Dear Dr Hall Hope you don’t mind a question from across the other side of the world! I came across your website and thought I should order some of the supersmile toothpast that you recommend. My question is, have you heard of resin veneers lasting a very long time, i.e. 10 years and counting? I’m worried that they might all start to deteriorate at the same time! Many thanks for your time – much appreciated.
– Ruth from Adelaide

Ruth,
Do not mind questions from you Aussies. This makes two from Australia this month.
It isn’t unusual to see porcelain veneers lasting ten, even twenty years. I had some patients I watched for about 15 years after doing their porcelain veneers and never saw them “wear out.”  

Resin veneers require much more care. Their surfaces can get dull very easily, and I have seen some start to get dingy within a year or two. But you do extend their life by taking care of them well, and gentle yet powerful Supersmile toothpaste gets stains off without abrasives. Whenever any of my patients had extensive composite resin work, I gave them a free starter tube of Supersmile, and I encouraged them to use that as their only toothpaste.

And I would watch that your dental hygienist doesn’t use anything abrasive in your cleanings. They typically use pumice to polish your teeth, but this will scratch the resin veneers. Aluminum oxide polishes can help restore their luster.

Thanks,
Dr. Hall

Links: read more about care of porcelain veneers. Read about post-operative instructions for care of dental bonding and resin veneers.