Easy Ways to Whiten Porcelain Veneers

Do you have veneers? If you do, there is no reason to feel ashamed or alone. A growing number of Americans are getting veneers whether or not they need to correct a dental condition or just want to look better. If you have veneers you certainly understand, on a personal level, how important veneers can be for maintaining a high self-esteem and your overall aesthetic look.

A strong sense of confidence and a good set of teeth can change a person’s life immediately for the better. Better looks and confidence have been consistently shown to help people make more money, attract better mates and live a better life overall than they would otherwise.

This is the main reason that veneers are so important to those of us who have them. However, veneers are quite a bit like your original teeth; they won’t stay looking good forever without the proper maintenance.

Let’s take a closer look at some easy, simple ways to maintain and whiten porcelain veneers here below.

How to Whiten Porcelain Veneers

Dental veneers have historically been made by a variety of different materials. These materials include composite resins, plastic and porcelain. Veneers made of plastic or composite resins are usually somewhat outdated because they have a tendency to degrade and become stained. If you have these type of older veneers, you can easily whiten them by asking your dentist to remove the stains and polish your veneers.

Porcelain is actually one of the newer materials that have been used to create veneers. If you have these type of veneers, you are in luck! Porcelain veneers can’t become stained or discolored. However, if you have porcelain veneers in it is possible to still notice some odd brown lines at the tops of these implants by the gums.

So if porcelain veneers can’t become discolored or darkened, why do they seem to sometimes develop stains by the gum line? This phenomenon is primarily due to the fact that a composite glue line is used to attach the veneers properly to your mouth.

If this composite is exposed because of a receding gum line, it can become stained by red wine, coffee, tea and other teeth-staining foods or drinks. Veneers stains can also be caused by the regular smoking of cigarettes or cigars.

These stains occur because the composite glue on your veneers can soak up and absorb these foods and smoke while your porcelain veneers remain unaffected. However, the composite glue can become brown if it absorbs too many discoloring elements and makes your veneers will appear to have brown lines running through them.

What can you do to avoid this? Can you use the same teeth-whitening gels on your veneers that have such great results on natural teeth? Unfortunately, these whitening gels don’t help whiten or improve the appearance of veneers. Often the only way to fix a porcelain veneer that is discolored or stained is to replace it completely.

The best offense against this type of composite glue line discoloration is maintenance and prevention. As long as you maintain your oral and gum health and can avoid further gum recession, you can keep your porcelain veneers as white as you want!

However, this is easier said than done. Once your gums start receding, the damage cannot be undone; the recession of your gums is irreversible. However, with regular pocket readings at each checkup with your dentist to measure how much your gums are receding combined with proper, consistent oral cleanings can help you avoid your composite gum line becoming stained and keep your veneers as white as possible!

Hopefully, we were able to help educate you in different ways to maintain your veneers. If you are still wondering how to whiten porcelain veneers in the best possible manner or need the help of one of the best dental offices in Miami, please contact us any time at Gables Sedation and Family Dentistry. It would be our pleasure to help you have the best and brightest smile possible!