I’ve had my porcelain veneers for just a little over a year. The edges around the porcelain veneers are stained. I thought veneers were supposed to be stain resistant. My dentist knew I was a smoker when I got them. What is going on?
Candy
Dear Candy,
You are correct that porcelain veneers are very stain resistant. This is true even for smokers. It is the protective glazing on the veneers that do the protecting. There are a couple of things a dental hygienist can use that will damage that glazing. One of those is a power prophy jet. The other is acidulated fluoride. Once the glazing is damaged, then the veneers will begin to accumulate stains. However, this type of staining covers the entire surface of your tooth and not just the edges. Because of that, I don’t think this is your problem.
When staining happens around the edges, as you are facing it is either because you have open margins or because the bonding area is picking up some stains.
If it is open margins, that is serious. It will be tricky to fix. If it isn’t fixed, the area will begin to pick up debris and bacteria causing decay. Your best option, in that case, is the have the dentist replace them. Some dentists won’t want to admit this is the problem, because it means they have made a mistake. The safest way of knowing if this is the problem is to see another dentist to get a second opinion.
The other possibility is much simpler to fix. The bonding area was polished to a nice shine when you first received your veneers. Over time, there will be some accumulation of stains. This usually isn’t much. However, as a smoker, your stains will be more obvious.
The good news is the only thing required to fix this is some mild maintenance. Your dentist can use some ultra-fine polishing strips to re-polish the area and you will be good as new. I would consider this a part of regular maintenance and make sure you schedule it to keep your smile makeover in its best shape.
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