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Veneers vs Lumineers‍

Veneers and Lumineers are common cosmetic procedures that are used to alter the appearance of the teeth. However, they differ greatly in their application, lifespan, and material. Read on in this blog from Ladd Family Dental to learn about the difference between Veneers and Lumineers.

What Are Veneers?

Veneers are porcelain shells that are used to cover up aesthetic concerns with your smile. Veneers are a longer-lasting alternative to dental bonding, with a lifespan of 10 to 15 years. 

With veneers, you can cover up discoloration, gaps, misaligned teeth, chips & cracks, and even change their size and shape. To prepare your teeth for veneers, we need to remove .5 mm from your tooth enamel to prevent the veneers from sticking out. 

This is proportional to the thickness of the veneers and will also help the veneers restore strength to your teeth through bonding. While veneers need to be replaced every 10 to 15 years, they are considered a permanent procedure due to the irreversible effects of the enameloplasty procedure on your enamel. 

When we remove a portion of your tooth enamel, it will never grow back. This means that you need to commit to wearing veneers for the rest of your life. Your veneers are fabricated from impressions that we take of your teeth after we’ve filed them and send this information to the dental lab that will create custom porcelain shells for your teeth. 

You will need to wear temporary veneers to protect your teeth while you wait for your official veneers. After a few weeks, we will bond these to your teeth. 

What Are Lumineers?

Lumineerss are thinner versions of veneers that require minimal prep to bond to the teeth. In simpler terms, a Lumineer is a reversible form of veneers because they are thin enough to bond to the teeth without removing any tooth enamel. 

This enables you to have your Lumineers removed later in life without any permanent alteration to your natural teeth. If you were to remove veneers from natural teeth, they would be at a high risk of breakage and decay because of the thin enamel. 

Lumineers don’t require reducing the enamel so they are not a permanent commitment. They can correct all of the same cosmetic imperfections as traditional veneers but may not be as effective at covering up severe discoloration because of the thinner material which may be slightly more transparent. 

A Lumineer is also made of porcelain and has a lifespan of 10 to 20 years. Because Lumineers don’t require any prep, you won’t need to wear temporary veneers. They are also slightly more cost-effective than traditional veneers.

Which Is Right for Me?

If you are sure that you are committed to wearing a tooth covering to fix cosmetic imperfections for the long term, then veneers are a great option, especially because they’re more effective at covering severe aesthetic issues.

Lumineers, however, are a safer option for those who are unsure how they will feel in the future, as it always leaves the door open for reversal and they are still effective at covering cosmetic imperfections while even being cheaper than veneers.

If you’re wondering if traditional veneers are right for you, contact us at Ladd Family Dental today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Parke Ladd.

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