Lumineers Procedure and Teeth Enamel

Lumineers® give you a less invasive way to transform your smile than conventional veneers. A veneer is a tooth-shaped cover that is cemented on the front part of teeth. It serves as a mask, hiding any flaws on the front of your teeth.

Placing conventional veneers on teeth requires removing portions of enamel from the patient’s tooth. This permanently changes the tooth’s structure, so it will always need a restoration to serve as its artificial enamel. Enamel is shaved off before placing conventional veneers to prevent the restorations from making the patient’s teeth appear abnormally bulky.

Lumineers give you an alternative that does not require making permanent changes to your teeth. These restorations are thinner than conventional veneers, so they do not significantly increase the size of the patient’s teeth.

What to expect when getting Lumineers

The process of getting traditional veneers requires multiple visits to the dentist. The first visit is typically used to examine the patient to determine if veneers are the right solution and to explain how the process works.

The patient is given some time to go over their decision before coming back for a second appointment. The second appointment is used to prepare the patient’s teeth for veneers and to take an impression of their teeth. The dentist removes up to 1.5 millimeters of enamel from each tooth being treated, which is about the same thickness as conventional veneers. Once enamel is removed, the patient’s teeth become vulnerable, so they are covered up with temporary veneers to serve as artificial enamel.

Things are different when getting Lumineers

The first appointment is typically used to examine the patient and make an impression of their teeth. The impression is then sent to a dental lab where Lumineers are made. It takes about two weeks for the customized Lumineers to get back to the dentist.

During the second appointment, the dentist will apply dental cement to the patient’s teeth and use it to hold their Lumineers in place. Alterations are made as needed to make sure everything looks right. Once the dentist and patient are satisfied with the results, ultraviolet light is used to harden the cement. The patient might be asked to come in for a third appointment to ensure there are no issues with their new restorations.

Some of the main differences between restoring teeth with Lumineers compared to conventional veneers include:

• Lumineers are more translucent than conventional veneers, which makes them look more natural. However, that limits their effectiveness when used to cover up severely stained or discolored teeth. Conventional veneers are opaque, which makes them better at covering defects on a patient’s teeth
• Restoring teeth with Lumineers costs less than using traditional veneers
• Lumineers are less likely to cause teeth sensitivity than traditional veneers

Transform your smile with Lumineers

Ready to craft the smile of your dreams? Give us a call or visit our Huntsville clinic to learn more about how Lumineers can transform your smile.

Request an appointment here: https://www.yourhuntsvilledentist.com or call René A. Talbot, DDS at (256) 382-6690 for an appointment in our Huntsville office.

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