Lumineers are a brand of porcelain veneers that can be fitted to your existing teeth without the need to drill or grind them down.
Their selling point is that they are stronger than most other brands of veneers, so they can be made thinner. The main advantage of the Lumineers is that your natural teeth are being preserved and there is usually no sensitivity, compared to traditional veneer preparation techniques.
The Lumineers process takes only 2 visits to your dentist and the placement of Lumineers on the second visit takes, on average, only about one hour.
Is the Lumineers procedure painful?
Rest assured, the Lumineers procedure is a completely pain-free way to reshape and permanently whiten your teeth. Because they are ultra-thin, in most cases you will get a perfect fit without shots or grinding down of the original tooth structure. Once the procedure is completed, there is no post placement discomfort or sensitivity, which means Lumineers will look natural and feel comfortable from the moment they are placed.
How are Lumineers different from traditional veneers?
Lumineers are unique in that they are ultra-thin (approximately 0.2 mm) and highly translucent, allowing them to replicate the natural appearance of enamel. While traditional veneers are much thicker, requiring the grinding down of your original tooth structure, Lumineers are so thin that little to no tooth reduction is necessary. Additionally, the durability of Lumineers allows them to resist wear and remain resilient to last over 20 years.
Lumineers Pros
- No shots!
- No removal of sensitive tooth structure! Lumineers are placed directly over the whole front of your tooth.
- Comfortable for sensitive patients!
- No temporaries to be worn
- In most cases Lumineers can be reversed
- Lumineers can give the appearance of straighter teeth.
Lumineers Cons
- Complaints about Lumineers are mostly about the veneer detaching itself soon after the procedure.
- Patients may ask about Lumineers’ translucency. In other words, if the natural tooth is dark, a thin Lumineer may need a “block” to prevent the darker tint from showing through.
- Patients may also inquire about the thickness of the Lumineers.
Additionally, Lumineers are much thinner than other types of veneers, and as such, the lab technician cannot build in as much depth of color. This can make it more difficult to mask darkly discolored teeth, and a less aesthetic outcome is the result.