Are Veneers Safe Long Term?

Are Veneers Safe Long Term?

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Is it safe to get veneers?

More and more people in London are looking towards cosmetic dentistry to improve the appearance of their teeth and smile. Porcelain and composite veneers are certainly at the top of the list of smile conscious men and women in London. At Whites Dental, our cosmetic dentists can help you create your prefect smile. 

What kinds of habits can shorten the life of your veneers? As a matter of fact, the same ones that can damage your natural teeth. Veneers can chip and crack like natural teeth, so biting down on hard foods – such as ice and hard foods – as well as inedible items can result in a damaged surface.

Making Them Last

There’s not much you can do about the natural lifespan of veneers because they aren’t meant to be a permanent, maintenance-free fix. Nonetheless, you can get the most out of your veneers by making sure you treat them well. After all, veneers can be a significant investment in your dental health, so making sure they last give you your money’s worth. We have listed below a few ways to care for your veneers.

1. Follow good oral hygiene practices. Cleaning your mouth is a must in order to avoid stains and keep your natural teeth healthy too. Brush at least twice a day, don’t forget to floss and make sure you see your dentist for semi-annual check-ups and cleanings.
2. Wear oral protection. Playing a contact sport? Make sure you have a mouth guard. Impacts to the face can easily result in cracked or chipped veneers, so it’s worth taking the time to protect them before a big game.
3. Don’t use teeth as tools. Everyone’s guilty of using teeth in lieu of scissors or to loosen a knot, but it’s one of the most dangerous habits when it comes to the integrity of your teeth. Not only does it invite germs, but it’s a sure-fire way to chip a veneer, ending its lifespan early.
4. Address teeth-grinding. Do you clench or grind your teeth at night when you sleep? It’s called bruxism, and if you’re getting veneers, you should talk to your dentist about it. Allowing it to go unchecked may not result in cracked veneers, but they typically don’t last as long, and the fix could be as simple as a night-time mouth guard.

Veneers could be the best method for the smile you’re after, but they still need proper care. Using them as an excuse to skip out on basic oral hygiene could mean expensive repairs or surfaces that show wear long before their time. How long do veneers last? If you treat them with care, they can last up to a decade.

There are various reasons as to why veneers break off and fall off or get damaged. Here are some of them:

• Age of veneers – The primary reason is age of the veneers. Porcelain veneers should last at least for ten years. But conservatively speaking, veneers last for more than 10 years in most cases. As the time passes, the veneers get slowly detached from the teeth as the adhesive bonding gets weakened over a period of time, making the veneers come loose and fall off.
• Poor adhesive – The second most common reason is the bonding agent used for veneers to stick on teeth was not of prime quality in the first place. Either enough time was given for adhesive bonding to take place or the technique was not proper. In either, it is a problem of the dentist not of veneers.
• Teeth grinding – One more common reason is the patients’ habit of grinding teeth during sleep, or bruxism, for either physical or psychological reasons. If bruxism occurs regularly, the force on veneers is great. Veneers cannot hold up to the pressure on the inside edge and may chip or break or get damaged.

So, you need to think through your options carefully and make sure that you choose the right solution for your needs. If you have any questions, concerns or queries, please feel free to book in for a free consultation with one of our cosmetic dentists here at Whites Dental.

It’s important to consider all of the options available to you. Your dentist will be able to explain the different processes and advise you about which treatment best suits your individual needs.

Find out more about dental veneers on our dental veneers homepage.