Veneers are a coveted solution to a variety of dental problems; they offer a chance at a brand new, and perfect, smile. Once veneers are installed they are completely permanent. That leaves many patients wondering how they can keep their new smile bright and white. Read on to learn more about veneers, including whether or not they can be whitened.
What Are Veneers
First off, here’s a brief explainer for readers unfamiliar with veneers. Veneers are thin, tooth-shaped shells crafted out of porcelain or composite in order to fit perfectly over the tooth. They are a long-term fix for broken, crooked, or yellowing teeth, for example. Here at Dental Solutions of Columbus we offer porcelain veneers for a custom-made, durable, and long lasting smile.
Dealing with Stains
Many people get veneers to replace a set of yellowed teeth—the last thing they want is for the veneers themselves to stain. It’s important to keep in mind that tooth enamel and porcelain, while they may look the same, have different properties. Tooth enamel is porous, which is why it’s receptive to stains from pigmented foods and beverages like coffee, tomato sauce, and red wine. Porcelain, however, is not porous, and therefore does not stain. So, while you shouldn’t use whitening products on your new smile you will find that, with porcelain veneers, you won’t be needing them.
Veneer Care
While you don’t need to worry about whitening your teeth once you receive porcelain veneers, your smile will still require most of the care that a natural smile does. It’s still important that you brush your teeth at least twice daily, for a full two minutes each time, and that you floss every night. And, as always, continue to see us here at Dental Solutions of Columbus twice a year for your cleaning and exam. Don’t have your next appointment set up? Give our office a call today.
Please contact our office to ask our team any questions or to schedule your next appointment.