Dear Dr. Hall,
I have recently heard of a new cost effective veneers called GlamSmile. It seems similar to Lumineers except the teeth moldings are made by a Belgium company and requires only one hour to bind on teeth. Would you recommend this product? Would you recommend Glamsmile to Lumineers? Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you.
– Grace from Los Angeles
Dear Grace,
I’ll give you my ideas on GlamSmile. I see several potential problems.
First, the system is being marketed to dentists who don’t know anything about cosmetic dentistry, and the dentists are being told that the lab will pretty much do everything. This is similar to what the Lumineers people say, and it doesn’t work. But, as many problems as we’ve seen with Lumineers (and I have many e-mails from patients complaining of Lumineers), GlamSmile could be worse because I see nothing in the technique as they present it on their web site, for trying in the new smile before it is permanently bonded. This could spell real trouble. You have to be able to see the new smile before it is put on permanently. You have to. Blind faith is not smart when you’re dealing with a smile makeover.
Second, it is marketed to the dentist as a way to make a whole lot of money in just an hour — five times their normal rate of production. This is a recipe for trouble for the patient.
Third, I have real questions about their bonding technique, and if an hour is a realistic time for your regular dentist to get these on and properly clean up and polish. I think it could easily be a two-hour or even a four-hour procedure. That’s because it requires hardening the luting cement first and cleaning it off later. The GlamSmile web site hints that this may be a problem, and suggests rescheduling the patient for a second appointment to completely remove the excess cement, if necessary. I think it’s harder and more time-consuming than they let on.
Fourth, it is a very bad idea to go to a cosmetic dentist and ask for a particular technique or material. I caution about this throughout this blog. I have seen so many e-mails of patients who went to a dentist and asked for a particular material or technique. Cosmetic dentistry is art, and I strongly advise that you pick the cosmetic dentist, and trust him or her with the porcelain veneers technique that works best in their hands. Pick a cosmetic dentist who has the proper training and artistic ability, one you can trust, and let them take it from there.
I hope this is helpful.
– Dr. Hall
About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.