Tag Archives: porcelain veneer maintenance

Porcelain Veneers Staining Around Edges

I had porcelain veneers done about one year ago. I’m almost 3/4 of the way through paying these off and they have started picking up stains around the edges. While I am a smoker, I was told these would be very stain resistant. Is something defective in them? Should I schedule an appointment with the dentist?

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

If the staining is just at the edges, then it is likely an issue at the margins. There are a couple of things which could be causing this. First, it could be there is a gap between the porcelain veneers and the teeth. This can be a problem to fix and a rather difficult one.

However, it will be urgent to fix it because, in this case, the staining means there is debris and bacteria being caught between your teeth and the porcelain veneers. This will lead to decay. A gap in the margins is an error on the part of the dentist and as such he or she should take responsibility for fixing this.

A second possibility is it is the composite bonding that is picking up stains. This is normal and easy to fix. Your dentist polished these up when you first got your veneers and I would consider it a normal part of their maintenance. In this case, you should expect to pay it but it will not be very much at all.

It does require special strips to do so. Don’t go to your family dentist, but rather the dentist who did your smile makeover to begin with. They will have the means and knowledge to polish these up.

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