FREE Cosmetic Dentistry Consumer Guide Part 1- Veneers vs Lumineers

There are many procedures that we do each and every day here at Akron Dental Concepts that can help you improve your smile and the way it makes you feel about yourself.

I’ve written this guide to help answer any questions you might have about Cosmetic Dentistry procedures. If your question isn’t addressed here, give us a call at the office and we’ll be happy to help you make the best decision possible.

Veneers vs. Lumineers

You may have seen a commercial on TV or have read an ad in a magazine about these things called Lumineers. What the heck are they?

Lumineers are nothing more than veneers (pieces of porcelain that cover the front part of the tooth only)- they’re just a brand of veneer. But the one thing that’s different about Lumineers than veneers is that they are really thin. If you have gaps between your teeth, Lumineers can fill in those gaps. Regular veneers are thicker and require you to have your teeth shaven down quite a bit so that they don’t look “bulky” when they’re put on. Whereas Lumineers are pretty thin and don’t require any trimming- or if they do, it’s a minimal amount and you don’t even have to get numb for it.

Do I qualify for Lumineers?

The answer to this is it depends. It depends on a lot of factors.

1. Your bite. With any type of veneer, if you have a normal bite where the top teeth slightly come over the bottom teeth, then veneers could be for you. But if you have a deep overbite, veneers, especially Lumineers tend to break off and chip.

2. How crooked are your teeth? Lumineers are only targeted for people with MINOR crowding, not people with teeth growing out of their ears. If you teeth are pretty crooked, you may want to consider either regular braces or the invisable Invisalign braces to correct your crowding and unscramble those teeth. It’s always better to conserve your teeth, because after your baby teeth fall out, you never get another chance at new teeth again- unless I make them for you!

3. How dark are your teeth? If you have dark teeth either from tetracycline staining or from some other type of medication, either veneers or Lumineers can help. With the right color of cement or glue,they can pretty much cover any type of color and mask it out.

4 How many teeth do you want to do? Both lumineers and veneers can cover the front teeth pretty easily. But in my experience, Lumineers aren’t as good on back premolar or molar teeth because they are too thin and this is the area that sees all of the biting forces from food when you eat.

These are just a few FAQ’s that I get about Lumineers vs veneers in my practice. I hope that this has helped. If I didn’t answer your question, don’t hesitate to call us at 330-666-7440

11 July 2008