Oral Health Link to Whole Body Health: A Blog
Are Dental Veneers Stain Resistant?
Duane Kelly
Dental veneers are shells of durable materials that are placed over your teeth to improve their appearance. They are often used to make your teeth look better or whiter. Given that veneers come at a cost, you may be curious about how they'll stand up to everyday wear and tear such as staining from food and drink. Do veneers stain?
Veneer Materials and Staining
You have two options when it comes to choosing the material used to create a veneer. For example, you can have a veneer made from a composite resin or one made from porcelain. The resin used in veneers is based on the materials used in white fillings; porcelain is a ceramic.
Your choice of material affects possible staining in the future. Composite veneers are made from a porous material. This means that they are absorbent. Over time, these veneers may take in colour from food and drink, for example, and show signs of staining. Porcelain is not a porous material. According to Colgate, this makes a porcelain veneer better able to resist staining, allowing the veneer to look good for longer.
Think About What You Eat and Drink
If you drink a lot of tea and coffee or drink red wine regularly, you are likely to get staining on a composite resin veneer over time. The same principle applies if you eat a lot of highly coloured foods.
Like natural teeth, composite resin veneers may suffer from a high-colour diet; however, their staining may be harder to deal with. If the veneer absorbs colour, you won't just be dealing with surface stains that can be cleaned off and may need to have the veneer replaced if the staining gets really bad.
If you think this might be a problem, you may be better off with a porcelain veneer that can better deal with the foods and drinks in your diet. If you don't eat or drink a lot of staining foods and don't have any problems keeping your natural teeth free from stains, a composite veneer may work just as well for you.
Tip: If you're on a budget, cost may also be a factor in your decision. While a porcelain veneer may be better at handling stains, it also costs more. According to Dental Guide Australia, a composite veneer costs approximately $480–500 while a porcelain veneer runs to $1,200–$1,300. However, the higher cost comes with longevity benefits. OralB Australia states that porcelain veneers last for between 10–15 years or even longer. This is around double the time of the average life of a composite option which typically lasts for 5–7 years. If you have to have a composite veneer changed early because of staining, it may be more cost effective to go for a longer lasting porcelain option. Contact a local dentist for more help.
Share
You may have heard that cavities and oral decay are linked to things like heart disease, and, in fact, your oral health affects your entire body. Hi! My name is Brenda, and I like to look at things holistically. Because of that, I created this blog. I plan for its posts to look at the link between dental issues and other health issues. I hope that the people who visit this blog learn a few tips about oral care as well as gaining a deeper understanding of why it's so important. Healthy smiles indicate a healthy body, and I hope this blog helps you achieve both!