are an excellent way to improve a smile. They create a beautiful result. Porcelain mimics tooth structure better than any other restorative material and because it is harder than enamel it resists wear and can last for many years. Porcelain also resists stain better than tooth enamel rarely discolors, unless the surface has been damaged.
Patients who decide to have veneers placed on their front teeth will find they have a number of brands to choose from. Lumineers, a highly-advertised brand made by Den-Mat Corp., is one of these brands.
One of the disadvantages of using the Lumineers brand, however, is the trademark restrictions in their use. Den-Mat requires that they be made at their dental laboratory. A number of cosmetic dentist have been critical of the work from that laboratory.
Lumineers are an ultra thin brand. They can be made 0.3 millimeter thick compared to 0.5 millimeters thick for older, traditional porcelain veneers. But there are other brands of porcelain veneers that are also ultra-thin, such as Vivaneers and DURAthin. The advantage of ultra-thin veneers is that sometimes they can be placed without any tooth preparation beforehand. However, be careful with no-preparation veneers. They can make your teeth look bulky and they usually will mean that your front teeth have to be lengthened.
Another problem with the no-preparation technique is that you will likely end up with a slight ridge at the edge of the veneer that could attract stains and plaque or could irritate the gums.
Uses for Lumineers or Other Brands of Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers can be used to repair a number of unsightly defects in the front teeth.
- Restoring worn or chipped teeth
- Covering stained teeth
- Closing spaces between teeth or to lengthen a tooth
- And they can be used as an alternative to braces, because with veneers teeth can be straightened in two appointments rather than over years with traditional braces.
Porcelain veneers may be the answer you are looking for to improve your smile. If you have questions about Lumineers or porcelain veneers in general, Dr. Tran will be happy to answer them. To find out if you are a candidate, call our office at (714)-979-3710 or visit her Make an Appointment Fountain Valley Lumineers page. We would be happy to see you for a complimentary consultation to answer your questions, if you aren't ready to commit to a complete examination yet.
