Changing your smile has never been easier thanks to Lumineers, a veneer that can be put directly onto the teeth painlessly, without drilling or shots. Dr. Kirk Petersen, DMD, runs Hemet West Dental Office in Hemet, California, and talks here about why Lumineers are becoming so popular.
Lumineers are a very strong, very thin version of a veneer, which is a porcelain facing that goes on the front of the front teeth. They work well in that they can improve the color, the shape and the apparent position of the teeth. They are a terrific solution for permanently stained, chipped, discolored or even misaligned teeth, and can even revitalize old crowns and bridgework.
No Drilling Required
One other benefits is that because Lumineers are so thin, they often can be placed without any drilling on the teeth, and therefore we don’t have to give you a shot either. They are about as thin as a contact lens, and require about probably around a third as much drilling as a crown would.
The procedure is often just as simple taking an impression and then designing the teeth the way we want them; then we send them off to the design studio. In a couple of weeks, the Lumineers are finished and we just bond them onto the teeth. They are made from a patented Cerinate porcelain, and can be fitted in just two or three visits to the dentist.
Who’s a Good Candidate?
Several types of people are good candidates for veneers. Lumineers would be perfect for a person who has spaces between their teeth, and they would also be perfect for a person who has short teeth. Sometimes they are good for someone who has perfect teeth and wants them to stay that way definitely. The reason for that is because porcelain does not change color over time, so it’s really the only permanent lightening system we have.
The only instance I can think of where a person would not be a good candidate for Lumineers would be a person with protruding upper teeth. The reason for that is because when we put the Lumineers on it does add a bit to the front of the tooth, even though they are incredibly thin, so they could look like they protrude even more.
Lumineers are also good because they have a five-year warranty from the manufacturer against breakage. There have been cases where they have been on probably for about 25 years at this point with no problems. Changing your smile has never been easier or more painless.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
