How Caring for Veneers is Different Than Your Original Teeth

Porcelain veneers are thin covers that go over your natural teeth and conceal chips, gaps, or discrepancies in tooth size, shape, or color. Even though veneers are highly durable and look very natural, they are different from your original teeth and require slightly different care. If they are properly maintained, your veneers should last ten to fifteen years.

How to Care for Porcelain Veneers

The most important aspect of caring for your veneers is the same as for your original teeth: practice good oral hygiene. You should brush your teeth twice a day and floss once, and always keep up with your regular dental checkups. However, when you have porcelain veneers you have to pay slightly more attention to the oral hygiene products you are using. You should always use a toothbrush with soft bristles, as hard-bristled toothbrushes can damage the polish on your veneers. You should steer clear of toothpastes containing harsh abrasives, which can also be damaging.

There are also some habits you should avoid in order to keep your veneers looking as flawless as possible. Veneers are not as strong as natural teeth, so they can chip or even break if you chew on hard objects like pencils, ice, or bones. Even biting your fingernails can chip or scratch your veneers. Clenching your jaw and grinding your teeth can potentially damage your veneers as well, and these habits are harmful for your overall dental health even if you do not have veneers. When it comes to staining, most porcelain veneers are stain-resistant but the adhesive used is not, meaning that certain drinks like coffee and tea can cause discoloration around the edges of your veneers – use a straw to minimize the contact these drinks have with your teeth and prevent staining. Finally, smoking can stain or discolor veneers, on top of the many other serious health issues smoking can cause.

If you are interested in getting veneers or have questions about caring for your veneers, call our Milwaukie or Oregon City offices today. We want to help you keep your veneers as long as possible.

Contact Our Offices

Milwaukie: (503) 855-0465
Oregon City: (503) 765-7185
Mobile Dental Clinic: (503) 653-9334

Options When You Have Gaps Between Your Teeth

While it may seem like having gaps in between your teeth is not an oral health issue, it actually can be troublesome, not only to your oral health, but also to your self-esteem. Many people are bothered by a gap riddled smile and would like to have nice, straight, touching teeth, but think that braces are the only answer. Let us look at some of the options you may have available to you for closing the gaps in your teeth.

Closing The Gap

There are a couple of recurring problems that we see with patients who have gaps between their teeth; the first is that often times, people who have large gaps between their teeth do not floss as well as they should. Perhaps they assume that since the teeth do not touch, there is less of a need for flossing. This is untrue. While it is true that you may not get food stuck in between your teeth if they are gapped, you still have plaque and tartar build up that needs to be removed regularly by flossing. The second problem that patients report is that they are unhappy with the appearance of their smile. Gaps in the teeth can be closed by using invisible braces, or even traditional braces, but these are not the only options. In our office, we can use dental bonding to build up your tooth on the sides, effectively closing the gaps in between your teeth. Another option is dental veneers which are applied directly to the front surface of the tooth. Both options improve the overall appearance of your teeth by closing the gaps and restoring your smile.

If you have gaps in your teeth that you are unhappy about, give our offices a call and schedule an appointment. At your exam, we will be happy to go over the options you have available to you.

Contact Our Offices

Milwaukie: (503) 855-0465
Oregon City: (503) 765-7185
Mobile Dental Clinic: (503) 653-9334