How Do I Keep My Veneers White?

Porcelain veneers are deemed the most innovative technique in modern dentistry that can solve many cosmetic issues such as stained teeth, misaligned teeth, chips and cracks in teeth, gaps, and rectifying the shape and size of your pearly whites. These dental laminates are made of wafer-thin porcelain shells that your dentist would bond to the tooth’s front surface. 

Porcelain dental laminates have the advantage of being stain resistant but do not take that to be stain-proof. Cosmetic laminates are still prone to slight discoloration or staining from time to time. So it is essential for you to learn how to keep that bright smile of yours going on year after year without having to replace the expensive teeth coating.

Here we will find out what leads to the discoloration of your porcelain shells and how to keep them white for a long time.

What Are Veneers?

Dental veneers are made of porcelain or composite resin. They are bonded to the front surface of your tooth to hide dental imperfections by a dentist. 

Veneers can fix many cosmetic problems with your teeth, such as discoloration, cracks, chips, gaps between teeth, misalignment of dentitions, and uneven shape or size of your teeth.

You would typically need two dental visits to complete the placement of veneers. 

On the first visit, your dentist would shave off a portion of your enamel(the top hard covering on your pearly whites) to prepare them for the laminates. They would then take impressions of your teeth to send them to the laboratory for preparing the laminates.

On the second visit, your dentist would check if the veneers fit you properly and make adjustments if needed. 

Once the fit is proper, the dentist will use special dental cement to attach the laminate to your teeth. In the end, your doctor would use a high-intensity light to harden the cement.

What Can Cause Discoloration of Veneers?

Our natural teeth are porous and hence can stain easily, but that is not the case with veneers. Each shell has a coating of stain-resistant resin, which adds another layer of protection against usual discoloration.

Damage to outer glaze – If the outer surface of the dental coating suffers any damage (by eating hard foods or grinding your teeth), your veneers become more susceptible to staining. In general prolonged exposure to coffee and red wine are the main culprits.

Margin exposed to staining – The dental laminate and your underlying natural teeth meet at a point that could be exposed to discoloration over time, so we need to be watchful of that. 

Gums receding – With time, our gums begin to recede, exposing a section of teeth that was covered earlier when you first got your veneers. This could lead to partial discoloration at the top or bottom of your teeth, which is worsened by consuming highly pigmented foods or drinks.

Trauma to the tooth – If there is trauma or injury to the tooth, it can damage the tooth’s tissue or the inner dentin. The tooth underneath the shell would darken due to this trauma which would make them appear darker even though there is no stain on the veneer,

Tips to Keep Your Veneers Bright And White

Once you have got your veneers in place, you need to maintain excellent oral care to keep them white and prevent staining. Apart from proper brushing and regular dental checkups, here are a few things you can do to maintain your dental laminates:

Limit foods or drinks that can cause stain – If you want to ensure your veneers remain vibrant in color for a longer time, avoid or limit intake of highly pigmented beverages or foods such as red wine, coffee, berries, tea, etc. Certain bad habits, such as tobacco consumption and smoking, also affect your veneers over time.

Use non-abrasive toothpaste to brush – If you find stains around the edges of your laminate, use a gentle polishing toothpaste to get rid of the stains. The polishing toothpaste will also help revitalize the glazing on your veneers. But do not use abrasive tooth whitening toothpaste or baking soda on your laminates as they work only on your natural teeth. You would then have brighter teeth which will not match the veneer’s color.

Tooth-whitening system for the back of your teeth – If the natural teeth hiding behind the veneers are the reason for discoloration, then you can try using a tooth-whitening system on the backside of the teeth. These shells have a semi-translucent design which lets the light partially pass through, and if you brighten the underlying teeth, your laminates would appear brighter too.

Apart from following the tips mentioned in the article for keeping your veneers white, you can also add stain-fighting foods to your diet, such as celery, apples, etc. These foods can scrub away food particles and plaque from your teeth and make them appear bright. Scheduling an appointment with your dentist is a must when you find your laminates are not as white as they used to be.