Maintain Your Smile & Preserve Cosmetic Dental Work

Your smile is your biggest asset at Optimal Dental. After you have spent money on cosmetic dentistry, you must maintain it to protect your investment and your health. This guidebook will teach you how to get the best return on your dental work and have a radiant, beautiful smile.

Daily Maintenance to Preserve Your Cosmic Dental Smile

Brushing Technique

The basis upon which cosmetic dentistry is being maintained begins at the brushing of teeth:

• Brush teeth twice a day with soft, gentle circular strokes
• Select the proper instruments: A soft-bristled toothbrush and a non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste
• Provide extra attention to the areas where your natural teeth meet cosmetic restorations. Time is of the essence: Attempt two minutes of efficient brushing per session
• Best Dental Tip: For bonding or veneer patients, we recommend cosmetic toothpastes so you don’t scratch the surface.

Flossing Habits

Flossing is not a substitute for maintaining your own teeth and cosmetic investments:

• Daily flossing can dislodge plaque and trapped food in between hard-to-visit places
• Use the proper technique: Slide floss between teeth, not snapping it down on gums
• Be even more conservative around veneers, crowns, and margins of other restorations
• Stock specialized equipment such as water flossers or interdental brushes to facilitate easy cleaning of spaces around dental work

Completing Your Regimen with Mouthwash

The appropriate mouthwash gives a person an added layer of protection:

• Use alcohol-free products to avoid irritation, particularly after cosmetic treatment
• Find antibacterial action to prevent plaque and periodontal disease
• Rinse for 30 seconds for the best effect

Professional Care: Your Smile’s Best Friend

Regular Check-ups: Beyond the Essentials

We at Optimal Dental provide expert treatment to patients with cosmetic dental care:

• See bi-annually for professional evaluation of your restorations
• Digital imaging helps us to identify early indicators of potential issues
• Customized assessments keep your physical look in prime condition

Professional Cleanings: The Unseen Benefit

Even diligent home upkeep cannot substitute for professional attention:

• Progressive cleaning procedures preserve the stability and luster of veneers and other restorations
• Selective removal of plaque from sites of high susceptibility to caries
• Personalized guidance to your specific kind of dental care

Extending the Shelf Life of Specific Cosmetic Treatment

Porcelain Veneers: Maintaining Your Perfect Smile

With proper maintenance, your veneers will be smiling beautifully for years to come:

• Life expectancy: 10-15 years if properly cared for
• Do not bite hard objects like ice, pencils, or fingernails
• Purchase a night guard if you have nighttime grinding of your teeth
• Get a professional gloss every year to keep them shining

Dental Implants: Caring for Your Permanent Solution

Implants have an estimated lifespan with these maintenance frequencies:

• Brush gently around implant crowns with soft interdental brushes
• Careful focus on the gumline where soft tissue and implant sites meet
• Regular follow-ups to evaluate implant stability and integration
• Report any unexplained sensations around the implant locations at once

Tooth-Colored Fillings and Bonding: Preserving Natural Looks

Maintain the esthetic quality of tooth-colored restorations:

• Detailed lifespan: 3-5 years before possible retouching
• Restrict use of stain-inducing foods and drinks
• Mouth rinse after taking colored foods such as coffee, tea, or red wine
• Avoid the application of severe whiteners that can soften composite surfaces

Teeth Whitening: Maintaining Your Brilliant Smile

Extend the course of your bleaching treatment:

• Adhere to post-whitening dietary guidelines for 48 hours
• Use the recommended maintenance products by your Optimal Dental expert – 6-12 months, regular touch-up therapy
• Use a straw when drinking possible stain drinks

Lifestyle Choices That Shield Your Investment

Smile-Friendly Diet

Your diet impacts biological teeth and also aesthetic procedures

• Select calcium-dense foods to build supportive dental structures
• Crunch into crunchy fruits and vegetables that help naturally clean tooth surfaces
• Restrict acidic foods and beverages that wear away natural enamel and some restorations
• Hydrate with water to maintain your optimum oral health

Breaking Harmful Habits

Protect your investment from the following:

• Softening and degradation of gum tissue by the products of stain
• Utilization of teeth as a package or bottle openers
• Biting of nails that may chip veneers or break bonding
• Excessive use of alcohol that can dry out mouth tissues and risk decay

Protections for Promoting Active lifestyles For our active patients: 

• Personalized mouthguards offer better protection during sports activities 
• Night guards prevent damage from unconscious grinding or clenching 
• Replacing protective gear every now and then as they get worn out

Your Smile Maintenance Partners At Optimal Dental, we’re dedicated to helping you love your dream smile for a lifetime. Our seasoned staff offers personalized recommendations for each patient’s specific dental care. 

Keep in mind, your cosmetic dental procedure is an investment in your looks and self-confidence proper care to safeguard that investment reaps benefits for years to come. 

Ready to book your virtual maintenance appointment or find out more about your cosmetic dental appointments’ maintenance? 

Call our team today at 703.391.2222 to arrange your free consultation. 

Your smile is worth the very best care and at Optimal Dental, that’s what you’ll get!