I thought porcelain veneers were supposed to last for many years. I’ve only had mine about seven or eight months and mine are already turning gray. I have been using a mouthwash, which I just found out was a no-no with veneers. Could that be it or are mine defective?
Causton V. – New Mexico
Causton,
Using mouthwash in and of itself will not damage your porcelain veneers. Mouthwash that contains alcohol is the big problem, because it can damage the bonding. Even if you were using the kind with alcohol, however, it wouldn’t turn your veneers gray. There are two things I can think of of that can do that in such a short period of time.
- One reason would be you didn’t actually receive porcelain veneers. But even then, less than a year is not a long time. Even a composite veneer should have stayed bright in that amount of time.
- Your veneers were damaged by something like a prophy jet. If you’ve recently gone to have your teeth cleaned at the dentist’s office, it’s possible the hygienist didn’t realize you had veneers or is inexperienced in caring for them. That will damage the the glaze on your veneers, which in turn causes them to pick up stains.
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