Maintaining Healthy Dental Veneers – Protect Your Smile Investment

Making the most of this popular cosmetic treatment at our Chelmsford dental practice.

After the whitening procedure, teeth veneers are perhaps the next most popular cosmetic dental treatment that we provide. Their uses are many; from resolving the problem of sensitivity for people with enamel erosion, to restoring whiteness for those whose natural teeth are badly stained. They can also be used to improve the appearance of any teeth that are chipped or cracked and can even be used for some minor orthodontic issues. In summary then, they are a useful and flexible option for a lot of patients.

Unlike a whitening treatment, veneers often require some invasive dentistry and quite a substantial investment. Therefore it makes sense to take good care of your veneers if you want them to last and continue to look good. Naturally, this will require some care and attention on the part of the patient, so in today’s blog we’ll take a look at what patients of Blue Sky Dental can do to keep their new smile in the best condition possible.

Cleaning your veneers

Although veneers are usually made from porcelain and will therefore not stain easily, you should still brush them. This is best done using a softer toothbrush just to help ensure that they remain in tip top condition during their lifetime. Brushing the veneers will enable you to have a whiter smile for their duration.

Equally important is to remember that although the veneers are made from a man-made material, the teeth that they are attached to are not. You should pay special attention to keeping the natural part of your teeth clean by good quality brushing and also using dental floss. Any damage to a tooth in the form of decay etc, could mean that the veneers will no longer be as secure and could potentially, make them more likely to become detached.

Your eating habits

Veneers are not only designed to provide you with great looking teeth but to be functional in everyday situations as well. This naturally includes eating. You should be able to eat a wide and varied diet due to the strength of the special adhesive that we use to attach the veneers to your teeth, but there are some precautions that you should take. Biting into very hard things such as ice cubes or hard sweets could potentially cause the veneers to chip and we advise you not to do this. There is also a small risk of detachment if you do this, especially towards the end of their lifespan when the adhesive may be slightly weakened. Generally though, you should be able to eat most foods that you normally would.

Not related to eating, but for similar reasons, we recommend that you don’t bite your fingernails or chew pens etc as these can have a similar effect in detaching a veneer.

Bruxism

If you are unfortunate enough to suffer from bruxism (night time teeth grinding) and already have veneers on your teeth, you should speak to the dentist at our Chelmsford clinic to discuss the possibility of wearing a mouthguard while you sleep. This will help to protect not only your teeth but your veneers too.

Professional care

While good home cleaning and care is essential, you should also make sure that you maintain regular appointments with our dentist and hygienist. This will enable us to monitor your veneers as well as your general oral health. We can also carry out any necessary treatment at an early stage. In the case of tooth decay, this could prevent the need to have a veneer replaced if the tooth has developed a cavity, as long as it is detected and treated soon enough.

Act quickly

Visiting the dentist is rarely very high on people’s ‘favourite things to do’ lists and we know that sometimes it can be tempting to delay contacting a dentist if you suspect something might be wrong. We do advise that you contact us straight away if you feel that anything is wrong with your teeth or gums, but also your veneers too. If you suspect one might be loosening, it is better to get it checked than to lose the veneer and need to replace it. We are always happy to check any issues which you feel you might have.

Teeth veneers are just one of many cosmetic procedures that we have available to help you to have a smile to be proud of. If you would like to see how we can help you improve your smile, or for any other dental related matter, why not contact our friendly team for help? You can contact Blue Sky Dental by calling us today on 01245 211070.