Dr Alejandro Hurtado is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions bizymoms visitors have about Lumineers.
Q. What are Lumineers?
A. Lumineers are thin laminated porcelain restorations that are cemented or bonded on top of natural teeth to change its color, size, appearance or position. Lumineers is a proprietary brand name for a dental veneer.
Q. How are Lumineers different from traditional Veneers?
A. Lumineers and traditional Veneers are basically the same kind of restoration; Both use porcelain as their main component, and the fabrication process is also similar, Veneers and Lumineers could be fabricated either from a powder-liquid mixed and melted together at high temperatures, or a block of porcelain pressed into shape also at high temperature, then it is customized by adding glaze, color or translucently to match each patient, the Dentist is usually responsible for communicating with the lab and instructing the technician on the characterization needed to obtain a natural looking restoration.
Lumineers are a branded product that is manufactured at a dental lab in California and own the name and the technology to process their porcelain veneers. Other dental labs market their own brand and technology, DaVinci Veneers, Empress Veneers, Mac Veneers, etc. but by far Lumineers are the most publicized name.
An innovative technique of delivering or cementing Veneers was just acquired by Lumineers, this innovative technique uses a tray that allows a dentist to deliver several Veneers at the same time to save chair time and increase predictability to the final result.
Q. Is the Lumineer procedure painful?
A. No, it does not have to be painful, most teeth preparation and impressions could be accomplished with the use of local anesthesia and in some cases even without anesthesia and minor or no prep or teeth reduction at all.
Q. Can one get Lumineers instead of braces?
A. Each case is different from the next, in very particular situations where size discrepancy is an issue perhaps a Veneer or Lumineer will be the treatment of choice, cosmetic Dentistry certainly can be a solution to minor teeth alignment irregularities, and be an alternative to Braces but one should be careful in choosing the best solution for each patient individually. Lumineers or Veneers are not a fix all alternative.
Q. How long will Lumineers last?
A. While you can certainly expect your Veneers to last many years, it is not realistic to expect them to last forever, with good home care, regular dental visits and some precautions to avoid using your teeth as tools; it is likely that your Veneers will last well over a decade.
Q. Can Lumineers be taken off if I want them removed?
A. Yes they could be removed, but it is not easy, they are bonded to your tooth enamel and the adhesives we use in Contemporary Dentistry keep improving so it could take some time but it could safely be accomplished by drilling off the Veneer.
Q. How much do Lumineers cost?
A. Lumineers cost in the US fluctuates between one to three thousand dollars per tooth.
To summarize: Cosmetic Dentistry has improved greatly in the last twenty years and your Dentist has a vast array of new techniques and materials designed to enhance your Smile, many times a small correction in the alignment, size or color of your teeth can really brighten and make your Smile shine while giving you more confidence and improve your oral health and wellbeing. A Smile is a Beautiful gift you can give yourself and everyone around you.
Q. How to contact Dr. Hurtado if we have further questions?
A.
Address:
605 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Phone: 805-963-4296
Fax: 805-456-2056
Email:drhurtado@usa.net
Website: DrHurtado.com
