How Long Do Porcelain Veneers Last?
One of the most popular cosmetic dentistry services we offer is porcelain veneers. These wafer thin shells are designed to look and perform just like real teeth, and are durable and easy to maintain. How long porcelain veneers will last depends almost entirely on how well you take care of them. With proper care, porcelain veneers that have been placed by an experienced cosmetic dentist and custom-fit to your mouth can last for decades. Studies show that nearly 95% of veneers last 10 years, and 83% last 20 years or more!
What Causes A Porcelain Veneer to Break or Fall Off?
- Trauma to the face
- Chewing on ice or hard candy
- Regularly eating sticky foods such as caramel or toffee
- Poor bonding
- Teeth grinding
- Not enough natural enamel to bond veneer to
- Tooth decay
- Dead tooth
Take good care of your teeth after having veneers placed. Wear a mouthguard when you participate in sports. This includes friendly games and non-contact sports. Non-contact sports like bike riding account for many dental injuries.
You should brush and floss like normal. Cut down on sugary, sticky, or hard foods. If your tooth decays behind your veneer, it may cause the veneer’s bonding to weaken and the veneer to fall off. Veneers are also more likely to fail if they’re bonded to a dead tooth.
In addition, bad dental habits such as grinding your teeth or crunching on ice can cause veneers to loosen and come off. In the study cited above, teeth grinding caused a nearly 8 times higher rate of veneer failure. If you habitually grind your teeth at night, we will prescribe you a night guard to wear to protect both your natural teeth and your porcelain veneers.
It’s extremely important to find an experienced cosmetic dentist such as Dr. Clancy to place your porcelain veneers. The prep and bonding must be done with a high level of skill to avoid problems with the veneers in the first few months. If you hear about porcelain veneers coming off within the first week or month, it’s likely because the veneers weren’t bonded properly or the teeth were over-prepared. Tooth veneer “glue” bonds better to enamel than the layer of the tooth underneath. If a dentist removes too much enamel, the veneer won’t hold.
What Happens If Your Porcelain Veneer Comes Off?
Dr. Clancy stands by his work, and if your veneers break or come off within the first 5 years of placement through no fault of your own, he will replace them free of charge. However, this guarantee does not apply if your veneers came off because you did not take good care of them. Porcelain veneers require a certain level of care and oral hygiene, and you are agreeing to take responsibility for that care when you decide to have Dr. Clancy place your porcelain veneers.
If a veneer falls off, please do not attempt to glue it back on yourself unless you are totally unable to visit Dr. Clancy or another dentist within two or three days. If you need to glue it back on, do not use regular glue. Visit a pharmacy and buy some temporary dental cement. This is only a temporary solution: you still need to make an appointment at the first possible opportunity.
If a veneer chips or cracks but does not fall off, you should visit Dr. Clancy at your earliest convenience so that he can order a new veneer for you.
Find Out If Porcelain Veneers Can Improve Your Smile
If your teeth are chipped, cracked, crooked, gapped, or stained, you may be a candidate for porcelain veneers. Call Woburn cosmetic dentist Dr. Clancy today at (781) 396-8558 to schedule your consultation and take the first step towards a more beautiful smile.
By Ryan M. Clancy, DMD, MAGD, LVIF, FPFA, FIAPA | August 12th, 2020 | Porcelain Veneers
