Are you frustrated by chips, cracks, stubborn stains, or other aesthetic flaws in your teeth? If so, you could be a good candidate for veneers. These thin, ceramic shells are customized to be the same shade and size as your natural teeth. Then, they’re bonded to the front surface to mask one or several imperfections at a time.
Although they’re made of resilient porcelain that can resist a certain amount of harm, they’re not entirely invincible. They’re vulnerable to being injured, dislodged, or discolored if they’re exposed to certain foods. Continue reading to learn more about how your diet can impact your prosthetics so you can extend their lifespan!
What Are Temporary Veneers?
Before diving into whether veneers will impact your eating habits, its essential to establish what’s involved in getting them. For them to line up flush against your gums, your dentist must remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth. This alteration is considered permanent because this protective outer layer doesn’t regrow. That means you’ll need veneers or another appropriate restoration to safeguard your smile moving forward.
Then, your provider makes impressions that are used to build your custom prosthetics. That information is sent to a special dental lab to begin their design, which can take weeks to complete. In the meantime, you’ll be fitted with temporary veneers that aren’t as durable as the permanent ones to shield your teeth after their preparation.
What Can’t I Eat with Temporary Veneers?
Because they’re not intended to last long, your temporary covers aren’t as resilient and are more prone to being yanked or pushed out of place. For them to remain long enough for your permanent ones to be delivered, it’s recommended that you avoid the following foods:
- Toasted or crusty breads.
- Tough meats.
- Hard snacks like popcorn, ice, candy, or raw veggies.
- Sticky sweets like caramels and taffy.
- Darkly pigmented ingredients like coffee, tea, wine, ketchup, berries, and colas.
What Can’t I Eat with Permanent Veneers?
Once your prosthetics are finalized, they’ll be delivered to your dentist for a final fitting. If everything checks out, they’ll be cemented in place then polished to a shine. They’re stronger than the temporary set you were given, but you should still steer clear of:
- Extremely hard foods like hard nuts or popcorn that might chip or crack them.
- Dark liquids like tea, coffee, and wine that can stain them at a different pace than your natural teeth.
- Alcoholic beverages that can gradually erode the cement used to attach the shells to your teeth.
- Tobacco products like vapes and cigarettes contain chemicals that can loosen the bonding material holding your cosmetics in place.
By making a few slight adjustments, you can keep your restorations looking fresh and clean for years!
About the Author
Dr. Vient “Vince” Tran takes pride in helping people of all ages build and maintain happy, healthy smiles. He earned his dental degree from the LECOM School of Dental Medicine and then completed a top dental residency program at the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Orlando, FL. Today, he offers a full array of top-quality services to meet all your needs at one convenient location, including veneers. If you’re interested in enhancing your appearance, you can request a cosmetic consultation on the website or call (281) 493-0061.