Are there special rules for cleaning porcelain veneers? I’m worried the dental hygenist can break them or pull them off when cleaning them.

Dorothy B- Nevada

Dorothy,

They won’t get pulled off or broken. However, they can be damaged or chipped. The hygienist of an expert cosmetic dentist will know what to avoid while cleaning them. If you are not able to go to an office that has an expert cosmetic dentist, here are some guidelines to give any hygienist and  you’ll be fine.

• Don’t use any power polishing equipment, such as Prophy Jet. This is the worst thing that can be done to your veneers. Though they get teeth clean very quickly, it will take the glaze off of your veneers. Your hygienist won’t realize that she’s damaged them because they will look fine at the end of the appointment, but the moment you get home they will begin to stain and will never look good again.
• Using an ultra-sonic or heavy duty manual scalers can chip the edges. I do realize sometimes they need to use scalers. Just make sure when they do, they know not to scrape hard on the margins.
• Don’t use any coarse polishing pastes. Make sure they use an ultra-fine polishing paste with aluminum oxide grit, never pumice.