What kind of vaneers/ lumineers would I need and for how many teeth?

Question

I'm mainly wanting the top teeth done as my bottom teeth don't even show when I smile. I want my teeth to be bigger and more aigned and form a straight line at the bottom if possible.. Would lumineers that require no shaving down be a good option? I'm very scared to have my teeth shaved down

Sarah Thompson, DMD · Answer

Lumineers may be a great option for a person like you who does not want to loose tooth structure by having your teeth shaved down some to mount the veneer.  The only catch is that Lumineers have a pretty high failure rate.  This means that after placement, they are much more likely to become dislodged from time to time.  For this reason, I would at least consider porcelain veneers.  I place a 10 year warranty on veneers that I place, which guards against them falling off.  Good luck and I hope this info helps you. Follow me if you have more questions.Sarah Thompson, DMDSt. Louis, MORealSelf100

Nirav Patel, MDS, PhD · Answer

yr primary concern is , lowers not visible, so its my advice to visit orthodontist. because i can see u have nice set of teeth.

Brad Lockhart, DDS · Answer

I love doing cosmetic dentistry in my office but I would never recommend veneers for you (unless you have an extremely compelling reason). You have beautiful teeth that are slightly misaligned. Simple orthodontic procedures would give you the smile you are looking for. You could also use clear aligners (Invisalign) to make the procedure virtually invisible. Also, you mentioned you wanted to have all of your front teeth form a straight line if possible. This too would be a mistake as the four upper front teeth are not supposed to be on the same line. In a perfect smile the two central incisors are on the same plane as the two canine teeth and the two lateral incisors are 1-2 mm shorter. If all four incisors are on the same line it makes the teeth look older and worn. Look at before and after pictures of well-done cosmetic cases (veneers, orthodontics, etc.) and you will see that the prettiest smiles are broad (like yours), the edges of the upper teeth nicely follow the contour of the lower lip (like yours), the upper lip falls at the top of the two central incisors (like yours), the lateral incisors are approximately 60% of the width of the central incisors (like yours), the central incisors are 1-2 mm longer than the lateral incisors (like yours) and the teeth are nicely aligned (UNlike yours). So...properly align your teeth with conventional braces or Invisalign and you will then have an ideal smile and have virtually zero maintenance over the lifetime of your teeth (just wear retainers).Oh, and you'll also pay about half as much (doing Invisalign vs. veneers; and that's only counting the first time you do veneers).Good luck!

Vicki Borowski, DDS · Answer

Thanks for posting the pictures. They help a lot. Lumineers would work on some of your teeth, but not all. You would be an excellent case for very conservative veneers where only minimal tooth removal is done. Because you have a broad smile 10 veneers would be ideal. This would allow you to broaden your smile and give you more symmetry. Good luck!

Hank D. Michael, DMD · Answer

Great questions and good for you doing some research. From your pictures it looks like you show a minimum of 10 teeth. So if you plan on changing the shape and color with veneers - the minimum is 10 for best aesthetics. Should they be Lumineers? Not a big fan of Lumineers for a couple of reasons. They don't look natural and they are bulky which leads to red irritated gums which makes them look even less natural. Think of them like acrylic fingernails. If you are going to do veneers, do them the right way which does require removal of "some" natural tooth - which can still be very conservative. Be sure your dentist is using magnification.Why do you want veneers? From what I can see in the pictures you posted, it looks like you would benefit from some Invisalign but thats it. You have nice teeth! While I do veneers for patients like yourself, I make sure they fully understand the benefits and the risks - they need to be replace about every 15 years. Your "fear" to have your teeth shaved makes me think you are not a good candidate at this stage of your life. Your teeth look better now than they would with a minimally invasive "no prep" veneer. If you had super tiny teeth - maybe.Hank D. Michael, DMD - General, Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry

What kind of vaneers/ lumineers would I need and for how many teeth?

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