Lumineers

These are similar to any other type of veneer except for the fact that they are far slimmer than these and even better, with the minimum of preparation.

These veneers can be fitted onto the front of a tooth to hide the signs of damage such as a chip, crack or breakage. They are useful at hiding any gaps within the teeth as well as staining caused by various substances such as alcohol, tea or coffee and smoking.

What are lumineers?

They are a wafer thin type of veneer with a shell like appearance which is produced from Cerinate porcelain. This has a similar thickness to a contact lens and is as equally as comfortable to wear.

Other alternatives include porcelain veneers, no-prep veneers, thineers and direct composite veneers.

Advantages of lumineers

This is one of the main advantages of this type of veneer: unlike others it does not require a preparation stage and can be fitted directly onto your teeth.

This means that you do not have to undergo a process whereby the dentist uses a small drill to reshape your tooth. He or she will remove a small piece which is identical to the shape and thickness of a lumineer.

Another advantage of doing this is that there is no change to the structure of your tooth which is useful if further work is needed or the veneer has to be removed. 

Disadvantages of lumineers

There are more expensive than others types of veneers which is due to their exclusivity. Plus they are only suitable for people with a good set of teeth.

If your dental health is less than perfect, for example you have gum disease or tooth decay then it is not advisable to have a lumineer fitted. Lumineers do not protect a damaged tooth from further decay plus bleeding gums can prevent the veneer from adhering properly to the tooth.

How is a lumineer fitted?

The answer to that is quickly and easily with the minimum of fuss. There is no preparation involved: the dentist will fit the lumineer over your tooth followed by a final polish.

It is as quick and easy as that.

The best results are seen where lumineers have been fitted on teeth in the top row of the jaw.