My husband has tetracycline stains and is being quoted about $1200 per tooth for Lumineers. That is a LOT of money. When we mentioned that, the dentist told him that Lumineers are cheaper than other brands of porcelain veneers and we won’t get a better deal. Is this accurate?
Brooke
Dear Brooke,
I don’t know who your husband’s dentist is, but I wouldn’t let him anywhere near your husband’s teeth. Not because of the price, but because of his attitude and incompetence. The price is about average, but you should know that Lumineers are not inherently cheaper than other brands of porcelain veneers.
Telling you that you can’t get them cheaper is a lie. However, you don’t want to choose any brand of porcelain veneers based on what is the cheapest. The dentists who are significantly cheaper than everyone else are usually unskilled and will either give him a terrible smile makeover as a result, or they use subpar materials which won’t last.
More than that, though, Lumineers are a bad choice for treating tetracycline stains. They are touted as no-prep veneers but, in order for the veneers to cover the dark tetracycline stains some tooth prep will be necessary. You’ll also want them to hug the teeth a bit.
My recommendation if you still want to go the veneers route is to pay an expert cosmetic dentist to do them right. If you can’t afford that right now, just start with teeth whitening. Use the bleaching trays kind of whitening you get at dentists. If he’s persistent, he’ll see improvement. It won’t be the stunning smile he could get with porcelain veneers, but it will make a difference while you save up to get it done well.
This blog is brought to you by an affordable dentist in Phoenix, Dr. Hillary Peck.