If you’re considering a smile makeover, you may have heard a few myths about veneers. Encinitas Family Dentistry wants each of our clients to be as informed as possible about their dental procedures to make educated, informed choices about their oral health.
Here are some common porcelain veneers misconceptions and what you need to know about them:
Myths About Veneers
MYTH: All dental veneers are the same.
Not all dental veneers are the same, nor do they look the same. The three most common types of veneers are porcelain, composite, and no-prep.
Porcelain veneers offer the most traditional cosmetic results and are typically placed across all of your upper visible teeth. Composite veneers are used on an as-needed basis and made from bonding material. They are more brittle, so they can break easily and don’t last as long. A composite veneer is also more opaque, so they’re best for treating specific teeth rather than an entire smile makeover. Prepless or no-prep veneers are used in specific circumstances, as they may add too much bulk to certain teeth.
MYTH: Flossing will pull off your dental veneers.
After investing in something as important as dental veneers, you want them to last. One of the biggest porcelain veneers misconceptions people have is that cleaning them with floss will pull the veneers off of your teeth. This same myth is also common for people with dental crowns, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.
In reality, it’s the absence of flossing that puts your dental veneers at risk. When you only brush and don’t floss, there are places between teeth and just under the edges of the gum tissues that don’t get cleaned. Over time, that can lead to areas of decay around the edges of your new dental veneers, and decay can cause your veneers to fail.
If for any reason you floss around your veneers and notice that the floss is “catching”, you need to have it checked by a dentist. Gently slide the floss out through the side instead of pulling it straight down. Daily flossing from day one of wearing your veneers will help them last as long as possible. If you don’t like to use floss, switch to a water flosser instead.
MYTH: You can’t eat anything hard with porcelain veneers.
It’s important that you treat your dental veneers the same as you would natural teeth or dental crowns. Do not use those teeth to bite your nails, open packages, or hold things in your mouth. Just like tooth-on-tooth wear, grinding your veneers against other teeth could lead to chipping and breakage.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t eat the food you love. You can still enjoy a normal diet, with a few exceptions. If you’re going to eat a carrot, for example, it’s better to bite into it further back in your mouth rather than your front teeth. And if you’re eating an apple, consider cutting it into slices instead. With minor modifications, you won’t have to take anything out of your diet.
MYTH: You can whiten your teeth with veneers.
Since dental veneers are made from some of the same materials as other types of restorations (like crowns or fillings) they maintain their color and shade. It is not physically possible to bleach them to a brighter white later on. Dr. Skeens will work with you using a special shade guide to help you select the color you’d like your smile to be so that you can pick the perfect blend of white before your veneers are created.
MYTH: No one can afford them.
Dental veneers come in different styles, so there are both entry-level and premier designs available. But a smile makeover is priceless when it comes to your self-confidence and making a great first impression. Thanks to affordable financing options, you can easily budget a monthly payment plan to begin your smile makeover as soon as you’re ready. Low and 0% interest financing plans are available.
Porcelain Veneers Carlsbad
Don’t let porcelain veneers misconceptions fool you into thinking you can’t achieve a beautiful smile. For porcelain veneers, Carlsbad patients turn to the experienced team at Encinitas Family Dentistry. Contact us today to reserve your no-obligation consultation with our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Skeens.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES AT ENCINITAS FAMILY DENTISTRY
At our core, Encinitas Dentistry is a dental practice devoted to restoring and enhancing the natural beauty of your smile. How we accomplish that goal is what makes us stand out. We mingle time-tested approaches to oral care with state-of-the-art technology and procedures to deliver beautiful, long-lasting smiles!