5 Tips For Making Your Porcelain Veneers Last

If you have ever dealt with unsightly teeth, you know how much of a lifesaver veneers can be. Veneers can help you feel comfortable about your appearance and your smile, and they can cause big, positive changes in your life, but it's true that they can be expensive. Luckily, you can protect your investment and make your veneers last as long as possible if you follow a few simple care tips.

1. Use the Right Toothpaste

If you aren't careful, you could scratch your veneers. Therefore, it's important to use a toothpaste that is not abrasive. A surprising number of toothpastes include baking soda and other abrasive ingredients, so ask your dentist for a good toothpaste recommendation that won't cause damage to your veneers.

2. Use a Bite Guard

Do you have a habit of grinding your teeth at night when you are sleeping? If so, you could crack or break down your veneers. Ask your dentist for a bite guard to help protect both your veneers and your natural teeth.

3. Tell Your Dental Hygienist

Dental hygienists use different things to clean veneers than they use for regular teeth. Since veneers look so natural, however, a dental hygienist might not even notice if you don't tell him or her! Therefore, if you go to a new dentist who doesn't know you, make sure that you mention that you have veneers.

4. Be Careful About What You Eat

You should be able to eat just fine when you have veneers, but you should be careful about chewing on overly hard foods -- such as hard candy -- or ice. Avoid these behaviors to prevent your porcelain veneers from cracking or breaking.

5. Keep Your Regular Dental Appointments

Make sure that you see your dentist regularly to have your veneers inspected. Your dentist will catch any problems earlier and can repair your veneers before they break or otherwise become permanently damaged. This can help save the look of your smile, and it can save you money, since repairing your veneers will usually be cheaper than having to replace them.

Your porcelain veneers were a great investment toward a beautiful smile and a boost in your self esteem. However, you probably don't want to pay to replace them any time soon. Luckily, if you follow these five tips, you can help keep your veneers in their best possible condition so that you can enjoy them for a long time to come. To learn more about veneers, contact someone like Tore D Steinberg DDS PC.