We carry out a huge amount of Composite Bonding at our Leigh-on Sea clinic, Dental Health
and Aesthetics. All our patients are of course, absolutely thrilled when they leave after the
treatment has been carried out. Big smiles galore. But how do you keep your composite
bonding and composite veneers looking super fresh, so they last the test of time? Well of
course, some of this will come down to the treatment itself. A poor practioner will not be
taking their time or planning your case properly. Time spent on polishing and finishing your
composite will help avoid:
- Plaque retention
- Staining
- Bleeding gums
- Fracture risk
- Colour change
‘What can I do?’ you ask. Well, lots of things. But here are my top 5 Key tips to maintaining
your Composite Bonding and Composite Veneers:
1. Wear a Nightguard or Retainer
You must wear a nightguard. Even if you don’t think you grind your teeth. You may clench, grind or tongue thrust when asleep, especially when stressed (which in this current climate is not surprising). Not only does this protect your composite, as a retainer it will maintain the position of your teeth.
2. Visit a Hygienist
Not only is a hygiene appointment extremely good for both your oral health and general health, it also allows us to spot any possible issues with other teeth, including the detection of oral cancer. If needed, we can polish up your composite back to that sparkly shine you had on day one. It is a must if you wish to maintain the health of your composite bonding
3. Avoid bad habits
There are many bad habits that my patients have adopted over the years. Composite is
string, however it is not as strong as your natural teeth and therefore is more like to break
with the following habits:
- Fingernail biting
- Opening bottle tops
- Tearing packets/Sellotape
4. Staining
After composite is placed, you need to avoid high stain risk drinks and foods, ideally for 2
weeks after treatment if possible. This is due to the fact the new composite is very
vulnerable to staining. Long term these types of foods, drinks and habits will of cause stain
your composite and natural teeth, things like:
- Red Wine
- Smoking/Vaping
- I don’t need to tell you how bad smoking is for you and your mouth. But the staining issues it can cause for your composite mean that the long-term shade of your composite can be affected dramatically. We have seen this trend with vaping also. A grey ‘bluish’ stain seems to appear on the composite which requires removing by your dental care professional
- Tea/Coffee
- Dark Foods
- Beetroot
- Curry
We don’t expect you to cut these out of your life completely, but there are ways of
managing your risk to staining:
- Visit a Hygienist Regularly
- Reducing consumption of the listed foods and drinks
- Drink through a straw
- Try and rinse your mouth after eating or drinking, wither with a mouthwash or even
water - Chewing gum after eating or drinking (although be careful with chewing gum and
composite bonding) - Place whitening gels into your retainers to bleach your composite (it will not whiten
your composite, but it will help clean off the staining. We advise doing this 1-2 times
a month)