Tag Archives: dental bonding

Lumineers

My Lumineers need to be whitened

I had Lumineers done a few years ago. I think they’re Lumineers. He called them no-prep veneers and direct bonding. I paid a small fortune for them and didn’t expect them to need whitening this quickly. He indicated they would last for many years.  How do I take care of them getting whitened? I’ve since moved and can’t drive four hours to his office, so I’d like to know what procedure I need and have it done locally.

Louisa – Seattle

Louisa,

There’s something that bothers me about your question. You said he called them Lumineers (which can sometimes be no-prep veneers) and direct bonding. Those are two very different things.  Your dentist indicated they would last for many years, which would indicate some type of porcelain veneer (such as Lumineers), but you’re saying they’ve only lasted a few years, which indicates dental bonding.

The first step is to figure out which procedure you actually received. Go to a good cosmetic dentist in your new area. Let them look at your teeth, they’ll be able to tell right away what procedure you received. Also, tell them how much you paid, so he or she can determine if there’s a chance you were scammed.

Whichever procedure it was, whitening doesn’t work on any type of cosmetic work. Your only solution is to have the procedure re-done.

This blog is brought to you by Drs. Kevin and Hillary Peck.

Lumineers

Lumineers for a tooth gap

My boyfriend doesn’t like my tooth gap. He suggested I get something done about it. I talked to my dentist and he suggested lumineers. They’re awfully expensive. Is there another option?

Dana B. – Rhode Island

Dana,

I hope you won’t be offended if I say you should do something about about your boyfriend before you do your tooth gap. It’s fine if you want to fix it, but only if you want to. You shouldn’t have to change your appearance for anyone else.

There is another option if you don’t think you can afford lumineers. Dental bonding can close your tooth gap. There is a downside. It won’t last as long as lumineers.  Lumineers can last for a couple of decades or more. The dental bonding will only last a few years before it will have to be re-done. However, it can give you time to save up for something more permanent.

You can also get braces or invisalign to close the gap.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentists Drs. Kevin and Hillary Peck.

Affordable Dentist

My dentist doesn’t understand I can’t afford his recommendation

I have a chip on my tooth. I’ve not really had money to fix it, but I’ve been offered a great PR job on the condition I fix my tooth. It’s a reasonable request as I’ll be in front of a camera a lot. It will be worth, it, but I just don’t have the money to do an expensive treatment yet. My dentist wants me to get a Lumineer to fix it, but that is way over my budget. Isn’t there any other option?

Brooke S.- Oregon

Brooke,

I get frustrated when I hear about scenarios like yours. A dentist has an ethical responsibility to give patients all their options, not just the ones that make them the most money.

Dentist’s need to understand that not everybody works on the same type of budget and might need more affordable options for their dental treatment.

You do have another option. It’s possible your dentist doesn’t know how to do it and that isn’t why he mentioned it, but he had a repsonsibility to let you know about the option regardless. Have you looked into dental bodning? It uses composite material to repair your chip.  It doesn’t last as long as a porcelain veneer (Lumineers are a brand of porcelain veneers), but it is considerably less expensive.

It’s a least an option that will allow you to get your new job and then you can save up for the cadillac of repairs.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentists Drs. Kevin and Hillary Peck.

Lumineers

Change My Tooth Shape

Can you tell me what whether dental bonding can change the size of my teeth? I feel like my teeth are too small.

Becky W.- Benton, AR

Becky,

It is possible for for dental bonding to change the size of your teeth. However, bonding is better for things like small gaps and chips. For a cosmetic procedure like you are wanting, you’d really want something that will last significantly longer than bonding.

I would suggest you get Lumineers. They are an ultra thin brand of porcelain veneers. These can not only change the size of your teeth, but the color and shape as well. In some cases you won’t even need any tooth preparation.

This blog is brought to you by Phooenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Teeth Whitening

White spots after braces

My daughter had braces and now she has white spots on her teeth. Our dentist had recommended whitening her teeth, but my friend said that whitening won’t help because the teeth will be whiter but still be uneven in color. I know she isn’t a dentist, but is really quite bright and doesn’t usually say something she isn’t knowledgeable in. Is it possible my friend is right and my dentist is wrong?

Donna M.- Mississippi

Donna,

I’m am really frustrated to say that your friend knows more than your dentist. When you have uneven tooth color, using teeth whitening just makes the difference in color more obvious.  The white spots on her teeth are decalcification that occured while wearing her braces. This happens when there are some oral hygiene issues.

There are a couple of ways to treat this. There is something called Tooth Mousse that was specifically designed for this issue. Another possible treatment is tooth bonding. The softened and decalcified enamel will be removed and then replaced with composite materials that will be bonded onto her teeth. It goes without saying that I would go to a different dentist to do this procedure.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.