Hi Dr. Hall,
I am seriously thinking about getting Lumineers. I am thinking about using Dr. —- from Los Angeles. I understand that he is one of the premiere Lumineers dentists. I was wondering if you could do some research on him and provide me with any feedback on his training, cosmetic dentistry background, complaints, awards, etc.
Also, would Lumineers be a good option? Are there good reviews and feedback on Lumineers looking nice and also lasting a while? I’m afraid of having my teeth shaved down and wanted to go the route of Lumineers if they are worth it.
Thanks a lot,
Ken from Pennsylvania
Dear Kenneth,
I can find no evidence of any cosmetic dentistry training that Dr. —- has. Sorry. He isn’t even a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, which to me shows a low level of commitment to cosmetic dentistry. And I can’t find his name among graduates of some of the popular cosmetic dentistry training courses that I have access to. And the other question I ask – is he an artist? I don’t know the answer to that. Most expert cosmetic dentists who are artists do post their work on the Internet, and I don’t find any of his posted. So I’m skeptical about that.
And the fact that you are telling me you are afraid of getting your teeth shaved DOWN concerns me. I think you’ve been overly influenced by the commercials. Before you go and possibly ruin your smile, I think you owe it to yourself to get some accurate information. And here are the inaccuracies I believe you have bought into:
1) For porcelain veneers, generally your teeth are shaved a little, but I don’t think it’s accurate to say they’re shaved DOWN. In many cases, from a conversational distance, you can’t even tell that the teeth are changed after they have been prepared for porcelain veneers and before the veneers are put on. That’s how small the reduction is, in many cases, if you get the beautiful porcelain veneers.
2) On the other side, I’m not so sure that Lumineers can be removed without damaging the teeth. Yes, THEORETICALLY, since the teeth aren’t shaved at all before placing the Lumineers. But it is very easy to have an “accident” when the Lumineers are removed and to have a tooth or teeth gouged or nicked.
My advice is not to go only to a dentist who promotes himself too heavily as a “Lumineers dentist” before getting a new smile. You may not get an honest opinion about whether or not they’re good for you. Go to an expert cosmetic dentist first. Any expert cosmetic dentist listed on our website is able to do Lumineers. Just go for an opinion. Then compare what the two dentists say. Armed with more information, you are in a better position to make a good decision about whether or not to do Lumineers.
And I have not seen a really nice Lumineers smile. I’ve seen some bad ones and some okay ones. I’m sure there are some really nice ones out there, but I haven’t seen any. They make your teeth look rounded, a little bulky, and a little longer.
As far as long-lasting, Lumineers are excellent in that department. They’re durable—probably better than average in that department.
– Dr. Hall
Related information:
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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.