How to Clean a Porcelain Veneer?

Porcelain Veneers requires special care and attention to ensure they last a long time.  When brushing I would recommend avoid using a toothpaste that contains more abrasive particles.  Many of thesewill  fall under the category of "Whitening Toothpastes".  Think of you porcelain veneers like a white porcelain kitchen sink.  You would not want to use an abrasive cleaner frequently, as this would create scratches and remove the shiny glaze and.  This would lead to a dull finish and easy staining can occur.   Same is true with your porcelain veneers.

When you are having a professional cleaning done by a hygienist I would also recommend a few precautions.  First make sure that they avoid using a Cavitron (Ultra-Sonic Scaler) directly on the veneers.  This could cause cracking or chipping at the thin margins of the veneers.  Also, make certain that they use a special polishing paste designed specifically for Porcelain Veneers.

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Hi LosAngeles3933

Your home care should consist of proper brushing with a soft-bristle brush and a non-abrasive toothpaste, as well as daily flossing.

A well trained hygienist can use the cavitron without any problems.  If the hygienist uses prophy cups to polish (the rubber cups on the hand-piece) then a special paste is necessary.  If the hygienist uses a prophy jet  (a better way to polish without spinning rubber cups) then the regular jet-powder is just fine.

When you clean a veneer, use a soft bristled tooth brush, and gently massage the front side of the veneered tooth. Dental plaque doesn't adhere to porcelain the same way it does to enamel, so it doesn't require the same amount of time and strokes of a toothbrush that enamel requires. 

If at the dental office, they should use a special paste made for porcelain, which is usually a very fine diamond polishing paste on the porcelain if they use anything at all.

You pose an excellent question. Whereas properly placed and polished porcelain veneers should be relatively maintenance free, there are some things that dental offices and you can do to extend the live of these veneers. Using a non -abrasive toothpaste is better for the veneer and your teeth as well.  For preventive appointments, it is best to polish the veneers with a paste designed for porcelain such as Proxyt.  

I think the jury is still out there on whether a cavitron or other instruments can damage the veneers at the margin of a well done veneer.  I have seen some of my cases doing great after 18 years.   All in all, be safe and ask the hygienist to use products designed for porcelain veneers.

Cleaning veneers are similar to regular teeth. However, I would not advise using a cavitron. Also, one has to be careful cleaning at the margins of the veneers.

Always remind the Hygienist that you have veneers and ask that he or she use porcelain polish on them....

If you can return to the office where your veneer was done, that office team is probably trained in how to best maintain porcelain veneers.  With their glaze, veneers rarely stain, but cleaning the margins requires a gentle touch and polishing paste that is specialized to clean porcelain, not regular tooth structure.  If you no longer live near your cosmetic dentist or they don't offer cleanings, find a dental office who places and maintains a lot of porcelain veneers to help protect your investment.

Take good care of your porcelain veneers everyday with great homecare.  Using a whitening toothpaste like Supersmile helps prevent stain around the edges.  Use toothpaste and floss so plaque does not build up and cause decay around the edges.  The dental hygienist should clean your veneers just like they clean all of your teeth.  We use special polish cups to smooth edges and check for decay.  As a dentist, I always check for stain and exposed edges and work on them to keep them looking good and to ensure everything is healthy.  Always bring attention to your dental team when you have concerns.   

Veneers should not be cleaned with a cavitron, it can scratch the porcelain and can debond the veneer if the cavitron is used at the margin. The rough polishing paste can also scratch the porcelain surface.

You are best going to an office where alot of veneers are placed and the hygenist is experienced with cosmetic restorations

In general, porcelain veneers can be cleaned the same way as all of your other teeth. Veneers themselves are resistant to staining, so most of the time they don't require as much polishing from the dental hygienist.

All teeth, including teeth that have cosmetic dentistry performed on them require thorough cleaning at home and professionally in the office. ALL dental work (including porcelain veneers) join to the tooth at some point. Any place there is tooth is a place that can collect stain or tartar (or form a new cavity in the future).

Veneers can be cleaned with a Cavitron, however my goal would be to see that you are doing an impeccable job cleaning at home, so that there is not much build up, and that the Cavitron (or other ultrasonic cleaners) could be avoided.

When practical, I prefer that my hygienist doesn't use the Cavitron on veneers.