You’ve heard the phrase “one-trick pony,” right? You may not know it was the name of a movie and album by musician Paul Simon. You probably know the phrase better by its meaning a person or things who is good at just one thing. Porcelain veneers are not a one-trick pony. Dental veneers in South Edmonton can hide stubborn stains and discolourations while at the same time changing the shape, width, length and spacing of the most visible and prominent teeth in your mouth.
In the same way that people are constantly curious about how to whiten their own teeth, people with veneers often ask whether porcelain veneers from your dentist in South Edmonton can be whitened if they get stained or discoloured. Here’s what you need to know about keeping your veneers white.
Why are your veneers changing colour?
Porcelain is a popular and ideal material for creating veneers, in part because it is so stain-resistant. There’s a big difference between being stain-resistant and being impervious to colour changes, though. Here are some things that can result in changes to the colour of your veneers.
The same richly coloured foods, drinks and staining behaviours that affect the colour of your natural teeth can leave superficial deposits on your porcelain veneers. Things like smoking, red wine, coffee, tea and richly coloured sauces don’t change the colour of your enamel but can lead to the development of surface stains.
Porcelain veneers treatment near you involves placing veneers over the front of teeth from the sharp edge of your teeth all the way to your gum line. If you develop gum disease — and even just as a function of time as you age — your gums will gradually recede (shrink away from your teeth). When that happens, the imperceptible seam where your veneer meets the enamel at the location of your former gum line will become exposed. The farther that your gums recede, more and more enamel is exposed between your gums and the edge of your veneers. That can produce thin brown lines on your teeth.
Depending on the age of your veneers, they may slowly be changing colour. In particular, if you received veneers 20 years ago or more, they may not be made with the porcelain used today. Older veneers may have been made with plastic materials or more porous forms of porcelain. In that case, their colour may have changed simply because they’re less stain-resistant than today’s veneers.
Trauma suffered by the tooth under your veneer doesn’t change the colour of the veneer itself but can cause the dentin layer under that veneer (and the remaining enamel under the veneer) to gradually become a darker and darker yellow. Veneers are thin and translucent enough that the change of the dentin’s colour can make the veneers appear darker as well.
What can be done about it?
Porcelain veneers from a dentist near you don’t respond well to most DIY over-the-counter teeth whitening products. Before trying any DIY treatment for whitening your veneers, be sure to ask your dentist what is appropriate for whatever is causing the changes to the colour and appearance of your veneers.
Your dentist will also explain the transformative effect that a thorough professional dental cleaning would have on the appearance of your teeth and veneers. Dental cleanings can remove all superficial stains and sources of discolouration. If the colour of your veneers is a factor that can not be cleaned away, your dentist may recommend your veneers be replaced to re-renew the beauty and brightness of your teeth and smile.