How Long Do Porcelain Veneers Last?

This is a very difficult question to answer because it’s hard to know. You might consider a comparison with different objects to get perspective on the question.

On the one hand, porcelain veneers are an aesthetic object, like a Grecian urn. Like the Grecian urn, they pass their days uttering “Beauty is truth, truth beauty” every time you smile. And like the Grecian urn, they have the ability to outlive us all, and, who knows, perhaps in some strange distant future will end up in a museum somewhere, perhaps on a different planet telling the story of humanity to alien children or discovered in a cave to prove that men really did have a civilization before the apes.

On the other hand, porcelain veneers are a tool, like a hammer. Properly cared for, a hammer will last a really long time, but if left out in the rain it will rust and if used for something other than its intended purpose it may break. Porcelain veneers become part of your teeth and they assist in the job of chewing. When properly cared for and used for their intended purpose, they can last a very long time. In normal situations, clinical studies have shown that 95% of porcelain veneers are intact 11 years after placement. But if you neglect them or use them inappropriately (say as bottle openers or nutcrackers), they can fail much sooner.

At Miami Designer Smiles our cosmetic dentists will not only expertly place your well-crafted porcelain veneers, but also give you detailed care instructions so they will remain, capable of shedding light in the midst of other woes. Please contact us today to schedule your consultation.