Lumineers

What are Lumineers?

Lumineers are a brand of porcelain veneers that are made by Den-Mat, a dental materials company in Santa Maria, California. They aren't a lot different from most other brands. Their selling point is that they are stronger than most other brands of veneers, so they can be made thinner. It is generally recommended that porcelain veneers be made a minimum of 0.5 millimeter thick, about the thickness of a fingernail. For Lumineers, they can go a little thinner, down to 0.3 millimeter.

There are other brands of ultra-thin porcelain, and from what I have seen, the other brands are much more esthetic. If a dentist uses the Lumineers brand, because of trademark restrictions of the Den-Mat company, they have to be made in the Lumineers laboratory in California. Not only is this laboratory large and impersonal, but many expert cosmetic dentists feel that their work isn't of the highest esthetic quality. Other laboratories with other brands seem to give much nicer results. DURAthin is one of these other high-strength brands that can be made ultra-thin.

To me, the strength, while important, isn't the biggest issue in the choice of brands of porcelain. Lifelike beauty is more important. The reason is that a porcelain veneer gets its strength from being fused to the tooth with bonding technology. If it is bonded properly, it will not crack or break in function.

Thinness, however, makes it feasible to place Lumineers with a "no-prep" technique. In other words, Den-Mat is saying that the dentist doesn't have to shave away any tooth structure in order to place them.

So is that a good idea - to not prepare the teeth before placing porcelain veneers?

Lumineers are a compromise

Placing extra-thin porcelain veneers without any tooth preparation makes the artistry of a new smile makeover more difficult. Adding 0.3 millimeter to the thickness of the teeth can easily make them look bulky. They also have to be made about 2 millimeters longer. And they will end up with a rounded look, because they have to be feathered out on the sides. I haven't seen a case where that was the best look for the patient. So the question becomes, is the tradeoff worth it? Is the idea of not having your teeth prepared attractive enough to you that you will sacrifice the beauty of the smile design?

Below is a case that was posted on the Lumineers website in late December 2008 as a "case of the week:"

Before	After

Yes, her teeth are whiter in the "after" picture. But is her smile really improved? Frankly, I like her "before" smile better. A little bleaching wouldn't have hurt. But in her "after" smile, the teeth look a little too long, too bulky, and too rounded.

One patient wrote to me and complained that her lip was catching on her Lumineers. This can be a problem when the teeth are made a little thicker.

Another problem with a no-preparation technique is that you will likely end up with a slight ridge at the edge of the veneer. This ridge could attract stains and plaque. Or, it could irritate the gums.

One selling point is that, since the teeth aren't prepared beforehand, you could supposedly have the Lumineers removed if you decided you didn't like them. I understand the appeal of that reasoning. But I think the best insurance isn't whether or not you could have them removed afterwards, but choosing the right cosmetic dentist to place them in the first place. In twenty years of doing porcelain veneers, I never had a patient come back regretting their new smile or asking about having them removed. And I am not too sure that if they are indeed removed that they will be done so without damaging the teeth.

Should you get Lumineers?

Whether or not you should get Lumineers is a judgment call, and it depends on your personal preferences. If you want the most beautiful, stunning smile makeover possible, I would say no. If it's important to you not to have your teeth shaved at all, then you may want to consider them.

But have them done by an expert cosmetic dentist. The manufacturer, Den-Mat, is promoting them as easy to place, and they offer a two-day course after which the dentist is certified to place Lumineers and they get to be on Den-Mat's referral list. But two days is no where near enough time to turn a general dentist into a cosmetic dentist. Many cosmetic dentists feel that it takes three to five years, attending numerous continuing education classes and working to apply the principles learned, to become a good cosmetic dentist. And even then, the dentist needs to be artistically inclined to start with and passionate about esthetics.

 i