How long will my veneers last?

When veneers fail there are usually 2 things we look at:
A) The actual Porcelain veneer: Did the actual porcelain chip or break?
B) The surrounding and underlying tissues: Did the underlying tooth structure break, decay or recede?

A) The actual Porcelain veneer
Porcelain is a material that is very hard and durable, but like anything in life it can fail. This is the same as saying that your porcelain tile in your bathroom can break or chip. Why will this happen?
Trauma or physical damage to the porcelain can cause it to chip. This is usually due to excessive teeth grinding or clenching or accidental trauma.
How to avoid this? Ask your dentist to give you a mouthguard if you are grinding your teeth and in general just be careful with what you eat with your front teeth.

NEW! Stronger porcelains: Newer veneers are made of stronger porcelains to increase the hardness and strength of the porcelain to make it more resistant against fracture.

2. The gumline:
Our gums hang like a curtain around the teeth and plays a big part in creating a beautiful smile. As we age our gumline tend to recede and sometimes expose the margin where the veneer and tooth join. Gum disease is another big cause of receding gums.
How to avoid: Use a powerbrush or do gentle circular movements with your toothbrush to avoid receding in this delicate area.

In general porcelain veneers will last 10years plus and then possible replacement will be necessary to hide the aging effect of the receding gumline. If tooth decay attacks the underlying teeth then the veneer needs to be redone.
NEW! The latest resin materials are incredible and it is becoming easier and easier to repair even fractured or chipped porcelain.