Lumineers

These are an ultra thin type of veneer – same thickness as a contact lens, which look and behave in the same way as any type of veneer.

Made by the Cerinate Smile Design Studio in the US; these veneers are made from a special cerinate porcelain veneer which is thinner than but as equally strong as traditional veneers.

A lumineer operates in exactly the same way as any other type of veneer in that they are designed to cover a cracked, chipped or badly worn tooth. They can also hide any gaps as well as covering up stained or discoloured teeth.

However, there is one main difference between them and porcelain or composite veneers: that of minimal or no preparation time.

Why do Lumineers need minimal preparation?

With traditional veneers, the patient has to undergo a process called ‘teeth preparation’ in which the dentist uses a small drill to shave off a tiny sliver of tooth. This sliver is usually the same shape, size and thickness as the veneer.

But this is not the case with lumineers: with these veneers the dentist can attach them straight away to your teeth without having to carry out this preparation. If it is needed then it is likely to be minimal.

What this means is that your tooth structure is left undisturbed, which is useful if the procedure has to be reversed for any reason.

These versatile veneers can be fitted over any existing crowns or crown and bridge work and are the ideal answer to skewed, chipped or stained teeth.

Another positive is that they do tend to last for a long time, up to 20 years in many cases.

Other types of veneers include composite veneers, porcelain veneers and the da Vinci veneer.

Dental Veneers Guide Index:

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• Veneers Introduction
• What are veneers made of?
• What can veneers treat?
• Why veneers?
• What is the veneers procedure?
• How long do Veneers last?

• What can go wrong with Veneers?
• Are there different types of veneers?
  • Lumineers
  • Da Vinci Veneers
• Are dental grills the same as veneers

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