Many people wish for perfectly flawless smiles, but very few are born with them. Fortunately, if your grin is chipped, cracked, stained, somewhat gapped, or slightly overcrowded, you can potentially upgrade your appearance with dental veneers. These thin, porcelain shells are customized to match the shape and shade of your teeth and then are bonded to their front surface to mask aesthetic issues.
These prosthetics are strong enough to resist additional breaking or discoloration and shield the underlying tooth from potential harm. However, it’s essential to take care of them correctly so you can continue to enjoy the many advantages they provide. Keep reading to learn about four ways to make the most out of your veneers!
#1: Implement A Daily Dental Hygiene Routine
If you don’t already brush and floss twice daily, now is the perfect time to start. Your veneers are made of a durable ceramic that can’t get cavities, but the pearly whites they’re attached to can still develop problems. Developing cavities or gum disease can cause the shells to loosen or fall off.
Regularly clearing away plaque and bacteria reduces the likelihood of dental problems, giving your prosthetics a much more stable foundation. That said, try not to brush or floss overly aggressively because it’s possible to chip or score their surfaces if you’re too forceful.
#2: Change Your Toothpaste
Certain types of toothpaste can be harsh on veneers and erode the bonding cement if you’re not careful. To keep the porcelain looking and feeling great, try to avoid anything with a gritty consistency that can abrade the material. Instead, opt for something to help you maintain a more seamless smile. For example, a whitening paste can help keep your teeth bright to match your restorations, and a desensitizing paste can help avoid any potential sensitivity.
#3: Watch What You Eat
Although you can typically eat normally with veneers in place, certain ingredients might harm them. Anything overly hard, crunchy, sticky, or sugary could cause unsightly chips and cracks or loosen the bonding. Also, dark foods and drinks like berries, food dyes, coffee, tea, and wine can stain their surfaces with repeated or prolonged exposure. To prevent this, do your best to minimize how much of these you consume.
#4: Quit Smoking
Smoking cigarettes, vapes, or chewing tobacco can all damage your dental work. They contain nicotine and other ingredients that can discolor your natural teeth and your veneers. Plus, they contain nicotine, which restricts your blood flow and oxygen levels. This can leave your grin more vulnerable to gum disease and other infections that interfere with your prosthetics.
Now that you know how to keep your veneers in excellent condition, you can enjoy your newly perfected smile for years!
About the Practice
At Newton Corner Dental Office, you benefit from two dentists who work together to provide a wide array of services from one convenient location. Dr. Anjomi and Dr. Cowan have decades of combined experience and can help with everything from basic preventative care to more complex procedures, including cosmetic dentistry. They combine a welcoming environment with state-of-the-art equipment to deliver a world-class dental experience and accurate treatment results. If you’re interested in veneers, you can request a consultation on the website or call (617) 332-6232.
