Tag Archives: Smoking and porcelain veneers

Porcelain Veneers

does smoking stain porcelain veneers?

I am almost done paying for my porcelain veneers. I’m a little worried because they have started picking up stains around the edges. I do smoke. I’m wondering if my smoking is the problem. If so, shouldn’t my dentist have warned me about this? I was told they were very stain resistant. What should I do?

Ben

Dear Ben,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

As long as your porcelain veneers still have their glaze, they are very stain resistant. In fact, they are more stain-resistant than your natural teeth. However, there are things that can damage the glaze. If your hygienist used something like a power prophy jet during your cleaning, or even acidulated fluoride, the glazing would be damaged enough.

Once that happens, they quickly begin to pick up stains. I don’t think this is your problem, though. If that were to happen, the staining would be over the whole tooth and you’re saying it’s just on the edges.

To me, this is saying the major problem you’re facing is with the resin which is used to bond your porcelain veneers to your teeth. Your dentist likely polished these when you first had the veneers placed. However, these can stain. They’ll stain faster if you smoke.

Your cosmetic dentist who did the work should have told you what needs to be done to care for them. Here is a great link about regular maintenance for your porcelain veneers.

In the meantime, you still need to have these stains dealt with. I want you to go back to your cosmetic dentist and have him polish the sides. They should use an ultra-fine polishing strip in this area and a special ultra-fine aluminum oxide polishing paste. This will help with the staining and increase the longevity of your smile investment.

Don’t have your family dentist try to do this. Most of the time, knowledge like this is limited to those who’ve studied cosmetic dentistry.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Porcelain Veneers

Why are my 1-Year Old Porcelain Veneers Staining?

I’ve had porcelain veneers for about one-year. In fact, I’m still paying on them. I noticed today they’re picking up some mild staining between my teeth. I thought they were stain resistant. Is something wrong? What do I do?

Karlyn M.

Dear Karlyn,

A single porcelain veneer being held up by a dental tool

You’re right that porcelain veneers are stain resistant. In fact, they’re more resistant than our natural teeth and should last you many years with proper maintenance. If damage had been done to your veneers, which is possible if your hygienist uses a prophy jet or an acidulated fluoride, the staining is over the entire tooth.

Because your stains are between the teeth, it makes me think you’ve got some composite bonding staining there. Though, I couldn’t tell you exactly without seeing a picture of it. This is fairly easy to solve and is actually just part of routine maintenance for your veneers. However, your average family dentist won’t know this polishing procedure. So, for this particular part of your regular maintenance, I’d go back to the dentist who placed your veneers to begin with.

Proper Maintenance for your Porcelain Veneers

  • Daily Oral Care: Be sure you’re brushing and flossing regularly. While your veneers are decay resistant, the exposed parts of your teeth are not. You’ll need to keep up with your care so you don’t end up needing a filling on a veneered tooth.
  • Toothpaste: I’m sure your cosmetic dentist already told you this, but the ideal toothpaste for you to use is Supersmile toothpaste. It’s specifically designed for use with cosmetic work.
  • Regular Polishing: Just as your veneers were polished when you first received them, you need to schedule regular re-polishing appointments. The hygienist uses ultra-fine polishing strips in this area and an aluminum oxide polishing paste. For smokers, that’s even more important.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.