Veneers are thin shells made of porcelain or composite resin that are custom-made to cover the front surface of teeth. Getting veneers is an effective way to improve the appearance of teeth that are misshapen, chipped, discolored, or have gaps between them. However, veneers require proper care and maintenance in order to last. Here are some guidelines on how careful you need to be with veneers.
Are veneers high maintenance?
Veneers are not considered high maintenance restorations. However, you do need to be careful with them and follow some basic practices to ensure they last a long time:
- Brush and floss – Proper oral hygiene is key. Brush twice a day and floss once daily.
- Avoid staining foods and drinks – Coffee, tea, red wine, and berries can stain veneers over time. Moderate consumption or rinse after eating/drinking.
- Protect from trauma – Avoid biting hard objects, opening packages with teeth, etc. Wear a mouthguard for contact sports.
- See your dentist – Get regular dental cleanings and checkups to monitor veneers.
With proper care, veneers can last 10-15 years or longer before needing replacement. Following basic precautions and dental visits allows you to get the most longevity out of veneers.
What happens if you don’t take care of veneers?
Neglecting proper veneer care can lead to a variety of problems, including:
- Discoloration – Staining from coffee, tea, wine, tobacco, etc. can discolor veneers over time.
- Chipping or cracking – Trauma from biting hard foods or objects may cause small fractures.
- Loss of bond – Poor oral hygiene causes buildup of plaque, which can loosen the veneer bond.
- Tooth decay – Decay under the veneer is possible if good hygiene isn’t practiced.
- Gum disease – Inflammation around veneers from lack of flossing.
In extreme cases, poor care of veneers can lead to complete debonding or loss of the veneer. The costs to repair or replace damaged veneers can be significant.
Do you have to be gentle with veneers?
You don’t need to treat veneers extremely delicately, but you should take some basic precautions:
- Avoid biting fingernails or opening items with teeth.
- Cut hard foods (apples, carrots) into smaller pieces before chewing.
- Be careful chewing hard foods like nuts, candy, ice, popcorn kernels.
- Don’t use teeth to crack nuts or tear open packages.
- Consider wearing a mouthguard for sports.
Veneers can chip or crack if subjected to concentrated force or trauma. Being reasonably gentle protects the porcelain from damage. However, veneers hold up fine to normal chewing forces.
What foods should you avoid with veneers?
There are no foods that need to be completely avoided with veneers. However, some smart precautions include:
- Cut harder fruits, vegetables, candies into smaller pieces before eating.
- Avoid chewing ice or popcorn kernels.
- Limit sticky candies that could loosen veneers.
- Avoid opening beer bottles with teeth.
- Minimize staining drinks like coffee, tea, red wine.
- Rinse with water after consuming staining foods/drinks.
Practicing these simple precautions allows you to eat a normal diet while minimizing risk of damage to veneers.
Do veneers change the way you eat?
Veneers generally do not require significant changes to your eating habits. However, some tips include:
- Take smaller bites of harder foods.
- Chew sticky foods carefully and slowly.
- Avoid using teeth to bite, tear, or open objects.
- Cut foods into smaller pieces before putting them in your mouth.
- Be extra careful for the first few weeks as bonding material cures.
- Rinse your mouth with water after consuming staining foods or drinks.
Over time, you get used to eating carefully and find ways to bite and chew that avoid excessive force on veneers. Proper oral hygiene remains vital as well.
What happens if you bite something hard with veneers?
Veneers are brittle and prone to chipping or cracking if subjected to a hard, concentrated biting force. This can happen when biting into hard foods or objects. If a veneer chips from biting something hard, it is best to schedule a dental visit right away. Small fractures can often be smoothed or polished to minimize damage. However, larger cracks or pieces breaking off may require repair or replacement of the veneer.
Can veneers be repaired if damaged?
Minor damage to veneers can often be repaired by your dentist. Options include:
- Polishing – Smoothing small chips on the edge of a veneer.
- Bonding – Adding composite resin to fill a small gap or fracture.
- Remaking – Repairing severely damaged veneers by remaking them.
- Replacement – Removing and replacing excessively damaged veneers with new ones.
However, there is a limit to how often veneers can be repaired before replacement is required. The costs of veneer repairs or replacement are generally not covered by dental insurance.
How much do veneer repairs or replacements cost?
Costs for veneer repairs or replacements can vary greatly, but often range:
- Minor polish or bonding repair – $200-$500 per veneer
- Remaking one veneer – $500-$1,500 per veneer
- Replacing one veneer – $1,000-$2,500 per veneer
- Replacing multiple veneers – $5,000-$15,000+
The specific cost depends on the extent of repairs needed, the material, and your location. Getting a replacement veneer matched perfectly to your existing teeth often costs more. Many dental insurance plans do not cover replacement veneers.
Do you have to replace all your veneers if one breaks?
It is usually not necessary to replace all of your veneers if only one gets damaged. The dentist can often just replace the single problematic veneer and match it to your existing tooth shade and shape. Reasons one veneer may need replacement when others are fine include:
- Damage or fracture from trauma/impact.
- Discoloration from staining foods/drinks.
- Poor oral hygiene leading to decay under one veneer.
- One veneer becoming loose or debonded.
As long as the other veneers are intact and undamaged, only the faulty one needs replacement. However, if multiple veneers are damaged, replacement of all of them may be recommended.
Are veneers worth the money?
Veneers are a significant investment, but are considered worth the money for the right person. Benefits making veneers a good value include:
- Dramatically improve the look of your smile.
- Correct imperfections like gaps, worn edges, discoloration.
- Strengthen the surface of damaged or worn teeth.
- Mimic the light reflecting properties of natural enamel.
- Long lasting with proper care (10-15 years or more).
- Preserve more tooth structure vs. crowns.
The upfront cost of veneers is higher than some other options. However, the benefits often make them a worthwhile investment for someone unhappy with the appearance of their smile.
Do veneers look fake or natural?
Quality veneers look very natural and mimic the light reflecting properties of real teeth. Factors affecting how natural veneers appear include:
- Skill of the cosmetic dentist.
- Quality of the dental lab creating the veneer.
- Porcelain material used.
- Preserving as much natural tooth as possible.
- Matching shape and color to other teeth.
In most cases, veneers look very natural and become indistinguishable from your real teeth. People may just notice you have a nicer, brighter smile.
Do you have to replace veneers periodically?
With proper care, veneers can last 10-15 years or longer before needing replacement. However, they are not a permanent solution and will need replacement at some point, for reasons like:
- Porcelain fracturing or chipping.
- Discoloration over time.
- Gum recession affecting veneer coverage.
- Loosening of the bond to teeth.
- Impact damage from trauma.
Some signs your veneers may need replacement include fading color, looseness, cracks, or damage visible along the edges. Budgeting for periodic veneer replacement is important.
Can you get temporary veneers?
Temporary veneers are an option to test the look of veneers before getting permanent ones made. Reasons to get temporary veneers include:
- Previewing the shape and color.
- For a special event like a wedding or photo shoot.
- Assessing comfort and speech adaptation.
- Deciding if you want to proceed with permanent veneers.
Temporary veneers are made from acrylic orcomposite resin. They last a few weeks or months before replacement. Getting temporaries made first allows time to evaluate the look before committing to permanent veneers.
Conclusion
Veneers require some simple precautions but not an excessive level of care. Practicing good oral hygiene, eating carefully, and avoiding damage from trauma allows veneers to last many years. Minor repairs are often possible if damage does occur. While veneers involve a significant upfront investment, proper maintenance provides long-lasting cosmetic improvements to your smile.