Do Lumineers Fix Spaced Teeth?
Lumineers are one of the latest advancements in cosmetic dentistry and are designed to be a less painful and time-consuming alternative to traditional porcelain veneers. Many people who suffer from dental problems such as spaced teeth, discolored teeth and broken teeth opt to get Lumineers to help fix the problems.
Lumineers can, and do, fix many dental problems and give recipients a beautiful, brilliantly white smile. However, Lumineers aren't without their issues, and it's important that you thoroughly understand Lumineers before having the procedure to fix your spaced teeth.
Features
Lumineers are made of ultra-strong and ultra-thin Cerinate porcelain that can be adhered directly to teeth without grinding down the teeth as is necessary with traditional veneers. Lumineers are commonly compared to contact lenses because of their thin structure (about 0.2 mm in width).
Because Lumineers are designed to adhere to your existing tooth structure, the actual application of the Lumineers is a relatively quick process, generally taking only two dentist visits to complete. During the first visit, your dentist will take a precision mold of your teeth and together you will choose the shade and shape of your Lumineers.
On the second visit, your dentist will match the shade and check for fit. After that, your dentist will attach the Lumineers with a painless etching solution. If you like how they look, your Lumineers are complete.
Advantages
The main advantage of Lumineers is that their thin design allows attachment without ruining the natural tooth structure. Because the natural teeth are undisturbed, Lumineers can be removed at a later time without ruining the teeth. This makes Lumineers a great choice for patients wishing to correct spaced or cooked teeth without painful braces.
Another advantage of Lumineers is its simplicity: They take very little time to attach so you don't have to take a lot of time off work or school to make countless dental visits. You can also eat all of your favorite foods and chew gum with Lumineers --- you can't do that with traditional veneers.
Disadvantages
The biggest disadvantage that cosmetic dentists report about Lumineers is that they can come off. Lumineers don't require preparation like traditional veneers. That means that the Lumineers are adhered to the natural tooth with a simple bonding solution. If the bonding solution weakens, the Lumineer can pop off and require further dental work to reattach.
Many patients complain that their teeth look unnatural with Lumineers. This is mostly due to the added bulk of the tooth that results when the Lumineer is placed on the natural tooth. Also, Lumineers are seldom covered by dental insurance, meaning that paying for Lumineers will come out of pocket.
Lumineers Vs. Other Dental Procedures
Lumineers is touted as an alternative to traditional veneers and also to braces, mostly due to Lumineers' ability to give the appearance of straight teeth. While it's true that Lumineers can give the appearance of straight teeth, they don't actually straighten the teeth. If you want to physically straighten your teeth, you must wear braces.
Debate
Lumineers have steadily grown in popularity since their release. The results can be beautiful and striking; however many cosmetic dentists are hesitant to recommend Lumineers to their patients over traditional veneers and braces. They have found that the failure rate of Lumineers is higher than that of traditional veneers. Also, many complain that they look too unnatural and big in the average person's mouth.
There's one thing that all dentists agree on: Cosmetic dentistry, including Lumineers, is an evolving process. Their hopes are that manufacturers will refine Lumineers and make them the ultimate answer in creating beautiful smiles for everyone.
