Could I Still Get Cavities With Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers are a relatively simple way to boost your confidence while improving your oral health. At Hamlett & La Mastra, DDS, we strive to provide our patients throughout Dallas, TX with innovative and sophisticated restorative and cosmetic dental care. Dr. Salvator La Mastra offers porcelain veneers and other highly customized dental procedures to help patients achieve satisfying and gorgeous results. While porcelain veneers offer a long-lasting look that patients enjoy, you’ll still need to take proper care of your teeth to avoid dental problems, such as cavities.

What are porcelain veneers?

Porcelain veneers are thin, high-grade ceramic coverings that are strategically placed over the teeth. Each veneer is colored and shaped to match the natural appearance of your surrounding teeth. At Hamlett & La Mastra, DDS, our team works to customize your porcelain veneers to work around and conceal the specific abnormalities of your teeth and enhance your smile.

What porcelain veneers are used for

Porcelain veneers can be applied to teeth to cover a wide array of dental issues, including:

Minor gaps
Cracks
Stains
Chips
Misshapen teeth
Crowded teeth

Our highly trained dentists assess the unique nature of your teeth to determine if porcelain veneers are the right treatment path for you or if other treatment plans are better suited for your personal goals.

Who shouldn’t receive porcelain veneers?

While porcelain veneers may be appropriate for some patients, there are some cases in which patients may be poor candidates, including those who have:

A history of grinding their teeth
Moderate to severe tooth decay
Active gum disease
Active oral infections
Severe misalignments that would be better suited for orthodontic care

Consult with our team regarding your dental history to see if we can resolve certain oral issues before proceeding with porcelain veneers or if other restorative or cosmetic dental procedures would be more appropriate for you.

What the treatment process is like

Porcelain veneer fabrication and placement are completed at Hamlett & La Mastra, DDS in Dallas, TX in one of our private treatment rooms. Dr. La Mastra provides numbing medications for added ease and comfort. A small amount of enamel is stripped away from the teeth where the veneers will be placed. Bite impressions are collected and sent to an in-network lab for fabrication. While waiting for your final porcelain veneers, temporary veneers are placed to protect the exposed teeth. Once the final fitting is completed, you are sent home to resume normal eating and oral hygiene activities.

Is there any recovery time after receiving porcelain veneers?

Our dentists will instruct you to avoid eating for a certain amount of time after your fitting to allow for the veneers to properly adhere to your teeth. Afterward, patients should treat their new porcelain veneers like their natural teeth and practice good oral hygiene and healthy eating habits.

Are porcelain veneers a permanent procedure?

Since enamel is stripped away from the teeth and the veneers are fixed with a strong, cement adhesive, porcelain veneers are generally considered a long-term procedure.

Can I still get cavities with porcelain veneers?

Although it’s impossible for the porcelain material to decay, patients can still experience tooth decay and cavities in their natural teeth under the veneers. This is especially true for patients with poor oral hygiene habits.

How to care for my oral health after receiving porcelain veneers

Individuals who’ve received porcelain veneers can optimize their oral health by caring for their smile at home and considering the following tips:

Eat nutritious foods
Avoid chewy or hard foods
Stay well-hydrated
Avoid sugary foods and drinks
Brush and floss the teeth daily
Regularly use mouthwash
Attend routine dental checkups and cleanings

Learn more about porcelain veneers in Dallas, TX

If you reside in or near Dallas, TX, and would like to improve your smile and oral health through restorative dentistry, contact us at Hamlett & La Mastra, DDS and schedule a consultation today. Dr. Salvator La Mastra will walk you through our available services, assess your dental needs, and make recommendations for customized porcelain veneers if it’s the right treatment path for you.