I have a rather large tooth gap. My dentist said it is about 9mm. I want to fix it and whiten my teeth at the same time. My dentist said he was just certified in Lumineers and can place those on my teeth to close the gap. Is this a good solution? I want to make sure for two reasons. One, it’s expensive. Two, he is new at it.
Joey
Dear Joey,
Inviaslgin Aligner
I want you to run away from the recommendation your dentist gave you as fast as you can. Here are just a few reasons why. First, Lumineers are simply a brand of porcelain veneers. This particular brand is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place because there is no prep. In all honesty, there is no such thing as no-prep veneers. Your teeth will have to be etched no matter what brand you use.
Second, certification in Lumineers simply means they have attended a seminar. It does nothing to develop their skill or teach them artistry.
Thirdly, your particular case would require a dentist who has tremendous skill, experience, and artistry in placing porcelain veneers. The size of your gap is enough to fit an entire tooth into. In order to make this look natural, it will take some technical expertise not available to your dentist.
Invisalign is a Much Better Solution
In your place, I would have Invisalign done. These use clear aligners to straighten and align your teeth. You can see a picture of one of the aligners above. These will close the gap without anyone even knowing you are wearing orthodontics. They are invisible even at a conversational distance. Additionally, they are much more comfortable than traditional braces and work in half the time.
Not only will using Invisalign cost significantly less than getting porcelain veneers, but the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays, saving you even more money. Your dentist can just provide you with the whitening gel, which you can wear in your aligners at a convenient time for you. This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time.
This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.