Do Dental Veneers Require Special Care?

Dental veneer technology has become highly advanced over the years. The advent of porcelain as a material for making veneers has improved the quality and durability of dental veneers drastically. High grades of polished porcelain are very strong in terms of their strength, and are also highly resistant to stains. This property of porcelain adds to the life of the veneers and reduces the need for any special care and maintenance.

At a basic level, dental veneers do not require any special care or maintenance. The patient can use his or her teeth as normally as any other person who does not have veneers, and take care of them like normal teeth too.

However, the life of veneers can be enhanced and their newness can be maintained for a longer time, if the patient takes care of the following aspects:

Practise good oral hygiene: If the patient regularly brushes and flosses, twice a day, it can ensure a better oral health. If the teeth remain healthy, the veneers have a better chance to last longer. But if the teeth or gums develop the problems of plaque, infection or gingivitis, it can spoil the veneers much faster than their normal lifespan.

Avoid eating very hard food: The patient should avoid exposing the teeth to extreme force or pressure, which can occur if they chew very hard substances. Such pressure can sometimes cause damage or even break the veneers.

Curb the habit of clenching or grinding teeth: If the patient has a habit of clenching or grinding their teeth often, effort must be made to curb this tendency. This will ensure that the veneers do not have to face excessive friction and force unnecessarily.

Avoid high-staining foods: The patient should stay away from substances that are known to cause permanent stains. Heavy smoking or chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol, juices, or sodas, or eating certain foods that cause discoloration should be avoided. This helps the veneers remain stain-free and looking new and shiny for a longer time.

Eat a balanced diet: A complete diet that fulfils the daily nutritional requirements helps to maintain healthy teeth and gums. This, in turn, helps to maintain the longevity of dental veneers.

These simple measures are good for anyone’s general oral health, and certainly for people using dental veneers.