Lumineers Resistant to Staining?

Our diet has seen a substantial decline in quality over recent years. We are consuming soda, coffee, like never before. While on the decline, smoking is still a big contributor to tooth discoloration. Naturally, this has had a profound effect on our teeth. More and more people are gravitating towards tooth whitening products and treatments to reverse oral negligence. However, not everyone sees satisfactory results. Oftentimes the makers of whitening kits make absurd promises that are simply impossible to mimic outside of a professional setting. In addition, consumers tend to have exorbitantly high expectations for whitening systems even when negligible investments are involved. While professional caliber procedures have consistently yielded modest to exceptional results, they have some downsides. One of the more noteworthy is that they require follow up treatment. Your pearly whites will last for not much longer than a few months, possibly less if you indulge in foods and beverages that are known to cause staining (ie. coffee, berries, etc.). Few have the time or money to sustain such a routine.

An alternative that is typically absent amidst discussions of whitening solutions is Lumineers. These veneers are fabricated of porcelain, which is renowned for its durable, tooth-like nature. It is often found in other dental restorations like crowns. One extremely favorable characteristic of porcelain is that it is stain resistant. If you care for your Lumineers properly (ie. avoiding any sort of abrasive toothpastes and dental treatments), they will stay as white as the first day you bought them. Talk to your dentist to obtain recommendations for safe products. If you accidentally dull the surface of the veneers, you can have them polished to restore their luster and color.

Now, will all this in mind, there are some warnings in order. First off, the bonding cement used to affix the Lumineers to your teeth can stain. Den-Matt LCC (the company responsible for Lumineers) recommends that cosmetic dentists use an Ultra-Bond cementing agent. It has shown to be resistant to staining in most circumstances, however marginal staining is still a possibility. This is despite the fact that excess cementation is carefully cleaned away during the procedure You can minimize your risk in the face of such mishaps by eliminating staining foods from your diet and by maintaining your oral hygiene with regular brushing.

Let’s not forget that teeth not treated with the Lumineers product can still stain with the right conditions. This will create some color matching issues which only a professional whitening treatment will correct. Alternatively, you may opt to have the veneers replaced but this can get costly.

The bottom line is that Lumineers are an ideal, long-term solution for tooth discoloration. While they are resistant to staining (as discussed above), this does not give patients a green light to indulge in poor eating habits, that is, unless they are prepared to incur a financial loss. If you have been suffering at the hands of tooth staining for some time, talk to a cosmetic dentist about this innovative procedure to secure the relief which you desire.

Posted by admin | Uncategorized | Monday 8 December 2008 2:35 pm