I’m so sick of not liking my smile. They’re stained from years of coffee drinking and my teeth are chipped from some grinding. Now that I finally have some money, I want to do something about it. My dentist is suggesting Lumineers. I’ve been looking online and they have mixed reviews. How do I know if that is the right treatment or if I should do something else? It’s important to me it gets done rather quickly.

Caroline

Dear Caroline,

You don’t have to spend your life hiding your smile.

I am quite glad you wrote. My hope is to save you some grief. First, let’s talk about what you’re wanting to fix. If you only have one or two chips and stained teeth, you can save a lot of money just dealing with those issues. For instance, your teeth can be whitened in one dental appointment with an in-office procedure such as Zoom Whitening. Then, when the whitening is completed, you could have dental bonding done to repair the chipped teeth. That will be significantly less expensive than a procedure like Lumineers, which is just one brand of porcelain veneers.

When are Porcelain Veneers the Right Treatment

Porcelain Veneers are the go-to procedure if you are looking for a total smile makeover. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth. One word of warning. I’m not sure your dentist is the one to do it if that is the way you decide to go. The Lumineers brand is often marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place.

Unfortunately, while it may be “easy-ish” to bond them on, that has nothing to do with the artistry involved in how to create beautiful smiles. Unfortunately, doing smile makeovers isn’t taught in dental school. This means your dentist has to invest in post-doctoral training. It takes a significant amount of additional schooling and practice to develop the skills and artistry needed to do this well. Unfortunately, there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry for patients to know which dentists invested in that training and which didn’t. Any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist.

If you decide you want to get a total smile makeover, there is a good resource for you. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry recognized the pickle patients found themselves in. Because of that, they began an accreditation program where dentists can prove they have what it takes to create beautiful smiles. After they’ve passed stringent exams, they then have to provide visual evidence for a large number of cases they’ve personally done to show they can put into practice what they have in their head. If you want a smile makeover, the safest way to get a stunning smile is with an AACD accredited dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.