I’m hoping you can help me.  I told my dentist that I want lumineers, but he’s insisting I get porcelain veneers. I specifically wanted lumineers so I wouldn’t have to grind my teeth down.  I wanted the thin ones.  Can you give me some information that will help me convince him?

Lucienne- South Dakota

Lucienne,

Lumineers are highly marketed, but there are some misconceptions about them.  First, you need to be aware, that they aren’t different than porcelain veneers. They are simply one brand of porcelain veneers. Though they are ultra-thin, they are certainly not the only brand of ultra -thin veneers.

A second misconception is that your teeth need to be ground down in order to place porcelain veneers. The dental treatment that requires grinding is porcelain crowns. Veneers are totally different.  Your tooth does require some mild preparation, but it only changes your teeth abou the depth of a fingernail. It is so insignificant that people won’t be able to tell the difference between a prepared or unprepared tooth.

I would trust your lumineers in this case. If he’s not too keen on you using lumineers, he must think that a different brand will give you a more attractive smile.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.