South Carolina Lumineers

Lumineers is a particular brand of porcelain veneers. They are like any other porcelain veneers, except that they use Cerinate brand porcelain rather than other brands. And there are advantages and disadvantages to them.

The Lumineers porcelain is particularly strong and can be made a little bit thinner than most other porcelain veneers. Instead of five-tenths of a millimeter thick, they are three-tenths of a millimeter thick.

Will they work for you? For the answer to this question, why don't you schedule an appointment for a consultation to ask South Carolina cosmetic dentist, Dr. Bonnie Rothwell. Dr. Rothwell, of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina is trained and certified to provide Lumineers. She will study your case and give you an honest evaluation of what results you can expect with Lumineers, as well as other options that would be available for you.

Let's give you a little background information that will help you decide whether you want Lumineers or some other treatment.

Lumineers have been heavily advertised. The advertising has done a great public service in making people aware of this treatment and what it can do for them. However, we want to be honest with you and point out not only the benefits, but some of the drawbacks as well.

The advertising stresses that Lumineers are simple to do. In some ways they are simple, but in some ways they are more difficult than other brands of veneers. The actual procedure for bonding them to your teeth has been simplified for the dentist. However, developing a smile design that is beautiful and appropriate for you still requires artistic talent and extensive training in cosmetic dentistry. And since these veneers are a little bit thinner than the average veneer, it requires even more skill on the part of the cosmetic dentist and the laboratory. Color management is very tricky even with thick porcelain. When it is three-tenths of a millimeter thick, as these can sometimes be, it is even more demanding to block out the underlying color while maintaining a sensation of depth in the final result. The thinness makes the shaping of the teeth more challenging, too.

So whether you want Lumineers or another brand of porcelain veneers, it's important to visit a dental artist and an experienced, trained cosmetic dentist like Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.

Another caution is that you want a dentist who will be honest with you about what results you can expect from Lumineers. Yes, there are advantages to them, but there are disadvantages, too. And since, with Lumineers, the dentist doesn't have to prepare the teeth beforehand, they can generate a good profit margin for the dentist with less work than conventional porcelain veneers. So it may be a temptation for the dentist to tell you that Lumineers will be perfect for you, and raise your expectations. Dr. Rothwell, however, will be honest with you and tell you whether they will work for you. She is fully trained in all areas of cosmetic dentistry and can give you all your options with the advantages and disadvantages of each choice.

One drawback with Lumineers is that you're then tied to one particular dental laboratory. Since they are made from this Cerinate porcelain, which is a proprietary product of the Den-Mat Corporation, they have to be made in the Den-Mat laboratory. This laboratory has some excellent technicians, but are they the very best? The artistic talent of the laboratory technician is a key ingredient in the beauty of the smile that is created. Dr. Rothwell will help you weigh the pros and cons of a new smile created by the Den-Mat laboratory versus working with another independent laboratory technician.

Here are some other cosmetic dentistry treatment options that Dr. Rothwell offers:

	Teeth Whitening - This is so easy now, and is the most popular smile-enhancing procedure that we offer. With Zoom whitening, you can have dramatically whiter teeth in only one visit.
	Read more about the porcelain veneers that Dr. Rothwell does, and see photos of some of her work.
	Cerec Crowns - With advanced computer technology, we can now have a crown precision made for you while you wait! There is no need to wear a temporary crown, or to have to come back for a second visit. Your crown is made for you in just a few minutes.
	Smile design - When you get a new smile from Dr. Rothwell, a lot of thought and effort is put into developing the smiles design that you want, with the color of teeth that you want, that blends well with your face and personality. Read about that here.
	Cosmetic dentistry questions - Dr. Rothwell answers your questions.