This isn’t the first time you’ve heard about Lumineers.
Maybe you’ve been thinking about them ever since you heard about the amazing results they can achieve. You’re wondering if they could also transform your smile, but you need a little more information before making a decision.
After all, dental treatment isn’t cheap, and you’ve only got one set of teeth to work with.
You need to make the right choice for your smile the first time around.
So what do you need to know about Lumineers? We’ve rounded up the facts for you.
Lumineers Teeth: What Are They?
Dental veneers are slim shells of tooth-colored material that fit over the fronts of teeth to improve their appearance. Veneers are traditionally made of porcelain, and they’re placed after grinding teeth down to reduce their thickness.
Among the types of veneers, there is one known as “no-prep” veneers, which means that they don’t require the teeth to be prepared and ground down before placement.
Lumineers are just one of several brands of no-prep veneers, but it’s definitely the most well-known among dentists and patients alike.
Lumineers veneers are ultra-thin and made from durable types of porcelain, such as feldspar or lithium disilicate. This allows them to fit right over the fronts of teeth without having to alter the existing tooth structure. On average, most Lumineer veneer units are only 0.3 millimeters thick—that’s about the same thickness as a contact lens!
The company that produces the Lumineers brand of dental veneers requires dentists to have the veneers made in their large proprietary DenMat dental laboratory in California. Dentists who place Lumineers must be trained and certified by the company before offering this treatment to their patients.
What Do Lumineers Cost?
Lumineers Teeth: The Process
What’s it like to get Lumineers dental veneers?
First, you’ll have a consultation with a Lumineers dentist to find out if you’re a candidate. This initial appointment may include dental x-rays and a teeth cleaning, if you’re overdue for a checkup. You can take this opportunity to ask your dentist questions about Lumineers. The dental practice will schedule you to come back for a return appointment to start the Lumineers treatment.
At your next visit, your dentist will take impressions of your teeth using mouth trays that are loaded with a special dental putty. These molds capture the current shape and position of your natural teeth. Your dentist will then send these and other records to the DenMat lab in California, where your Lumineers will be made for a couple of weeks.
Finally, you’ll come back for one last appointment where your dentist will bond the Lumineers to your teeth. This part takes less than an hour, and you’ll leave the dental office with a gorgeous brand-new smile.
How to Find a Lumineers Dentist
Not just any dentist can place Lumineers. A Lumineers dentist is someone who’s affiliated explicitly with the Lumineers brand and has been trained and certified to offer this brand of no-prep veneer.
Here’s what you can do to find a provider in your area.
- Start by asking your current dentist whether or not they are a Lumineers Provider or can refer you to one in your area.
- If Step 1 doesn’t work out, go directly to the official Lumineers website.
- Look for the orange boxes where you can enter your information to locate a provider near you.
After finding a dentist, verify that they’re the right provider for you by contacting them to ask about their experience with Lumineers. Ask to see some case photos and inquire about the payment plans they offer, as well.
6 Benefits of Getting Lumineers
What is it that makes Lumineers so great? Why all the hype?
The advantages have drawn thousands of people to try Lumineers instead of traditional porcelain dental veneers.
They make your smile look great.
First and foremost, there’s no denying that getting Lumineers can be an immense boost to your self-confidence. They can hide flaws like gaps, chips, rough enamel, uneven tooth size, overlapping teeth, and stained teeth to make your smile look naturally perfect.
There’s no need for temporary veneers.
The traditional dental veneer process includes a waiting period between the time your teeth are prepared for veneers, and when the veneers are ready. You have to wear fussy acrylic temporary veneers during that interim period. For some folks, this is an excellent chance to get a preview of their new smiles, but it’s often more of a hassle than it’s worth since it just means more time spent at the dental office.
You’ll spend less time in the dental chair.
With only two brief appointments to take impressions and then cement on the Lumineers, you won’t have to stay very long in the dental office. That’s an important benefit for those who can’t take much time off from work or away from their families to get dental treatment.
You don’t have to make any significant alterations to your natural teeth.
This is probably the most significant advantage that Lumineers have over traditional dental veneers. Getting Lumineers means little to no reshaping of your teeth, and that’s significant from a biological perspective.
The more tooth structure you remove from your teeth, the weaker they become. So it makes sense to choose a restorative option that involves less drilling and leaves more of your natural tooth enamel intact.
They’re reversible.
Although you should plan to get veneers if you aren’t positive that you want to keep them on for life, there’s some comfort in knowing that Lumineers dental veneers are reversible. It just feels good to know that if your veneers ever did come off, you wouldn’t be compelled to spend more money to get them redone.
Lumineers are very strong.
These no-prep veneers might be thin, but they have a significant advantage in being exceptionally strong. Lumineers resist chipping and staining and could potentially stay in place for up to 20 years.
The Downsides of Getting Lumineers
While Lumineers have some significant benefits, you need to know about the risks, too, if you want to make an informed decision.
There’s no guarantee your teeth won’t need to be prepared.
There are some cases where veneers of any kind just won’t work without making changes to the teeth. Your Lumineers dentist can let you know exactly what process will be necessary in your individual case.
Lumineers aren’t always genuinely reversible.
If your teeth have had any sort of preparation to get Lumineers, then those changes are permanent. If the Lumineers ever do come off, your teeth will need to have something to protect them and compensate for the lost enamel. This means getting new Lumineers or veneers (you can read here the differences between veneers vs Lumineers) or even dental crowns.
Additionally, if you ever do decide to have your Lumineers taken off, it’s not as simple as peeling them off like stickers. Your dentist will have to drill and grind them away from your teeth, which can easily damage your tooth enamel.
So although Lumineers can be considered reversible, you shouldn’t get them with the expectation that you can take them out whenever you want.
Lumineers look and feel bulky on some patients.
Some people didn’t like their Lumineers. This could be because the veneers, despite being very thin, add an extra layer to the teeth if there is no preparation beforehand.
Not every Lumineers dentist is good at placing them.
Sometimes Lumineers don’t come out well simply because a dentist doesn’t have the knack for it. Some dentists are more skilled in cosmetic dentistry than others. Just because many dentists offer Lumineers doesn’t mean they can all produce the same results.
Lumineers can’t fix everything.
Lumineers are so thin that they’re more translucent than thicker porcelain veneers. This can make it challenging (but not impossible) to mask teeth with very heavy staining.
Lumineers could increase your risk of gum inflammation.
When Lumineers are placed directly over existing tooth enamel, they can leave a little gap of space near the gum line. This gap can collect plaque and other debris, which causes gum irritation.
Lumineers Dental Veneers: The Pros and Cons
- May be more affordable than regular veneers
- Fast and easy to get them placed
- Durable and long-lasting
- Fix a variety of aesthetic dental problems
- More conservative than regular dental veneers
- Eliminate the need for temporary veneers
- The final results are dependent on the skill of the dentist and probably can’t be guaranteed by the Lumineers company
- Not completely no-prep and reversible in all cases
- May not be able to cover dark teeth as well as regular veneers
- Can cause gum irritation
- Sometimes come out looking chunky, bulky, or opaque
Lumineers Reviews: What Do Customers Think About It?
People who’ve gotten Lumineers describe their experience as life-changing and say that they couldn’t stop smiling afterward. Some even say that they cried when they saw how beautiful their teeth turned out! Other people would notice their new smiles and comment that their teeth looked great, and they couldn’t believe that they were veneers.
Lumineers have created many many happy endings for thousands of patients. You can see some video testimonials for yourself right on the Lumineers website.
As mentioned earlier, those who’ve gotten bad results with Lumineers probably just had a very challenging case treated by a dentist who wasn’t too experienced with veneers.
Lumineers Teeth Before and After
Lumineers make a noticeable and immediate difference. Your smile will look fuller, brighter, healthier, younger, and more attractive from the moment you get your Lumineers placed.
Check out some incredible before and after photos in the Lumineers Facebook.
Our Lumineers Teeth Review
With more than a million veneer units placed to date, Lumineers have brought smiles to hundreds of thousands of customers.
But can they change your life?
Most likely, yes!
We think that Lumineers are definitely worth investigating because they’re:
- Long-lasting
- Less invasive than regular veneers
- Potentially more affordable than traditional porcelain veneers
- Easier to have placed than traditional veneers
The Lumineers brand is popular and trusted for good reason—they really work and they can look incredible when they’re done well.
Just remember to take your time before making a decision since Lumineers may not deliver the exact results you’re hoping for. Achieving a beautiful smile with Lumineers depends on your unique dental needs and on the skill level of the dentist.
Contact your dentist to find out if you qualify for Lumineers and to get advice on how to get started. Consider all of your treatment options carefully and only dive in if you’re ready to commit and have found a provider whose skill you can trust.
We recommend Lumineers if you’re interested in trying a reputable brand of ultra-thin no-prep dental veneers.
If you’ve gotten Lumineers before or are thinking about trying them out, let us know in the comments!
