Dr. Hall,
I find myself in a dilemma. I currently have 17-year-old porcelain veneers that have recently chipped. One dentist recommends crowns however another recommends Lumineers even though my teeth have already been prepped for veneers. Can Lumineers be made thicker and could a dentist remove my current veneers without compromising the little amount of tooth that is left? How can 2 dentists both certified in Lumineer have such different opinions?
– Josie from New York
Dear Josie,
I think you should get your porcelain veneers replaced with a new set of porcelain veneers, and I don’t think you should go to either of these dentists.
I think the one dentist is recommending crowns because he or she doesn’t know how to do good porcelain veneers.
I think the other dentist is comfortable with Lumineers but isn’t comfortable with traditional porcelain veneers.
I don’t know. This is just what I suspect.
Are you specifically looking for “Lumineers” dentists? If so, this is a bad approach, in my opinion. I’d tend to stay away from dentists who advertise that they do Lumineers. Some excellent cosmetic dentists also do Lumineers, but if you go to a “Lumineers dentist,” you tend to find that the solution to all the problems are Lumineers. Go to a dentist who is fully trained in every cosmetic dentistry procedure.
All you have to do to be certified in Lumineers is to attend the DenMat course. You can sleep through it, and still be certified. It’s no big deal. You want a true cosmetic dentist, which requires a lot of training.
You’re on Long Island – check our list of great cosmetic dentists on Long Island by visiting our New York cosmetic dentists page.
An excellent cosmetic dentist can remove your old porcelain veneers and not damage the underlying teeth, and place a new, beautiful set for you.
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.
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