Two of my porcelain veneers loosed three times within the past five months. My dentist rebounded them. But during my last visit, my dentist asked me what kind of toothbrush I use. I use an ultrasonic toothbrush and Supersmile toothpaste. My dentist blames my toothbrush on the loose veneers, but I know better. And if a toothbrush could cause loose veneers, I asked my dentist why he didn’t tell me that before I got veneers. Please tell me that I am right, and my toothbrush is not causing loose veneers. Thank you. Max from TX
Max,
Although ultrasonic cleaning devices in a dental office can damage dental bonding or veneers, an ultrasonic or sonic toothbrush will not harm them. Let us explain the difference.
Is Your Toothbrush Damaging Your Porcelain Veneers?
Your toothbrush is not damaging your porcelain veneers. And there is a difference between ultrasonic dental tools and your toothbrush.
Ultrasonic dental tools
Ultrasonic dental tools have metal tips that can damage bonding or veneers. The devices can crack the glaze on porcelain veneers. And professional ultrasonic speeds are much higher than your toothbrush.
Ultrasonic toothbrush
An ultrasonic toothbrush has soft bristles that will neither nick bonding or veneers. Instead, they polish your veneers and clean them. And toothbrushes are usually sonic—not ultrasonic—which means their vibration speed is slower and more gentle than dental equipment.
What Is Causing Loose Porcelain Veneers?
Porcelain veneers do not loosen if a dentist bonds them properly
Loose porcelain veneers result from failure of your dentist’s bonding technique, aggressive preparation of your natural teeth, or both.
- Aggressive tooth preparation – Often, a dentist who lacks advanced cosmetic dentistry training removes too much tooth enamel when preparing teeth for porcelain veneers. As a dentist removes more enamel, it becomes difficult for the bonding to adhere to your teeth. And if a dentist grinds your teeth down to the dentin (the layer beneath the enamel), it increases the risk of veneers falling off.
- Bonding technique – Dentists who take advanced cosmetic dentistry training after dental school learn techniques to bond porcelain veneers securely to your teeth. And they know the importance of removing excess bonding material to avoid irritation and inflammation.
Get a Cosmetic Dentist’s Opinion
Although your dentist is blaming your toothbrush for loose porcelain veneers, that is not the problem. We recommend that you schedule a consultation with a skilled cosmetic dentist to examine your teeth and veneers to identify the issue. A cosmetic dentist will explain the treatment options to keep your veneers intact.
Dr. Steven Brooksher, an accredited cosmetic dentist in Baton Rouge, sponsors this post.
