How long am I willing to wait?

Time is sometimes a factor with dental treatments. Various careers require different levels of public interface and frankly not everyone feels comfortable sporting braces in these types of conditions. If time is a factor in your situation, than by all means get Lumineers. The treatment can be completed in a matter of weeks, largely depending on how fast the lab is able to process your veneers (which usually takes about 3 weeks). With Lumineers, you bypass the inconvenience of having to wear temporaries and can go about your life normally right after you have them outfitted on your teeth.

Will I be able to maintain my Lumineers?

Any type of veneer will eventually require maintenance. Once your braces come off, this is not so much of an issue. You just need to remember to continue wearing your retainers. Cracked or fractured veneers don’t just translate to lost time, but also more money out of your pocket. Unless your Lumineers are still under warranty (which lasts 5 years from the date of purchase if certain conditions are met), you can expect to pay the same amount (or more) for you new set.

How much am I willing to invest?

There can be an immense gap between how much veneers will cost you vs. braces depending on how many teeth you are hoping to get done. Lumineers typically cost $1,000 and over per tooth. Braces on the other hand can cost anywhere from $2,000 – $7,000 for most cases. With the veneers, you obviously have to factor in the cost of maintenance. Their life longevity can vary, but failure within the first ten years is common. Either procedure can be financed if needed.

It’s very important to talk to a Lumineers-certified cosmetic dentist if you are seriously considering this procedure. General dentists are usually not recommended for this treatment (which is usually true for traditional veneers as well). You don’t want to have your sights set on it to find that the no-prep technique is unsuitable for your teeth or that you will require orthodontic work prior to being outfitted with the veneers. Additionally, try not to be swayed into taking either route without a proper examination. A dentist will need to thoroughly examine your teeth before making distinctions, so unless you’re teeth have been checked out don’t readily accept any advice.

Defining what you want to get accomplished and in what time frame is essential in choosing the right procedure. For small chips and other minor abnormalities, bonding is more practical choice. It makes little sense to pay $1,000 to restore a single chipped tooth to perfect condition with Lumineers. This is actual not a realistic scenario as an experienced cosmetic dentist will refuse to install a single veneer due to color matching restraints. So, you can realistically up the cost to $2,000. Your dental insurance should cover bonding for the tooth as it isn’t necessarily cosmetic. Good luck getting that to happen with the Lumineers. When it comes to dealing with more profound problems that are extended over larger areas, the veneers make more sense. For instance, tooth discoloration affecting several teeth is best treated with Lumineers. Bonding resin, unlike porcelain, can stain and sooner or later the patient will find him/herself back to square one. The bottom line is that composite bonding is most suitable for small fixes, while veneers for larger problems. As far as treatment length is concerned, bonding can be performed within a single appointment. Veneers require two appointments. During the first, the teeth are prepared for installation. When the Lumineers arrive back from the lab (which can take three or more weeks) they are test fitted and finally installed.

In terms of life longevity, neither veneers nor bonding is a permanent solution. Composite bonding will wear faster, requiring replacement every few years. The better a patient’s oral hygiene and eating habits, the longer the composite resin will remain intact. Lumineers are advertised to last 20 years, but a safer assumption would be ten. After factoring in the cost of maintenance for bonding, you may find that it is the more expensive avenue.

Both procedures can produce excellent results, but the porcelain will retain its luster and color shade far better than the composite resin in the long term. The end outcome is largely in the hands of the cosmetic dentist. Both Lumineers and bonding can be difficult to pull off without sufficient experience. The former are difficult to install due to the limited amount of tooth structure removal which can be performed, and the latter because it’s conducted freehand. Regardless of whichever of these procedures you choose, finding an experienced dentist is of paramount importance. Always choose a cosmetic dentist based on their qualifications and not the price they’re offering. This will ensure satisfaction with the final outcome.

Now, the first thing that needs to be cleared up is the no preparation nonsense. The manufacturer makes it clear that most patients quality for this technique, but some do not. The less curvature your teeth have and the more favorable emergence profile (the angle at which your teeth protrude outwards from your gums), the better candidate you are for this variation of this procedure. Some other factors come into play as well, such as tooth rotation and spacing issues. In some instances, enamel removal can be as drastic as that executed in preparation for traditional veneers. So, until you have a consultation with a Lumineers-certified provider, do not assume this is the better choice because of less tooth structure modification.

Even if you happen to be a suitable candidate for the pain-free method, know that the end outcome may not be as aesthetically refined as you had wished. Structure removal provides the dentist more flexibility in creating a natural looking smile. It is all to often that patients complain of bulky and artificial looking results. While Lumineers are much thinner than veneers, do not underestimate the amount of thickness they can add contributing to that undesired appearance. You need to be extra willing to search for an cosmetic dentist experienced in installing these veneers to get perfect results with minimal preparation.

The issue of durability is a concern, especially since Lumineers are marketed as being
“contact-lens” thin. The Cerinate porcelain which they are crafted of has a high transverse strength. The manufacturing process that underlies this type of porcelain is proprietary to Den-Mat, LLC, which claims that the material is easily capable of lasting 20 years according to clinical tests. The Lumineers themselves come covered with a 5-year limited warranty through the company, which protects against product defects as well as installation mistakes.

The cost of Lumineers vs. dental veneers can be tie-breaker. Lumineers generally cost a little over $1,000, while veneers can go into the $2,000 range. Much of this depends on where your intend to get the procedures done. For instance, you may find cheaper prices in the Northwestern United States than you would in say, California. This isn’t a ticket to go bargain hunting, however. Cost should come secondary to the cosmetic dentist’s experience. Going overseas for these procedures may not be the best of idea either. If the cosmetic dentist botches the treatment, there would be little you could do beyond flying back and handling the dispute locally, which could cost time and money. Your time would be better spent researching experienced yet affordable dentists in your area via the internet.