My Dentist Is Trying to Force Lumineers on Me

I am feeling really pressured by my dentist. I told him I wanted to deal with my tooth gap, but don’t want braces. I’m too old for a mouth full of metal. He keeps insisting I get Lumineers. Six of them! That’s incredibly expensive. The tooth gap is only between my two front teeth. Is that really my only solution?

Lisa W. – Indiana

Lisa,

Wow! Dr. Peck does Lumineers, but just for smile makeovers. There are much less invasive and less costly solutions for something as simple as a tooth gap. First, though, let’s address braces. I certainly understand you not wanting a mouth full of metal, especially as an adult. I don’t know if you’re aware, but dental technology has improved significantly. We now have much better options available for orthodontics. Invisalign, for instance, can straighten your teeth with aligners people can’t see, even at a conversational distance. They can also do it in half the time of traditional braces.

But, if you’ve got your heart set against any form of orthodontics you still have another option. In fact, the typical solution for a tooth gap is to use dental bonding. Bonding uses the composite resin, like what you’d get in a white filling. This will not close the gap, like orthodontics, but it will fill it in so it looks closed. You’ll need to be certain to go to a cosmetic dentist, so you’re sure they know how to match the material to your tooth. You want it to be seamless.

While Lumineers are a massive overtreatment for what you’re trying to do, there is an exception. If there are other things about your smile you want to change, Lumineers can do anything you want. They can make your teeth longer or wider. They can change the color of your teeth. They can even change the shape. It truly can re-make the entire character of your smile.

If you get either of the last two options, their color is permanent, so if you’re not happy with the current brightness and color of your smile, now is the time to change that. Get your teeth whitened, then your dentist can match your bonding or Lumineers to the new spectacular color of your teeth.

Never let a dentist pressure you into a procedure, especially a cosmetic procedure. Lumineers are pricey. They can be worth it for what they’re designed to do, but using them for a simple tooth gap is an overtreatment. It sounds to me like your dentist is just try to make a quick buck at your expense.

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