If porcelain veneers are stain resistant, why are there stains around mine? I got the veneers in October 2021 and will finish paying for them this year. They will be yellow before I finish my payments. I wonder if the problem is from some chemicals the dentist used on the veneers. I should have followed my instinct and looked for a holistic dentist. What can my dentist do to stop the staining? Please don’t say that I will need new veneers. Thank you. – Luz

Luz

Yes, intact porcelain veneers are stain resistant. A cosmetic dentist would need to examine your veneers or see pictures of them to determine what may be causing the stains. But we can explain a few possibilities.

Three Reasons that Porcelain Veneers Might Stain

Porcelain veneers may stain if there is damage to the glazed surface if there is a gap where the veneer and tooth meet, or if there is excess composite bonding around near your gumline. These are mistakes that even a holistic dentist can make if they don’t have advanced cosmetic dentistry training:

• Damage to the glazed surface – Power polishing equipment or acidulated fluoride can damage your veneers. If a dental hygienist mistakenly used either on your tooth and damaged the laze, you can see stains across the surface of your porcelain veneers.
• Gap between the porcelain and your teeth – If a dentist left a gap between the porcelain and your teeth, bacteria could leak in and stain your teeth.
• Excess composite bonding – If a dentist does not thoroughly clean the composite around your teeth, it can cause staining.

How to Remove Stains from Your New Veneers

If you have porcelain veneers, a skilled cosmetic dentist can polish your veneers. For regular polishing, a hygienist can use ultra-fine polishing strips and paste to remove plaque and keep your veneers smooth and stain resistant.
Regular maintenance can prolong the life of your veneers. You may want to schedule a second opinion skilled cosmetic dentist to examine your veneers and determine why they are staining. Then you can determine if you want your current dentist to polish them or if you want to find another provider.
San Antonio, TX, dentist Gilberto Tostado sponsors this post.