If you chose to go with porcelain veneers when you got veneers, you made an excellent choice. Porcelain veneers last longer than any other veneer material, which means you could go almost two decades without replacing them. Of course, that's just an estimate. As general dentistry in Lafayette suggests, there are other "rules of thumb" for replacing porcelain veneers.
You've Followed the Bible on Veneers and They Stood the Test of Time
If you did exactly everything the cosmetic dentist told you when you got your veneers in La Morinda, then your veneers very likely could last twenty years. This means you didn't smoke, drink, eat hard foods, bite hard things, or use your teeth to open containers or packaging. You didn't eat or drink foods that were stained. It would be very hard for anyone to go two decades following rules this strictly, but if you do, your veneers won't need replacing for two decades.
Your Veneers Are Stained
Veneers are not perfect, and porcelain will stain. Coffee and cola drinkers, tobacco chewers, smokers, and a few others will find that their veneers don't maintain their whiteness indefinitely. Even if you adhere to brushing your teeth three times a day or more, the veneers will eventually yellow. When they are a little too yellow for you to feel comfortable smiling, it's time to replace them. That's usually ten to fifteen years for most people.
You Have Some Bad Habits
Sometimes old habits die hard. Using your teeth to tear open packaging is a big no-no after you get veneers. You can damage them and break them with this habit.
Eating and biting down on hard candy or really hard foods (not veggies or fruits, those are fine) can break your teeth too. Using your teeth to open bottles that have bottle caps is also not a good idea.
If you play sports, you need a mouthguard to protect the veneers. Once broken, you will have to pay to replace the entire veneer of every affected tooth. If any of your porcelain veneers are broken in any of the aforementioned ways, you may have to replace them in under ten years.
The Accident Prone Patient
Patients who get into car accidents, pedestrian accidents, bike accidents, etc., more often than the average person will have to replace their veneers as often as they get into accidents and receive blows to their faces. This could be months or just a couple of years, depending on the patient.
If you are still interested in veneers in La Morinda, general dentistry in Lafayette known as Panoramic Dental can help. Make an appointment today!