Lumineers
Ft. Lauderdale Dentist, Palm Beach Dentist, Boca Raton Dentist
Besides offering a variety of traditional veneers, including daVinci veneers (as seen on ABC’s Extreme Makeover and Fox’s The Swan), our office also offers Lumineers.
Lumineers are veneers that are much thinner than traditional veneers. Because they are contact lense thin and usually only require 2-3 visits, they tend to be pose less discomfort than traditional veneers. Often times, Lumineer patients do not need extensive drilling or preparation.
However, not everyone is a candidate for Lumineers. Lumineers are designed for minor chipping, misalignment, and discoloration of teeth. Every patient must be evaluated on an individual basis. In some cases, a combination of traditional veneers and Lumineers or Invisalign and Lumineers would be optimal to accomplish the desired result.
“Ever since ABC-TV’s Extreme Makeover, we have noticed a marked increase in patients asking about veneers, and more recently, Lumineers,” said Smile South Florida cosmetic dentist, Dr. Charles Nottingham. “Many people have some confusion about the differences and similarities between the two. Basically, a Lumineer is a type of veneer that requires less preparation and little or no removal of the tooth structure.”
In addition to being made of thin, porous porcelain, both products:
- cover only the visible portions of teeth;
- repair minor tooth imperfections;
- straighten and lengthen teeth;
- conceal stained or discolored fillings; and
- are stain proof, natural in appearance and highly resilient.
Of course, as Dr. Nottingham noted, there are distinct differences between these two popular, cosmetic-dentistry procedures. Veneers, also known as “dental porcelain laminates,” are wafer-thin shells that bond to teeth. They are permanent, custom-shaped and require the removal of roughly .5 mm of the original tooth to allow space for the new veneer. Lumineers are thinner; roughly the thickness of a contact-lens.
“Lumineers are ideal for minor cosmetic adjustments, but I would not recommend them for major extreme-makeover and instant-orthodontic work,” said Dr. Nottingham. “For example, I would suggest a patient add a couple Lumineers to extend small teeth, fix a minor chip, or change color. For patients who want to close a diasema (wide gap between teeth) without using metal braces, I would suggest traditional veneers because it allows me more flexibility in molding the veneer to create the best aesthetic look. One size does not fit all.“
