Instructions after a veneer procedure
Do not eat for at least 2 hours or until the anesthesia has worn off. You may have some gum
soreness from the veneer preparation or jaw pain from staying open for an extended period of
time. Take some Advil or Tylenol if there is any discomfort.
Temporary:
Temporaries are acrylic or composite veneers that are placed on the prepared teeth for
protection during the time the porcelain veneers are constructed in the lab. A temporary
serves several important purposes: it protects the exposed dentin to minimize sensitivity,
prevents the tooth (or teeth) from shifting, and last but not least, restores tooth contour and
appearance. The temporary is placed with cement that is designed to come off easily so avoid
chewing sticky foods such as gum or taffy. Use your toothbrush to clean the temporary as you
normally do your natural teeth. You may also floss or, if there is more than one veneer and the
temporaries are fused, you may need a floss threader. To avoid loosening the temporary, it is
best to pull the floss through the contact rather than pulling it down through the contact.
If your temporary comes off between appointments, slip it back on and call our office so
that we can re cement it for you. A small amount of denture adhesive placed inside the
veneer can help to hold it in place in the interim. Please keep in mind, your temporary
veneer(s) are not the same shade, material or coverage that your permanent veneers will be. It
will also not have the same protection that the permanent veneer(s) will have.
Sensitivity:
Sensitivity, especially to cold, is common for a time following treatment. For the first few
days avoid extremely hot or cold foods and beverages. If your gums were recontoured during
treatment they may be tender after the anesthesia wears off. Rinsing with warm salt water by
dissolving 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 8 oz. of warm water will help. An analgesic such as Tylenol
or Advil will also increase your level of comfort.
Your New Smile:
After the cementation of your porcelain veneers, it may take a few days to get used to the new
veneers. Your bite and the way your teeth come together may feel different, especially if we
changed the length, shape and/or thickness of your teeth. There is a chance your new smile
will feel a little different at first. This is normal. It can take a few days for the shape, size and
positioning to feel natural. If your bite feels unbalanced, please be sure to call our office for
an appointment to make an adjustment.
5. Longevity: it is impossible to place any specific time criteria on the length of time that
veneers should last for. These time periods may vary from a very short time to a very
long time depending upon many conditions existing from patient to patient, and/or upon
each patient’s individual habits or circumstances, which may be either internal, external
or both. Even though care and diligence is exercised in this subject treatment, there are
neither guarantees of anticipated or desired results nor the longevity of the treatment.
6. Chipping, breaking or loosening of the veneer: No matter how well done, this could
occur. Many factors may contribute to this happening such as: chewing of hard materials;
changes in occlusal (biting) forces; traumatic blows to the mouth; break down of the
bonding agents; and other such conditions over which the doctor has no control.
7. Home Care: To maintain the veneers and your new smile, it is important to remember
that the underlying teeth are still vulnerable to decay, especially at the gumline where the
tooth and veneer meet. It is important to resume regular brushing and flossing immediately.
Daily home care and regulating your intake of sugar-containing foods will increase the
longevity of your new restorations. If you have been told to get a nightguard, to prevent
veneer fracture, take your Dentist's advice.
**** It is the patient’s responsibility to immediately inform the doctor and seek
attention from him/her should any under or unexpected problems occur, or if the
patient is dissatisfied. Also, all instructions must be diligently followed, including
scheduling and attending all appointments.
I acknowledge that the post-procedural instructions were given to:
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