A little over a year ago, I had some porcelain veneers placed. My dentist told me that they are very stain resistant. Since then, they have been picking up stains. I am worried about this. What can be going on? I do smoke, but like I said earlier, my dentist told me they were pretty stain resistant.
Amanda
Dear Amanda,
Your dentist is correct that porcelain veneers are very stain resistant. In fact, they are more stain resistant than your natural teeth. I wish I knew more about the type of staining you are talking about. Without that information, I can give some general ideas.
If the staining is just on the edges, then it is likely just some polishing that needs to be done to the edges where the bonding meets. This would be considered regular maintenance and does not take long. As a smoker, that will be important for you to keep up with.
If the staining is at the margins or underneath the porcelain veneers, the situation may be more serious. Staining at the margins could indicated a gap between your porcelain veneers and your gums. This can lead to food and other bacteria getting caught there, which puts you at risk for gum disease.
Staining underneath the veneers means the bonding was not done properly leaving a gap between the porcelain veneers and your teeth. This can lead to decay. In both of the above cases, the veneers will need to be redone.
If the staining is the two above, my suggestion is you get a second opinion from another cosmetic dentist. Ask them what is the cause of the staining. This way you have some documentation. When you get your second opinion, make sure they don’t know who did your porcelain veneers. Tell them you just want a blind second opinion. This is the best way to get an unbiased opinion.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.