Porcelain veneers look abraded and dull 3 weeks after having them placed. I don't know why. Can they be restored via polishing?

Question

I got 10 porcelain veneers on my upper teeth 3 weeks ago. After my last visit back to the dentist for a bite adjustment and trim in length, they lost some gloss and shine. Since then, the veneers look and feel a little rough with some scratches upon close inspection. I used a 3-in-1 toothpaste with whitening for less than 2 weeks then switched to Colgate Sensitive. Or is it possible my night guard is scratching the veneers? Can the scratches be smoothed and the luster restored through polishing?

Sarah Thompson, DMD · Answer

It really depends on which type of veneers you have.  If the veneers are made of composite (i.e., bonding), then it is not common at all for this type to scratch and stain very quickly.  If your veneers are porcelain, then they are likely made of emax or zirconia.  These two types are not very likely to scratch or stain easily.  If you indeed have porcelain veneers and they are scratched, I would encourage you to speak to your dentist about this issue.  It's possible that the veneers are not scratched at all, but simply have left over cement on them that is giving you a scratchy feel, when running your tongue over them.  I'm not saying that this is the case in your situation, but I'm letting you know that this is a possibility.  I hope this helps, some.Dr. Sarah ThompsonDreamDentist St. Louis, Missouri

Kourosh Maddahi, DDS · Answer

Hi:It would be best to post a photo of the veneers for more accurate response.  Porcelain veneers can definitely be polished to get back their shine.  Please go back to your dentist to have him look at the area to determine what exactly has happened and for a repolish.Best,Dr. Maddahi

Emery Cole, DMD, FAGD · Answer

Yes, your veneers can be polished if the glaze was adjusted off.  Newer Ceramics such as eMax will polish to a much higher luster than older porcelain which ideally needs to be glazed due to it's porous nature.

Thomas Dey, BDS, MSc · Answer

The most likely reason for this is that when the veneers were placed, a thin layer of adhesive has been left on their surface. Because this is absorbent to stain it will and has discoloured very quickly and scratch easily. Book in with your dentist (or possibly hygienist) and this can be taken off in no time. Actually scratching of the veneers is not something that can easily be done chairside, so check if this is the cause and see if you can avoid much more invasive work. Good luck and kind regardsThomas Dey

Porcelain veneers look abraded and dull 3 weeks after having them placed. I don't know why. Can they be restored via polishing?

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