Porcelain veneers are an effective yet affordable way to create a healthy, bright white smile. With a bit of monetary investment on your part and a trip to the Sacramento River Group Dental office, you can join those patients who express a great deal of self-confidence in every social situation!
5 Tips To Maintain Your Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are able to give a smile a near-instant makeover, but to ensure the longevity of the veneers special effort must be taken to maintain them. Many dental offices don’t pride themselves in performing good work or educating their patients. However, our Sacramento River Group Dental office will give you the instructions necessary to maintain your veneers adequately! Below, we will discuss our top five tips for proper veneer care:
1. Always Schedule Follow-Ups
After the hard part of having the veneers applied is out of the way, many patients want to skip their follow-up visits. After all, the veneers look great and there’s not much else to do, right? Wrong! A follow-up visit is necessary for numerous reasons and every professional will highly advise against skipping them.
A dentist needs to double-check to ensure that the placement was carried out properly and that there are no complications after the fact. It may seem like another unnecessary trip to the dental office, but following up is a crucial part of your treatment plan. It allows your dentist to check their work and ensure that the placement is properly aligned and everything is as it should be.
As the visit is usually mere days after application, this also opens the floor for you to discuss any problems or concerns you may have experienced during this time. Additionally, maintenance is always discussed during the follow-up visit to ensure that your veneers are properly cared for.
2. All Questions Are Important
It’s important to voice any concerns you may have and always ask questions. This is the perfect time to ask about any habits, problems or maintenance questions you may have. It’s important to become a part of the discussion! Most importantly, ensure that your dentist is openly discussing how to effectively maintain your porcelain veneers for the long term.
Veneers are durable, but that doesn’t mean they can’t suffer undue damage in time if proper care isn’t taken to maintain them. With the right after-care habits, porcelain veneers can last up to 20 years. However, always bear in mind that veneers are also costly to fix should any problems arise.
Veneers are the easiest way to enhance any smile thanks to their dependable durability!
3. Continue Practicing Proper Oral Care
Though veneers are perfect for hiding flaws, that doesn’t mean that practicing good oral care for the teeth underneath the veneers isn’t important! In actuality, oral care is even more important now than it was before the application of your veneers. Investing in oral care ensures that your veneers stay looking great for many years to come.
The main point is this: daily brushing and flossing are still a must! Prioritize your oral health by investing in non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste.
4. Avoid Teeth Grinding
Clenching and teeth grinding are common nighttime problems for those living in a highly stressful environment. Unfortunately, these bad habits can also wreak havoc on veneers over time. The constant pressure of clenching and grinding can cause surface damage to the veneers in virtually no time at all!
Let your dentist know if you have this habit or if it’s a potential concern for you. It is possible to get fitted with a custom bite guard to ensure that you eliminate the effects of this habit and protect your smile.
5. Know Which Foods To Avoid
Veneers are somewhat restrictive in that you need to pay careful attention to your diet. This means eliminating foods that may potentially cause veneer damage. The upside to this is that most of these foods are bad for your natural teeth as well; therefore, eliminating them has a positive impact on both! This means hard candy or ice should be avoided as they can chip or crack veneers.
Though dentists will often tell you to shy away from anything that may stain or discolor your teeth (blueberries, coffee or dyed foods), these are now okay to eat! As your veneers are great at hiding flaws, you don’t have to remain as vigilant in your diet. Of course, you should still consider that your natural teeth may suffer as a result.
A great smile may not eliminate all the problems in your life, but it can enhance your self-confidence and make you feel more a part of a group in social settings. Our patients have reported feeling a significant improvement in their lives, knowing they can smile and flash naturally gleaming pearly whites each time!
Porcelain veneers are a rather costly investment but well worth it if it means you’ll feel happier, healthier, and more confident. The above advice is straight from the mouth of professionals and will ensure that your smile remains bright and white for years to come!
Are you ready to take the next step? Reach out to Sacramento River Dental Group today and schedule an appointment! If you want to learn more about maintenance or get veneers, call us at 916-391-4848.
