Lumineers Archives - West Seneca Dentist

Solution for a Large Tooth Gap

Posted on September 15, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have a large tooth gap. I think my dentist measured it at close to ten millimeters. He is suggesting I get Lumineers to cover the gap. It’s a pretty expensive solution. Do you know if there is another option that does not include a mouth full of metal braces?

Bruce

Dear Bruce,

Do not let this dentist give you Lumineers for this. Your tooth gap is large enough to fit an entire tooth in. It would take one of the top 1% of dentists in the world to make this look right. The fact that he is suggesting Lumineers makes me think he is not one of them. Lumineers are a brand of porcelain veneers that is highly marketed to being inexperienced dentists.

For smaller tooth gaps, a dentist would use dental bonding to close the gap, but again, the size of your tooth gap precludes that from being a good suggestion as well. I have a better solution for you.

Closing Your Gap without Tradtional Braces

In your case, you would actually want to close the gap. These days you can do that without traditional braces. I am going to suggest you use Invisalign. These use clear aligners to straighten your teeth. No one will know you are wearing them, even at a converstational distance. In addition to being more attractive than braces, they are more comfortable as well.

Additionally, they have a hidden benefit as well. The alingers can double as teeth whitening trays, so if you were interested in whitening your teeth, the only thing your dentist would have to provide is the gel. This will save you a substantial amount of money in getting a second procedure. By the end, you will have a mini smile makeover at a fraction of the price.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Carl Embury.

White Spots on Front Teeth

Posted on May 29, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have quite a few white spots on my two front teeth. There are enough of them close together that they make my two front teeth look very white, but it does tend to make my other teeth look dingy. I spoke to my dentist about it and he suggested Lumineers. He said he’s certified in them, so that’s a good sign. They’re just so expensive. If there were other things about my teeth I wanted to fix, I might be more willing to spend the money. Before I jump into that though, I wondered if there was a way to just whiten the other teeth and not my two front teeth. I do know I just can’t whiten all of them as a solution because they’ll still be different colors. Thanks for any help you can give me.

Kasie

Dear Kasie,

I’m glad you are hesitant about the Lumineers for a couple of reasons. First, as you mentioned, if your teeth are fine then having them placed would be a bit of an overtreatment. However, there’s a separate issue with Lumineers that I will tell you about in case you consider them in the future. They are often marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. However, like any brand of porcelain veneers, they take real expertise and post-doctoral training to do well. Smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school. As for him being certified, that isn’t the same as real training in porcelain veneers. All a dentist has to do to get Lumineers certified is attend a seminar. That is not the type of technical and artistic training you’d want in someone designing your smile.

Finding a Skilled Cosmetic Dentist

While you can have teeth whitening done on all but those two front teeth, I think it will take a dentist with more expertise than your dentist may have. If that is the route you decide to go, then, I would look on the mynewsmile.com website. You can find expert cosmetic dentists in your area by inputting your zip code. Each dentist who wants to be listed is screened for their technical training as well as the artistry of their work. They cannot just pay to be listed. This means you can feel confident in the cosmetic abilities of any of the dentists listed on their site.

Another option to consider, which might give you superior results is to have all the teeth whitened to the level you want and then have spot bonding done on the two front teeth. Dental bonding is done freehand, so again, you would need an expert cosmetic dentist.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.

Are Lumineers Why I’m in Pain?

Posted on September 24, 2019 by writeradmin.

I had Lumineers put on about 6 months ago on both my top and bottom teeth. While the top teeth are just fine, the bottom teeth have been in constant pain. I recently developed an infection on one of my bottom teeth. We tried a root canal treatment and that didn’t help. Now the tooth is being extracted and I’m getting a dental bridge. Could the Lumineers be the problem? The health of my teeth was fine before but I don’t want to jump to conclusions.

Kaleigh

Dear Kaleigh,

One of the problems with Lumineers is they are heavily advertised to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. This is because they’re told they are a no-prep porcelain veneer. While this can sometimes work fine on the top teeth, as yours have, the bottom teeth are a different story. Without tooth prep, the teeth will stick out about two mm. longer and thicker. This will put the lower teeth into a traumatic occlusion.

Even with other brands of porcelain veneers, which aren’t considered no-prep, dentists don’t often place veneers on the bottom arch. Usually, we will whiten the teeth and just place the porcelain veneers on the top teeth.

All of that to say, it is very likely the Lumineers are the problem. Your dentist needs to make this right. Fortunately, even though he doesn’t seem to have any significant cosmetic training, fixing this will only require basic general dentistry. He should be able to make things right.

What to Look for in a Cosmetic Dentist

You may not be aware but cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty. They are just general dentists who do cosmetic procedures. The level of training and skill they have in those procedures varies from dentist to dentist. Think of it like an artist. You can have two sculptors but one of them will be better than the other even if they’re working with the same materials and subject.

It’s the same with smile makeovers. It requires both technical knowledge (which your dentist lacked) as well as an artistic eye. Without both of those, there will be either problems with the veneers or disappointment in how the smile turns out.

If you are ever in need of another cosmetic dentist, I’d like you to check the mynewsmile.com website. This site is run by a retired accredited cosmetic dentist. He prescreens every dentist who wants to be listed for both the above requirements. They can’t just pay to be listed. Any one of their recommended dentists can give you a stunning smile.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.

Do Lumineers Lead to Gum Disease?

Posted on July 16, 2018 by iowasmiles.

I had porcelain veneers done. They look much nicer than my normal teeth. I’ve had them about six months now. I noticed my gums would occasionally bleed, which has never happened to me before I received my Lumineers. When I went in for my checkup, they told me I have gum disease. I was pretty shocked because I am quite diligent about my oral health care. I’m one of those people who actually do floss daily. I even use a water pick afterward to get what I couldn’t. Could this be a result of the Lumineers or is something else going on?

Carrie A.

Dear Carrie,

Lumineers or any other brand of porcelain veneers will not promote gum disease. However, poorly placed porcelain veneers will. You said your dentist provided you with Lumineers. These are often marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. Is it possible you just went to an average family dentist instead of one with more expertise?

If your dentist didn’t get the Lumineers flush against your teeth it can cause what is called bulky margins. Essentially, you have a tiny shelf on top of your veneers which is trapping minuscule pieces of food. This can lead to bacteria, decay, and yes, gum disease.

The only way to fix it is to have them redone properly. You can either give your dentist another opportunity or just ask for a refund and go to a cosmetic dentist with more expertise.

Choosing a Cosmetic Dentist

When it comes to certain cosmetic procedures, such as teeth whitening, any cosmetic dentist will do. But, there are certain procedures, such as porcelain veneers or dental bonding, which require cosmetic dentists of the highest skill and artistry.

The problem most patients face is there is no way for them to know who is a skilled cosmetic dentist and who isn’t. After all, cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty. Rather than have to research every dentist’s skill, training, and technical knowledge, I’m going to recommend you check the mynewsmile.com website. They’ve researched dentists in each state and only list those with the skill requisite to giving you an absolutely gorgeous smile. In fact, most of them even have a beautiful smile guarantee.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Warren Krutchick.

Avoiding Horrible Cosmetic Dentists

Posted on August 14, 2017 by iowasmiles.

My sister just had a smile makeover done that is absolutely awful. I don’t know what happened because she went to a cosmetic dentist. He even said he was certified. I’d been saving up for a smile makeover myself. How do I avoid getting one of the bad ones?

Lindsey H.

Dear Lindsey,

There’s a bit of a misconception about cosmetic dentistry. Many patients are under the impression it is a recognized specialty and dentists go to extra school to get certified. That’s just not the case. There is no recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry. Any dentists who call themselves a cosmetic dentist are really just general dentists who have an interest in cosmetic work.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t additional training available to become an expert cosmetic dentist. There are. In fact, the best cosmetic dentists have studied a considerable amount. If her dentist said he was certified, he may have been referring to a brand that offers certification, such as Lumineers. But, their certification is just a short seminar with a little quiz at the end. It does nothing to ensure skill and artistry in the dentist.

If you’re getting a smile makeover. You’ll want porcelain veneers. This procedure gives you the most stunning results. But, as you learned from your sister’s results, much of how it turns out depends on the skill of the dentist you go to.

It’s hard for patients to know who has the skill and who doesn’t. You’d have no real way of knowing who has developed their technical prowess and artistry. Your best bet is to look on the mynewsmile.com website. They recommend artistic cosmetic dentists in each state. Cosmetic dentists cannot just pay money and get on their site. They have to demonstrate their technical skill as well as show results from actual cases they’ve done to show their artistry.

Anyone they recommend will give you a beautiful smile makeover. In fact, most of them probably offer some type of beautiful smile guarantee.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Warren Krutchick.

My New Smile Looks Like Chicklets

Posted on December 1, 2016 by iowasmiles.

I spent quite a bit of money on a smile makeover. My dentist showed me before and after pictures before I agreed to the procedure. They all looked pretty. Mine turned out quite differently. The “teeth” look very thick almost like the old chicklets gum. Why would my smile turn out so differently from the photos?

Jennifer S. – West Virginia

Jennifer,

I can’t tell you why they didn’t look like the pictures he showed you. There is a possibility he used stock photos, especially if he’s inexperienced and doesn’t have many cases of his own to show.

Any general dentist can claim to be a cosmetic dentist. There is no recognized cosmetic dentistry specialty by the ADA. However, that doesn’t mean that they are skilled. Cosmetic dentistry actually requires a great deal of training, not just technical either. It takes an artistic eye.

It sounds like your dentist isn’t one that has the best training. Based on what you’ve said about the bulkiness, I suspect your dentist used a no-prep veneer, such as Lumineers. A lot of inexperienced cosmetic dentists use them, mostly because they’re marketed directly to them as being easy to place.

What you want, for a smile makeover, is to get a highly skilled cosmetic dentist. Look for someone who is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Any cosmetic dentist can be a member of the AACD, but only the most skilled, who pass stringent oral and written exams, as well as demonstrate their artistry with actual cases from their practice can be accredited.

That’s the type of cosmetic dentist that can give you the smile you’re hoping for.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Warren Krutchick.

I think getting porcelain veneers can help me be a better stripper

Posted on March 24, 2014 by niceteeth.

Hey there,

So I have a rather large space between my front teeth and would really like to finally close it. I work as a stripper and I’m pretty sure my gap contributes to my low tips– it’s certainly not my moves. My goal is to eventually graduate college and start a whole new career. So I’d like to earn enough money and then start fresh as a closed-gap woman. Oh, and to make matters worse, just the other day during a pole routine I got a little too close to the pole and banged my mouth while performing a spin move. Now my front tooth is chipped, calling even more attention to my gap! Can Lumineers help close the gap and correct my chipped tooth? Please help!

Thanks,

Lauren, Apex, North Carolina

Hi Lauren,

I’m glad to hear you’re so confident in your dance moves — now we just have to get you to feel as confident about the way you look too.

May I suggest finding a cosmetic dentist? I’ll tell you, a good cosmetic dentist will likely suggest not using Lumineers to fix your problem. When it comes to closing up a large space, as you’ve suggested you have, using traditional porcelain veneers win out over Lumineers all the time. Why? Because sometimes Lumineers can look a bit bulky, causing an unnatural look. You don’t want that. If you’re finally taking that step to close your space, you want to make sure it looks as natural as possible.

To achieve the best esthetic results, I recommend you see a cosmetic dentist in your area. She or he will know which form of treatment will work best for you and your mouth. There are several types of porcelain veneers, let your dentist direct you in finding the right one.

Hope I’ve helped.

This blog is sponsored by Buffalo dentist Warren M. Krutchick, DDS.