I have had three cleaning with my porcelain veneers. My hygienist used a magnetostrictive ultrasonic cleaner. This led to two porcelain veneers fracturing on my lateral incisors. Is this a typical risk? If not, was the scaler itself the problem or my hygienist.

Phoebe

Dear Phoebe,

The most popular magnetostrictive scaler is a Cavitron by the Dentsply company. It has been around for decades. Even though it is more gentle than the piezoelectric scaler, it is more dependent on the technique of the person using it. In skilled hands it works fine, but when someone is not using the proper technique, there is a greater chance of damage.

That being said, in order for a porcelain veneer to crack under these circumstances, the tip of the scaler would have to have been on the surface of the porcelain when your hygienist used it. That would be against all standards of use and is almost guaranteed to damage the veneer. For a hygienist to cause this type of damage tells me that this dental practice is not equipped to handle cosmetic work. I think this office should replace your fractured veneers free of charge.

Additionally, I also think you need to go to a dentist with expertise in porcelain veneers in order to protect your investment. I would also like to recommend reading this post about how to care for your porcelain veneers. It will even warn about things you need to be aware of that a hygienist could do during your appointments that could unintentionally damage your veneers.

I’m sorry this happened to you and hope they will make it right quickly so you can enjoy your holidays without the worry of fractured veneers. This should never have happened.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.