Veneers are one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures among today's dental patients. And it's not hard to see why! Veneers are strong, durable, look and feel just like natural teeth, and can help restore your smile and your self-confidence.
But whether you've already invested in veneers in Flower Mound, TX, or you're just exploring your options for cosmetic care, you may be wondering how you will need to treat your new veneers after your smile makeover is complete.
How durable are they? How long will they last? And how, exactly, can you make the most of your investment and make sure your veneers last for as long as possible? In this guide from Titensor Dental, we'll discuss everything you need to know.
How Do I Need To Care For My New Veneers?
Veneers are thin, tooth-shaped shells that fit over your natural teeth once they've been trimmed, and can be used to cover up smile flaws like:
- Minor chips
- Discoloration
- Misshapen teeth
- Gaps between teeth
- Slightly uneven or crooked teeth
Modern veneers are made from tooth-like ceramic materials like porcelain or zirconia. This means that they're very similar to natural enamel in color, translucency, strength, and overall appearance.
This also means that, for the most part, you can treat your new veneers just like natural teeth. As long as you brush and floss regularly, have a healthy lifestyle, and visit Dr. Titensor or Dr. Jackson every six months for a checkup, you can keep your smile in great shape.
The key to maintaining your new veneers is understanding that, while the veneers cannot decay, the underlying tooth structure can. Gum disease can also compromise the tooth that holds each veneer, leading to premature failure and other oral health issues.
Why Proper Veneer Care Matters – Protecting Your Investment
Wondering why it's so important to take good care of your new smile? The simple answer is that it helps protect your investment. Porcelain veneers are worth every penny, but they're not exactly cheap.
So once you've decided to transform your teeth with veneers, it only makes sense to make sure that your new smile lasts for as long as possible. The typical lifespan for a set of ceramic veneers is between 10-15 years. That's already pretty long, but with a consistent care routine and healthy habits, they can last even longer!
Our Top Tips For Maximizing The Lifespan Of Veneers
Once you see the results of your smile makeover with veneers at Titensor Dental, you'll want to keep your bright new smile for as long as possible. And if you follow these simple tips, you'll be able to make the most of your investment and keep smiling proudly for years to come:
- Maintain great at-home oral hygiene – When it comes to preserving your natural teeth and veneers, there's simply no substitute for a solid at-home oral care routine. Make sure you brush at least twice per day for two minutes, floss once per day, and use an alcohol-free antibacterial mouthwash once daily to keep your smile healthy.
- Invest in a nightguard if you grind your teeth – Bruxism (teeth grinding), especially at night, can wear down both your natural teeth and your veneers. If you know that you tend to grind your teeth, we recommend getting a nightguard from Titensor Dental. A nightguard will cover up and protect your new teeth to help prevent wear and tear, chips, or veneer failure.
- Consider an athletic mouthguard, too – If you play any contact sports or participate in any other high-impact hobbies like skateboarding or mountain biking, an athletic mouthguard is a great investment. Studies show that wearing a mouthguard reduces your risk of oral injuries by between 82% to 93%.
- Eat a low-sugar, "tooth-healthy" diet – Since your veneers are attached to natural teeth, it's important to keep your teeth healthy. One of the best ways to do this is by eating a diet low in sugary drinks and snacks, and high in whole grains, healthy dairy, lean meats, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Along with good at-home oral care and routine checkups, this "tooth-healthy" diet will help reduce your risk of tooth decay dramatically.
- Quit smoking, vaping, and all other tobacco/nicotine use – Using any type of tobacco or nicotine is associated with a higher risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and premature veneer failure. If you want to protect your new smile, you need to quit permanently.
- Don't forget about six-month visits, either – Six-month checkups with Dr. Jackson or Dr. Titensor at our office are essential for maintaining your smile. During each visit, our team will check your veneers, teeth, and gums to make sure your mouth is healthy. We will also take X-rays every year to look for hidden issues, and clean your teeth and veneers at every visit to keep them healthy.
Your Daily Dental Hygiene Routine With Veneers
Are you worried that your new smile will take a lot of time and effort to care for? Don't be! Dental veneer maintenance is super simple. And if you already maintain a good at-home oral hygiene routine, chances are that nothing will have to change. Here's a quick overview of how you should care for your new smile.
Brush twice daily, once in the morning and once at night
It's ideal to brush once in the morning after breakfast and to brush again after your final meal or snack at night. This routine ensures that your teeth are clean when you go to bed, and also helps remove bacteria and acid that may have built up overnight.
Nighttime is typically when saliva production decreases and bacteria tend to reproduce the most quickly, so a quick brush in the morning is great for maintaining your oral health. And if you want to go the "extra mile," brushing your teeth again after lunch or in the afternoon is a great way to make sure your teeth and veneers stay in fantastic shape.
Make sure you brush for two minutes and clean every tooth
You can use either a manual or electric toothbrush to clean your teeth, as long as you brush for two minutes. You should spend about 30 seconds on each quadrant of your mouth, and brush the fronts, tops, and backs of every tooth thoroughly.
Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle, and don't forget to clean around the gum line of each tooth. Also, do not rinse your mouth or drink water for a few minutes after brushing. This allows the fluoride in your toothpaste to sit on your teeth, attract minerals to your enamel, and strengthen them properly.
Floss your smile once per day to keep your gums healthy
Daily flossing helps remove particles that get stuck between the teeth and gums, and cannot be removed with brushing alone. You should floss once per day, thoroughly cleaning between all of your teeth to remove food particles and keep your gums healthy. You can also consider adding a water flosser into your routine, especially if you have trouble using traditional dental floss tools consistently.
Rinse after flossing with alcohol-free, antibacterial mouthwash
We also recommend a daily rinse with mouthwash to kill remaining bacteria and freshen your breath. It's best to rinse after you floss, since this will help remove any particles that may have been knocked loose by the flossing process. You can choose any mouthwash product you want as long as it's alcohol-free and has the ADA seal of acceptance.
Common Mistakes in Veneer Care – What To Avoid
Now that you know our top veneer care tips, it's also important to discuss the biggest mistakes that patients make after getting veneers. These veneer care mistakes can shorten the lifespan of your new smile, or even lead to cracked, chipped, or broken veneers, so it's important to avoid them:
- Neglecting daily oral hygiene – While veneers can't get cavities, the underlying tooth structure still can, and so can your other teeth that don't have veneers. Gum disease can still affect your teeth, too, leading to serious conditions like bone damage and tooth loss. For these reasons, a good daily oral hygiene routine is absolutely essential.
- Using your front teeth to bite into super hard foods – Veneers are strong, but you still shouldn't use your front teeth to bite into foods like crusty baguettes, biscotti, hard candies, and raw vegetables. Instead, you should use your larger, stronger, more durable rear teeth to bite into these foods to avoid chips, cracks, dislodged veneers, and tooth damage.
- Chewing non-food objects – It's best to stop habits like chewing pens, pencils, and fingernails, or chewing and biting into ice. Over time, chewing and biting non-food objects will wear down your veneers and may weaken their bond to your teeth, too.
- Treating your teeth like tools – Your teeth are for chewing and biting food, not for holding nails, ripping open packages, tearing up tape, or popping open bottles. Using teeth as tools may damage both your natural teeth and your veneers, ruining your investment.
- Skipping routine dental checkups – Just like natural teeth, veneers require routine care to keep them healthy and strong. If you skip your six-month visits with Dr. Titensor or Dr. Jackson at our office in Flower Mound, you'll have a much higher risk of veneer failure and other oral health issues like cavities, tooth infections, and gum disease.
Veneers And Teeth Whitening – What You Should Know
Wondering how to whiten your veneers safely? We've got good news and bad news. The good news is that veneers cannot be stained by food and drink, so your shiny smile will last for years to come!
The bad news is that veneers also do not respond to the peroxide-based whitening treatments that are used to brighten your natural enamel. This means that they cannot be whitened. However, since they do not stain, this is not as big of a deal as it might initially sound.
However, this also means that it's important to choose veneers that match the current color of your teeth for an even, seamless result. If your teeth are not as bright as you'd like them to be, you can have them whitened at Titensor Dental so that Dr. Titensor or Dr. Jackson can match them to your preferred smile shade.
Over time, it's also possible for your other natural teeth to become stained if they haven't been treated with veneers. But with professional teeth whitening from Titensor Dental, you can refresh your smile, remove stains, and make sure your natural teeth and veneers always look absolutely perfect!
Answering The Most Common Veneer Care FAQs
Still have questions about veneer care? Here are some quick answers to the most common FAQs that patients have about this treatment.
Can veneers stain?
No. Unlike natural teeth, the ceramic materials used for veneers are not porous. This means they can't be stained by food and drinks like curry, tomato sauce, wine, coffee, tea, or anything else. While some surface stains may build up due to plaque and tartar, these can be removed with a professional teeth cleaning.
Can I whiten my veneers?
No. While veneers cannot be stained, this also means they cannot be whitened. It's important to choose a veneer color that matches your natural smile, or to whiten your teeth before getting veneers to ensure a bright and beautiful result.
How long do veneers typically last?
The typical lifespan of a set of ceramic veneers is between 10-15 years. However, with great care and good habits, you may be able to keep them for even longer.
What toothpaste is best for veneers?
When it comes to choosing toothpaste for cleaning veneers, we recommend any ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste that's low in abrasive materials. Toothpaste with lots of abrasives could scratch and dull the finish of your veneers over time.
Thinking About Getting Veneers? Get Started At Our Office!
Veneers are a big investment, but they can truly be life-changing. With a set of veneers in Flower Mound, TX from the team at Titensor Dental, you can love your smile again, feel more confident, and keep enjoying your results for years to come, especially if you follow the care tips in this guide.
So don't wait, and don't let chips, stains, or other smile issues stop you from putting your best self forward. Give us a call at (972) 355-9545 or contact us online to book a cosmetic consultation and find out if porcelain veneers from Dr. Titensor or Dr. Jackson are right for you!