day.

How Do I Prevent Breakage?

Although porcelain is extremely natural-looking, it is not completely indestructible. If you have veneers, you should take measures to avoid excessive force or pressure that might cause the porcelain to break. Avoid:

Biting your nails
Opening mail or packages with your teeth
Chewing on pens or other inedible items
Foods and drinks that might stain your surrounding teeth, including tea and coffee
Smoking and tobacco products
Grinding your teeth

If you practice a contact sport, be sure to wear a mouthguard to avoid breakage or damage. Keep in mind that while traditional veneers must be continuously replaced, minimal or prepless veneers can be removed at any time without replacement.

What’s My Next Step?

As Charleston's first accredited cosmetic dentist, Dr. Rink has the knowledge and training to help patients keep their veneers looking and feeling healthy for as long as possible. To protect your investment, talk to our staff about how to care for your veneers. Call Charleston Center for Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry at (843) 242-0284 or request an appointment online.

What Is the Best Way to Care for Veneers?

How Can I Prevent Stains?

How Much Should I Brush and Floss?

How Do I Prevent Breakage?

What’s My Next Step?

Schedule a Consultation