Dental veneers, or the Hollywood smile, are one of the best cosmetic methods used on the teeth. It is the procedure that restores to the smile its natural beauty and its brilliant white colour. This procedure is also the ideal solution for many of the problems that affect the teeth, such as gaps between the teeth, the problem of staining, and cracked teeth.
Veneer shells preserve the health of the teeth and gums, as they perform the same function as the natural enamel layer, and they are also harder than the original enamel layer.
Many patients who have undergone this procedure, or who are candidates for it, ask about the best methods that will help them preserve their dental veneers for as long as possible. In this article we will set out for you the ways of preserving fixed and removable dental veneers with Dr. Amr Helmi — the best dentist in Hadayek Al-Ahram.
Mistaken beliefs about dental veneers
Some people think that veneers or the Hollywood smile work like magic on the teeth, so that a person no longer needs to clean them the way he previously cleaned his natural teeth, or they think that they will not break like natural teeth. So they begin to practise unhealthy habits, such as not cleaning their teeth regularly with toothpaste and a toothbrush, or trying to open cans with their teeth.
But these beliefs are completely wrong. Veneer shells, once fitted onto the teeth, become exactly like teeth, and if a person maintained the cleaning of his teeth at 80% before fitting these shells, then he must maintain it at 100% after fitting them, so that this smile stays with him for as long as possible, so that he does not suffer any inflammation, and so that he is not forced to replace some of these shells again should they come off or break.
How do we preserve the veneer layer on the teeth?
Dr. Amr Helmi stresses that dental veneers must be treated as if they were natural teeth — indeed they must be cared for even more than natural teeth, because however good the quality of the veneer, it will never equal or come close to the strength and durability of the natural teeth that God created for us.
What is the method for preserving fixed dental veneers?
Fixed veneers, or the fixed Hollywood smile, are attached to the natural teeth permanently, after shaving off part of the original enamel layer so that the shells can be bonded to them firmly. In this way they become just like natural teeth — in fact it is possible that no one will notice that this patient has undergone a veneer procedure. Accordingly, the ways of preserving these shells consist of:
• Keeping up the cleaning of the teeth with toothpaste and a brush, at least twice a day, once in the morning and once before sleeping.
• Using dental floss to remove food residues from between the teeth, but a specialist dentist must be consulted to learn the correct way to use this floss so that the gums do not suffer any injury or cuts as a result of incorrect use.
• Using a daily mouthwash once before sleeping, and it is preferable that this be about half an hour after using toothpaste, so that the teeth benefit from the toothpaste and from the mouthwash at one and the same time.
• Removing tartar once every 6 months, because it is possible for tartar to form on the shells as well — for, as we explained earlier, veneer shells are just like natural teeth.
• Visiting the dentist regularly once every 4 to 6 months, with monthly follow-up preferred during the first period after the veneers are fitted.
• Having "polish" cleaning sessions at the intervals the dentist specifies, to protect the veneer shells from staining or from a change in their colour.
• Not opening any cans with the teeth, as that may cause the veneer to break or cause inflammation of the gums.
What is the method for preserving removable dental veneers?
Because the prices of removable dental veneers are considered extremely low compared with fixed veneers, many people turn to this appliance as an alternative to fixed veneers, whether their use of it is limited to special occasions or they have apprehensions about undergoing the fixed veneer procedure.
Removable veneer appliances are considered a temporary option, and they cannot be used or treated exactly like natural teeth. To preserve them the following should be observed:
• Not chewing hard foods with them, as they are thin and easily prone to breaking.
• Cleaning them using a toothbrush and toothpaste; they can also be taken out of the mouth and cleaned gently so that they do not break.
• Not wearing them while sleeping, as some people press hard on their teeth during sleep, which may cause this appliance to break easily.
• Wearing the appliance when needed, then removing it and keeping it in the case designated for it, in order to preserve it for as long as possible.
In any case, replacing this appliance with a new one is considered extremely easy, given that the medical centre keeps your dental mould, on which a new appliance is made once again should your appliance be damaged or broken — and that will not be an expensive procedure either.
In conclusion, you must consult the dentist with whom you underwent one of the Hollywood smile procedures about the best ways to preserve your appliances, to ensure that they are not damaged within a short time.
