When Shells Have Limits: Could I Still Get Cavities with Veneers?

Given how they work, you may see veneers as a unique type of smile protection. Wouldn’t the shells stop debris from harming your grin? However, that idea is mistaken; you can still get cavities with veneers on your teeth. Even if you receive treatment, you’ll still need to look after your smile to keep it safe. For the relevant details, just keep reading – your Arlington dentist will gladly share the facts with you and anyone else. 

Veneers: A Primer

Before you get to the “main event,” make sure you grasp the basics of veneers. How they allow cavities to form won’t make sense otherwise.

In short, veneers are tooth-sized porcelain shells placed on the fronts of teeth.  Dentists use them to hide a patient’s various smile flaws, including stains, chips, cracks, misalignments, etc. Their material also ensures they “blend in” with adjacent teeth; most onlookers won’t even notice their presence.

It usually takes two dental appointments to place veneers. The first session prepares your teeth for care, while the second one puts the restorations on your smile.

How Veneered Teeth Can Get Cavities

While veneers do have protective qualities, their underlying teeth can still get cavities. Treatment doesn’t completely remove the risk of tooth decay.

Remember, a veneer only covers a tooth’s front surface. It leaves certain parts of your pearly white alone – the back surface, the very top, etc. That means treated teeth are still vulnerable to certain strains of bacteria, which can decay enamel over time. A tooth with a veneer could get a cavity if you aren’t careful.

Worse yet is that cavities basically ruin a veneer treatment. Dentists would have to remove your shells to treat the underlying decay, forcing you to “re-do” everything.

Ways to Keep Veneered Teeth Strong

If you want to keep veneered teeth safe, you need to take good care of them. You can do so with the following tips:

• Keep Your Smile Clean: If you practice twice-daily brushing and once-daily flossing, you’ll remove the bacteria that can cause cavities.
• Get Frequent Checkups: With regular dental checkups, a dentist can check, diagnose, and treat veneered teeth before they develop cavities.
• Quit Bad Habits: While durable, veneers can chip and crack from bad habits like teeth-grinding and ice-chewing.
• Use a Mouthguard: A nightguard would defend your veneers from bruxism. Similarly, a sportsguard can protect veneered teeth from collisions, falls, and other sports injuries.

While you can get cavities with veneers, don’t lose hope. Just practice the tricks above – they’ll preserve your grin’s health and good looks!

About the Practice

Collins St. Dental of Arlington is based in Arlington, TX. Led by Drs. Gajera and Patel, our practice strives to make dentistry convenient and comprehensive for all patients. We thus offer preventive, cosmetic, and even restorative treatments, each one tailored to your smile’s unique needs. Naturally, you can trust us to provide great porcelain veneers as well! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (817)-524-6654.