I have porcelain veneers that are only about 8 months old. I went in for my normal six month checkup and cleaning right before all the shut downs. I had actually traveled out of state to get my smile makeover because I wanted it done by a top of the line cosmetic dentist. They’re not open right now because they are pretty much a cosmetic only type of practice. I don’t know what has happened, but they’ve started turning yellowish. I take very good care of them so I don’t think it is anything I did. Could the porcelain be faulty? This is a very reputable practice, so I’d be surprised. What do I do?
Cindy
Dear Cindy,
I’m sure you are quite frustrated and worried about your investment. I doubt you did anything to cause this. I’ve often found when patients are pleased with the results of their smile makeovers, they are even more diligent and careful with their oral hygiene. Porcelain is very stain resistant. I don’t think it is “faulty”. Some less than reputable practices will sometimes place composite veneers and say they are porcelain veneers.
One possibility could be your family dentist damaged them during your cleaning. It is the timing which has me suspecting this. You said it’s been about eight months and you went in a couple of months ago. If your hygienist used something like a power prophy jet or acidulated fluoride during your appointment, it would remove the glazing from the porcelain veneers. The glazing is what protects your porcelain veneers from picking up stains and giving them that natural-looking shine.
If your hygienist removed the glaze, you wouldn’t have noticed it right away. They’d look fine at first, then dull, then finally they’ll begin picking up stains. This seems to be what is going on now. This sometimes happens in dental practices which do the more bread and butter type of dentistry and don’t know the ins and outs of taking care of cosmetic work.
Getting Your Porcelain Veneers Fixed
There is a procedure, using diamond polishing equipment, that can restore the glazing on your veneers. However, I doubt that your current dentist will either know the procedure or have the equipment. Because they are the ones who likely have damaged it, you’ll want them to pay for the repair.
What I would do is see your cosmetic dentist as soon as they are open again and have them look at the veneers. They can tell you if the glazing has been removed. In the meantime, I suggest you get some Supersmile toothpaste. This does the best job of removing stains of any of the toothpastes on the market. It’s also the only one safe for both teeth and cosmetic work. Most “whitening” toothpastes use abrasives to remove stains which damages the enamel.
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