Tag Archives: dental crowns

Lumineers

Dentist Hates Lumineers

I’ve been saving for Lumineers for ages. Now that I’ve finally got the money, my dentist doesn’t want to place them. He said Lumineers will make my smile look bulky. I picked those because he won’t have to grind my teeth down and now he wants to grind my teeth. Should I let him or go to a different dentist who’ll do what I want?

Marcy

Dear Marcy,

An advertisement for Lumineers

The thing Lumineers is best at is marketing. They’ve pushed their no-prep line so far that patients are afraid to have another brand of porcelain veneers. Truthfully, all Lumineers are is a brand. They’re not even the best brand.

While some patients look fine without any tooth preparation at all, most end up with a bulky looking smile. Some have described it as having horse teeth. That’s probably not the look you’re going for.

The type of tooth preparation needed for porcelain veneers doesn’t actually grind down your teeth. That’s only necessary for porcelain crowns. Because porcelain crowns cover your entire tooth, including the back and sides, a large amount of tooth structure has to be removed to make room for it.

Porcelain veneers are different. They are very thin and only go on the front of your tooth. For those who need tooth preparation, the dentist only needs to remove only about the depth of a fingernail. You can’t even tell that much has been removed.

Getting a Gorgeous Smile Makeover with Lumineers

Not many expert cosmetic dentists like the Lumineers brand. A lot of that has more to do with the company’s insistence that dentists use their lab. Their lab doesn’t have the best track record for creating gorgeous results.

You don’t want it to look like you’ve got veneers on. You want it to look like you have a naturally gorgeous smile. Because your dentist is warning you that you’ll end up with bulky results, I would say he’s trying to look out for you and give you the best smile possible.

You can insist he give you the Lumineers, sans tooth prep. He may relent and do it. But, I think you’ll regret that decision in the end.

Why don’t you try this? Tell him to go ahead with the brand of porcelain veneers he wants, but you want to see them on with a try-in paste before he permanently bonds them. If you don’t like them, then he has to do the brand you want.

He’ll probably be more willing to do that.

Also, remember, you don’t have to have them placed on your upper and lower arches. Make sure you just whiten the lower arch to match the color of the upper arch. That saves patients a ton of money.

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

Affordable Dentist

Dentist is Humiliating Me Because I’m Broke

I felt like a total failure when I went to the dentist. I hadn’t been able to go for two years, because I don’t have insurance and I have to save up for this kind of thing. It turns out those were two bad years for my teeth. I need five fillings and two crowns. First, the dentist derided me for not coming in sooner. Then, when I told him I couldn’t afford all the work he lectured me and said if I didn’t I would lose all my teeth or die. I was so humiliated because he said all this in front of his staff. But what is a patient supposed to do if they can’t afford something? I can’t produce money out of thin air.

Louis K.

Dear Louis,

That was bad form on the part of your dentist. It was unfair of him to lecture you for something you have no control over. It’s even more unfair that he humiliates you for needing to do this in stages. And, you should know, it is totally fine for you to do this in stages. Not everyone can afford to do all their work at once. You need to find a dentist who is willing to work with you financially.

In the meantime, have this dentist list out the work which needs to be done in order of priority. Which cavities or infections are further along. Do those first, giving yourself time to save up for the other procedures. There are also dentists who work with Care Credit. It’s a medical credit card, which will allow you to have all the work done at once (if you’d like), then pay it out. Often, depending on your credit, you can choose your terms. Some have zero interest.

Your dentist is right about one thing, though not the way he handled it. People do still die from tooth infections. In fact, a father in his thirties passed away this past February from not getting to the dentist in time. Some patients make the mistake of thinking just taking an antibiotic will be enough. It won’t. It will stave off an infection for a while, but because there is no blood stream in a tooth, there’s no way for the medicine to reach it. A dentist has to physically dig out the decayed material. So, while you can put this off for a bit, don’t wait too long. That’s why I asked you to have the dentist list out the work in order of urgency.

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

Lumineers

Are Lumineers Visible?

I have teeth in need of a smile makeover. I suggested Lumineers, but my dentist is against it. He says Lumineers or any brand of porcelain veneers aren’t good enough. He told me that people can tell when you’re wearing them. Instead he suggested cosmetic crowns. I’m not crazy about that, because even though my teeth are ugly, they are healthy. I don’t want to get rid of healthy tooth structure.

Kelli M. – South Dakota

Kelli,

You’re certainly thinking more clearly than your dentist. There is no reason to grind down healthy tooth structure, especially since he’s wrong about Lumineers.

When porcelain veneers are done properly, they are indistinguishable from natural teeth. They are the ideal treatment for a smile makeover. But, it has to be done right.

Don’t pressure your dentist to do this though.  You won’t get the smile you were hoping for.  My suggestion is you look for someone else to do your smile makeover. Ask to see their smile gallery to make sure they do beautiful work.

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

Lumineers

Can I get Lumineers if I have two crowns?

I was thinking of getting lumineers. Is that possible to do if I have two dental crowns?

Monica C. – Alabama

Monica,

Yes and No.  You can get Lumineers on the teeth that don’t have crowns, but not on the teeth that do.  That won’t negatively impact your smile makeover if you have the crowns re-done at the same time.

When you have the dental crowns re-done, make sure your dentist gives you all-porcelain crowns. These are much more natural looking.

You’ll want to go to a dentist who has experience with Lumineers and has created beautiful smiles.  It is perfectly within your rights to ask to see photos of smiles he or she has done.

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

Lumineers

Can I switch to Lumineers instead of crowns?

I was planning on getting dental crowns, but recently read about Lumineers.Can I get them instead of crowns, or am I stuck with crowns once I start that procedure?

Lillian- San Diego

Lillian,

It depends on whether or not your dentist has already done the tooth preparation for your dental crowns. Once a tooth has been prepared for crowns, that is the only thing that will work on your teeth. However, if he hasn’t already shaved your teeth down, then you can switch to the Lumineers procedure.

There are two possible hold-ups. The first is whether or not your dentist is familiar with the procedure. If not, you’ll need to find a Lumineers certified dentist. The second is whether those teeth have large fillings on them. If so, you’d need to do crowns instead of Lumineers. You can do a mixed procedure too: some crowns, some Lumineers.

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

Cosmetic Dentistry

Help for a bulimic

I’ve been getting treatment for bulimia and I have realized how bad my teeth have gotten because of it. Is there anything I can do to fix the damage I’ve done?

Name Withheld

The first thing I recommend is going to see your dentist. The acid from your purging is what causes the erosion on your teeth. I would drink a lot of water to help neutralize any residual acid.

Bulimia can also cause your mouth to dry out. This can lead to tooth decay, because the minerals and enzymes in our saliva helps to fight the bacteria in our mouth. Chewing on a sugarless gum will help promote saliva production.

Your dentist may also recommend a fluoride treatment. Depending on the condition of your teeth, it may be wise to get porcelain crowns placed on them. Please be aware that this does not completely protect them from purging. There is always some space that can allow the acid through.

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

 

Tooth Extraction

Do I have to have an extraction?

My upper left molar that we thought needed to be capped because part of it was missing is really starting to radiate pain. The only time I get relief is when I drink something cold. Am I making a mistake just getting it capped? Should I get it extracted?

Julia R.- New Jersey

Julia,

Whether or not you get your tooth extracted is up to you. However, have you looked into saving the tooth? I tend to try to save a tooth whenever possible. Your dentist should give you the pros and cons of every option.

Generally when cold makes tooth pain go away, it is a sign that the tooth is dying inside and needs a root canal treatment. If you did that, you can take care of the pain, get a dental crown, and save your tooth.

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