Protecting Your Cosmetic Investment At Our Dentist Office
Investing in a beautiful, radiant smile is one of the most rewarding decisions you can make for your self-esteem and social confidence. At our dentist office, we have spent decades helping our patients achieve their aesthetic goals with the highest-quality restorations available. Led by Dr. Lee Sheldon, Dr. Matt Sheldon, and board-certified periodontist Dr. Michel Furtado, Sheldon & Furtado, PLLC has proudly served the Melbourne and Brevard County communities since 1980. Voted Best of Brevard for the eleventh consecutive year, our office provides a warm, relaxing environment where we meticulously craft custom solutions to rebuild your bite. If you are searching for a premier dentist’s office near you to design or care for your smile, our team offers unmatched clinical excellence.
Among our premier aesthetic treatments, porcelain veneers represent the gold standard in cosmetic dentistry due to their lifelike translucency and incredible stain-resistant properties. However, while dental porcelain is exceptionally strong, veneers are not completely indestructible and still require mindful daily care to preserve their integrity. Many patients are surprised to learn that their normal, routine habits can place unnecessary stress on these thin shells, potentially causing them to chip, debond, or wear down prematurely. Understanding how to protect your investment ensures you can enjoy a bright, seamless smile for many decades to come; schedule your initial evaluation with our team today by calling (321) 259-8000.
1. Using Your Teeth As Tools
One of the most common ways patients accidentally damage their restorations is by using their teeth as makeshift tools to perform everyday tasks. Your teeth and your veneers are designed specifically for chewing food, not for handling household chores. Engaging in the following activities can place sudden, unnatural twisting forces on the edges of your restorations, potentially breaking the bond between the porcelain and your natural enamel:
- Tearing open plastic packaging or cardboard boxes
- Biting off clothing price tags
- Cracking open hard nuts or seeds
- Holding metal hairpins, nails, or pens between your teeth
- Biting your fingernails when stressed
If you find yourself tempted to use your front teeth to open a stubborn bottle or hold a pen, take a moment to find the proper tool instead. Protecting your restorations from these sudden, unnatural biting forces is the simplest way to prevent an emergency trip to our office. If you have recently chipped a veneer and need an expert evaluation, our team is ready to help you rebuild your smile; reach out to us by calling (321) 259-8000.
2. Chewing On Hard Objects Or Sticky Foods
Chewing on non-food objects is another highly destructive habit that can quickly ruin your beautiful dental work. Mindlessly biting on ice cubes, fingernails, hard plastic pens, or metal paperclips can cause micro-fractures in the porcelain that grow larger over time under the pressure of normal chewing. Additionally, extremely sticky or chewy candies can create a powerful pulling force that can weaken the dental cement holding your veneers securely in place.
To keep your smile safe, we recommend avoiding these hard materials entirely and being mindful of what you chew on throughout the day. If you enjoy raw, crunchy vegetables like carrots or apples, we suggest slicing them into smaller, bite-sized pieces first rather than biting into them directly with your front teeth. This small adjustment distributes the chewing forces more evenly across your mouth and protects your front teeth from sudden impact.
3. Skipping Your Professional Dental Cleanings
Many patients believe that because dental porcelain cannot decay, they no longer need to worry about routine hygiene appointments. While it is true that the veneers themselves are impervious to cavities, the natural tooth structure underneath them remains highly vulnerable to bacterial plaque. If plaque is allowed to accumulate along the gum margins, it can quickly lead to localized decay at the seam where the porcelain meets your natural tooth, compromising the entire restoration.
Attending regular dental cleanings at our Melbourne, FL office is absolutely essential to remove hardened tartar and protect your underlying tooth structure. Our highly trained hygienists utilize specialized scaling tools to clean your teeth thoroughly without damaging the polished surface of your porcelain. To protect your investment and maintain excellent oral health, schedule your next cleaning by calling (321) 259-8000.
4. Grinding Your Teeth At Night
Bruxism, or the involuntary grinding and clenching of your teeth while you sleep, is one of the most common causes of cosmetic restoration failures. The human jaw can exert hundreds of pounds of pressure per square inch during a grinding episode, which is far more force than porcelain is designed to withstand. Over time, this chronic, intense friction will inevitably cause your restorations to chip, fracture, or pop off completely, while also damaging your natural opposing teeth.
If you wake up with a sore jaw, chronic headaches, or notice flat spots on your natural teeth, you may be grinding your teeth at night. To protect your smile, our dentists near you can custom-craft a comfortable nightguard that fits securely over your teeth to cushion them from these destructive forces. Our team uses true high-tech dentistry to capture detailed impressions of your mouth, ensuring your protective nightguard is perfectly aligned and highly comfortable. If you suspect you grind your teeth and want to safeguard your dental work, contact our office today by calling (321) 259-8000.
5. Using Highly Abrasive Toothpaste
While you might think that using a powerful whitening toothpaste is the best way to keep your smile looking bright, it can actually have the opposite effect on your restorations. Many over-the-counter whitening pastes contain highly abrasive ingredients, such as baking soda or silica, designed to scrub away surface stains from natural enamel. Unfortunately, these abrasive particles are too harsh for dental porcelain and will gradually scratch the smooth, protective glaze on your veneers.
Once this polished glaze is scratched, the porcelain loses its lifelike luster and becomes much more susceptible to absorbing dark stains from coffee, tea, and wine. To protect your restorations, we highly recommend using a gentle, non-abrasive fluoride gel toothpaste that is specifically formulated for cosmetic dental work. If you have questions about the best oral hygiene products to use, our team is always here to offer personalized advice.
Partnering With Our Experts In Brevard County
Caring for your cosmetic dental work does not have to be complicated, but it does require a consistent partnership with a trusted dental team. At Sheldon & Furtado, PLLC, our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and professional care necessary to keep your smile looking brilliant for a lifetime. Whether you are looking to revitalize your smile with comprehensive cosmetic dentistry or simply want to protect your existing restorations, our practice offers the highest standard of personalized care in a warm, anxiety-free atmosphere.
Voted Best of Brevard for the eleventh year, our office serves families from Melbourne, Palm Bay, Cocoa Beach, Titusville, and Viera. We combine specialized expertise, cutting-edge technology, and compassionate support to help you achieve and maintain your dream smile. Reclaim your confidence and protect your long-term wellness today. Schedule your initial first visit with our collaborative team by navigating to our contact us page, or please reach out to our office directly by calling (321) 259-8000.