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Looking After your Dental Veneers

2014 July 9
by admin

What to do after your veneers are fitted – advice from a Burton Dentist.

Dental veneers are a popular option, at Alexandra Dental Care, for those that are seeking to improve the appearance of their visible front teeth. For many people, years of wear and tear have resulted in small chips and cracks in the teeth which, combined with the discolouration caused by ageing, means that they are no longer proud of their once white smile.

Although a teeth whitening procedure can restore teeth to their original whiteness, this is of little use if the teeth themselves are significantly chipped or cracked. In cases like this, dental veneers offer an excellent solution.

Aftercare of dental veneers

Whilst the fitting of dental veneers is relatively straightforward and has even been likened to having false fingernails attached (although as professional dentists we would have to say that it is certainly more sophisticated than that!), consideration should be given to their aftercare.

Although strong, once fitted, there are certain factors which may cause them to become detached from the tooth.

One of these factors is the patient’s own personal habits, the most likely one to be guilty of the veneers coming detached is the biting of fingernails. Although the veneers are certainly strong enough to bite through a fingernail, repeated bouts of this habit mean that there is a risk of the veneers ‘popping’ off. Chewing pens too can cause this to happen.

Of course, unless they become damaged in the process, the dental veneers can be re-attached at Alexandra Dental Care, but the inconvenience and the fact that it exposes the more sensitive prepared front of the tooth, means that this should be avoided where possible.

Dental Floss

In our professional opinion, far too few people floss their teeth. Flossing is an excellent way of ensuring the removal of any food debris between the teeth and plays a major role in the prevention of gum disease.

Some people with dental veneers however, avoid doing this as they are concerned that it may cause the veneers to become detached from the teeth. Although there is a remote possibility that this can happen; provided that reasonable care is taken, it should not be a problem and, certainly, any minor risk of this happening is heavily outweighed by the value of gum disease prevention.

Cleaning the Teeth

Whilst dental veneers are made from ceramic or porcelain and therefore can not decay, they will, like natural teeth, stain if abused. Smoking is certainly one of the biggest factors here but whether you are a smoker or not, you should still brush your dental veneers to keep them looking in good condition for many years to come. Once again, failure to clean the veneers also means that there is an increased risk of gum disease in the area around them.

Sensitivity Issues

Especially in the immediate period following the fitting of the dental veneer, a small number of patients have noticed an increase in the sensitivity of their teeth. This will not happen in the majority of cases but for those who do notice this, it is wise to avoid extremes of temperature when it comes to food and drink for a short while. Although this may be inconvenient, it is for your own comfort and the sensitivity should return to normal in a short period of time.

For more information about dental veneers or other cosmetic dental procedures at our Burton dental practice, please call us on 01283 216347 or please use the form on the website.

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