Tag Archives: Lumineers versus other brands of porcelain veneers

Lumineers

Are lumineers a good option for your teeth?

Many dental professionals have differing opinions regarding Lumineers. Below is a breakdown of information to aid you in determining if they are the best dental option for you.

How do Lumineers work?

Just like Nike is a brand of shoes and Pepsi is a brand of soda, Lumineers is a brand of veneers. And, just like Pepsi and Nike, there are other brands of incredibly thin veneers, as well as unbranded options.

Ultra-thin veneers improve smiles in many ways

  • More vivid and uniform tooth coloring
  • Repair chips
  • Close gaps
  • Creates a celebrity-like smile

No-prep or low-prep option
Porcelain veneers are traditionally used to create a celebrity-like smile. In these veneers, a porcelain layer is applied to the front of the tooth, and around the sides and biting surface. A small portion of the tooth’s structure will need to be removed anywhere where the porcelain is, in order for the shell to fit naturally and create a uniform look. If a tooth is unstraight, or sticks out further than its neighbor teeth, more of the tooth’s structure may be taken off, in order for it to look straight once the veneer is on. Not all patients need such changes though, and for these cases, the ultrathin option is ideal. The are approximately as thick as a fingernail, and some of the brands claim that no prepping or removing of the tooth’s structure is necessary with the veneer be placed on top. However, this is rarely the case, as additional bulk is created, as well as an unnatural look, resulting in unhappy patients. Therefore, dentists tend to use the ultra-thin veneers as a low-prep alternative.

Do Lumineers harm your teeth?

Whether it be traditional, low-prep, or no-prep option, placing veneers will permanently alter the structure of a tooth. Even the no-prep alternative roughens the surface of the tooth to allow the veneer shell to adhere. Because the change to the tooth is permanent with any of these options, there will always need to be a covering on that tooth.

Ultra-thin veneers are a safe option

The ultra-thin veneers are an approach that is minimally invasive, yet can yield significant results. They are the effective choice when a smile makeover is desired, but teeth are not in need of extensive alterations. However, they are not always the most appropriate option for every scenario. For some people that are not a candidate for the ultra-thin option, the traditional porcelain veneers are a good alternative. A small amount of enamel is removed in both situations.

This article is brought to you by Phoenix Lumineer dentist, Dr. Hillary Peck.

Lumineers

What should I know before getting Lumineers?

I’m thinking about getting Lumineers. I’ve seen them advertised and they always look great. Are they too good to be true? I’m wondering if there is anything I should know prior to making an appointment.

Thank you,
Becky

Dear Becky,
You made a smart choice by asking about Lumineers. Before you commit to the procedure, keep these four pieces of information in mind.

  1. “Lumineers” is a general concept that has been given a branded name. To give you the back story, DenMat is the company that makes Lumineers and claims to be the first to create these veneers. While some may argue this, they were certainly the first to market the product well. But, there are dozens of companies that now make these veneers, some of which are labs which do not use any kind of branded trade name.
  2. The thin veneers may or may not be the right option for you.  One of the main advantages to these veneers is that they are able to be placed with a little adjustment to your tooth’s natural structure. However, sometimes the veneers are not thick enough to make an even smile, while other times, they’re too thick and awkward. Be sure to speak to a cosmetic dentist to see what will best fit your needs.
  3. A dentist’s skills are more important than the brand. Not only did the company that makes Lumineers market to patients, but they also marketed to general dentists, as a way to include cosmetic dentistry in their practice. This is a great feature for those dentists naturally gifted in aesthetics but gives false confidence to those who are not. The majority of dentists need extensive training to produce cosmetically beautiful results, but many may elect to pass on this training. This results in the use of this method without the proper training, yielding bulky teeth that do not look natural.
  4. Searching for a skilled cosmetic dentist will get better results than searching for a procedure. Like any profession, dentists have different strengths and weaknesses. Some are skilled more for crowns and oral surgery, while you should see different dentists for overcoming dental fear or to get a smile makeover. For the best results, search for a dentist who has devoted a great deal of time to become a skilled cosmetic dentist. Check the doctor’s credentials and extra training. Look at his or her smile gallery. Read reviews.

Best of luck to you!

This blog is sponsored by the office of Phoenix Lumineers provider, Dr. Hillary Peck.

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.