While he praises their long-lasting benefits, Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist Kourosh Maddahi, DDS says that crowns and veneers both come with inherent issues like discoloration, wear and tear and staining. To tackle these concerns head on, Dr. Maddahi created Infinity Veneers: The ultimate veneer application system that works to combat the top three issues patients often experience with both restoration methods.
The Background:
“When I first started executing porcelain crowns and veneers thirty years ago, I never saw or heard patients complaining about staining,” says Dr. Maddahi. “But as the years have gone by and whiter, more opaque shades of porcelain have hit the market, I’ve noticed that veneers are much more susceptible to discoloration.” However, Dr. Maddahi explains that the whiter shades of veneers and crowns aren’t the main reason behind this major uptick in stains—he also blames what he calls the “Starbucks renaissance,” which happened in the early 2000’s, for turning people on to coffee.
“Around this time, people started to drink more coffee every day, so the amount of staining, especially on the almost-transparent crowns and veneers, became tremendous,” says Dr. Maddahi. “What I saw was not only a change in the color of the porcelain, but also a change in the base color of the veneers.” At this point, there was only one thing to do: get to the root of the issue.
The Problem:
In Dr. Maddahi’s search for the underlying cause of darkening crowns and veneers, he found many multilayer problems from the bonding agents to the crowns and veneers themselves. “The first problem I found was with the cement that was used as a bonding agent: it changed color and became darker over time. I also found that due to the trauma from the veneer, the natural tooth became a deeper shade, which showed through the veneer placed on top of it. Lastly, there was the problem of staining liquids that caused the veneers to darken over time,” he adds.
The Solution:
Thanks to his years of experience, Dr. Maddahi created a new approach to crowns and veneers that not only eliminated the worry for discoloration but ensured that neither the natural tooth nor the cement was susceptible to change. “I came up with Infinity Veneers, an idea that has allowed me to keep both the tooth and crowns and veneers a bright white color over a long period of time.”
He also came up with a proprietary line of whitening products, including a mouthwash, toothpaste and whitening strips, made to banish any stains that unavoidably come alongside coffee-drinking. Plus, they’re 100-percent safe to use on your crowns or veneers. “All of my whitening products are made with coconut oil, sage oil and lemon peel oil, which don’t damage the porcelain crowns or veneers and are safe for daily use.”
The Long-Lasting Secret:
As with any crowns or veneers, they are always susceptible to breaking, but to avoid an emergency trip to your dentist’s office, Dr. Maddahi has a few recommendations for long-lasting wear.
“People who grind their teeth at night are most susceptible to cracking their veneers or crowns while they snooze,” he says, adding that nighttime grinding can also harm your natural teeth. His number-one route for prevention: Wear a clench-reducing night guard even if you don’t think you’re susceptible to grinding.
Dr. Maddahi’s second tip for ensuring ultimate wear is to avoid hard, crunchy foods. “The food that’s most responsible for cracking porcelain crowns and veneers is almonds,” says Dr. Maddahi. “Because of their thickness and hardness, they can break your crowns or veneers with one bite.”
Arguably the most important of all three preventative steps, Dr. Maddahi says that patients must maintain daily care in order to prolong their new smile. “Brushing, flossing and using mouthwash are essential for maintaining the health of your teeth, but getting your teeth cleaned every 6 months actually ensures that your teeth are healthy and that your crowns or veneers are doing well in their new environment.”
