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San Diego, CA 92110
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Do you have stained, chipped or misaligned teeth? Dr.Hage can help to improve the look of your smile.
A bright, beautiful smile doesn’t have to involve serious dental surgery or expensive cosmetic treatments. If your teeth are moderately misaligned, stained, or otherwise in need of mild refurbishment, dental veneers can drastically improve your appearance in just a few dental appointments.
If you’re looking for an easy, minimally invasive way to restore your smile to its full, beautiful brilliance, give Smile Designers a call at (619) 222-6000 to schedule a consultation today.
Ultra Thin Veneers. No teeth preparation needed
What types of problems do dental veneers fix?
Dental veneers are thin porcelain shells that are bonded to the surface of your teeth to improve their color, shape, size or length. The types of cosmetic dental problems that veneers can fix include:
- Tooth discoloration from stains, excessive fluoride use, or root canals
- Worn, chipped, or broken teeth
- Misaligned or uneven teeth
- Irregularly shaped teeth
- Gaps between teeth
Veneers can be used on single or multiple teeth, and they are custom-made to match the color of your natural teeth.
Veneers vs. Lumineers: What’s the Difference?
Traditional porcelain veneers and Lumineers are both great options for restoring the full radiance of your smile. Although both are made of porcelain, there are some key differences between the two, starting with their size.
- Traditional veneers are typically 0.5mm. While this is quite thin, it is still thick enough that if placed on top of an unprepared tooth, the result would look awkward and feel bulky in the mouth.
- Tooth preparation for traditional veneers involves shaving down the tooth prior to placing the veneer in order to create a flush fit and a natural appearance. Traditional veneers are permanent.
- Lumineers on the other hand, are thin enough that they require no tooth preparation. Approximately the thickness of a contact lens, Lumineers can be placed directly on the natural tooth. Lumineers have the advantage of being reversible. If you don’t like them, they can be removed. And because Lumineers do not require any tooth preparation, they typically cost a bit less as well.
- One drawback, however, is that their extreme thinness makes them a bit more fragile and best for minor imperfections only. They may not be the best choice for severely stained teeth.
What are Lumineers Veneers?
Lumineers are a brand of veneers, which are thin porcelain shells that cover the front of your teeth to hide surface flaws and minor gaps. Lumineers are thinner than traditional veneers (about 0.3 millimeters thick versus 0.5 millimeters), and they don’t require filing down the enamel on your natural teeth before placement.
Placing Lumineers is a two-step process. First, your dentist will take detailed impressions of your smile and help you choose the right shade of high-quality, medical-grade porcelain. After a dental lab fabricates the Lumineers, your dentist will bond them to your teeth using dental cement. To ensure the strongest bond possible, your dentist can also apply a special etching solution over your teeth before bonding.
Benefits of Lumineers Veneers
An obvious benefit of Lumineers veneers is walking out of the dental office with a brighter, whiter, more uniform smile, but there are other reasons why Lumineers are a great option for improving the appearance of your teeth:
- The procedure is non-invasive with no drills or needles required.
- No anesthesia or numbing agents are required during the procedure.
- The placement process takes only one dental appointment, and there is no need to wear temporary veneers while the permanent ones are fabricated.
- Unlike traditional veneers, which involve the irreversible process of filing down tooth enamel, Lumineers can be removed if you ever change your mind.
Benefits of veneers
The main benefit of dental veneers is a beautiful new smile, but there are other benefits as well.
- Veneers look and feel like natural teeth
- Veneers are less invasive than crowns and implants.
- Porcelain veneers are stain-resistant
- Veneers are strong and can last up to 15 year
- Veneers don’t irritate gum tissue like some other dental prosthetics can
- Veneers can correct visible stains
- Veneers can address chipped or broken teeth
Caring for veneers is as easy as caring for your natural teeth. Just brush, floss, and visit your dentist regularly.
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Lumineers vs Veneers: Pros and Cons
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Am I a good candidate for Lumineers veneers?
Lumineers can conceal a wide range of dental imperfections, including:
- Chipped or cracked teeth
- Worn teeth
- Stained or discolored teeth
- Crooked or slightly misaligned teeth
- Gapped or unevenly spaced teeth
- Teeth with disproportionate sizes
Ideal candidates for Lumineers should be in good oral health, with no current tooth decay or signs of gum disease, and with enamel strong enough to support the porcelain shells. Additionally, while Lumineers can easily cover up minor to moderate staining and discoloration, darker or more pronounced stains might be visible through Lumineers, requiring thicker veneers instead.
How to care for Lumineers veneers
Caring for your new Lumineers veneers is the same as caring for your natural teeth: daily brushing and flossing, and twice-yearly checkups with your dentist. However, you should be careful when brushing, avoiding overly aggressive force, which can loosen Lumineers over time. It’s also important to avoid using your teeth as tools for anything but chewing – this includes biting fingernails, chewing on pens or ice, or using your teeth to open packages.
How much do Lumineers veneers cost in San Diego?
The cost of Lumineers veneers in San Diego varies greatly by the dentist you use, the number of teeth treated, and how complex your individual procedure will be. But in general, the cost of Lumineers veneers ranges from $800-$2,000 per tooth. While most dental insurance policies don’t cover Lumineers because it is a cosmetic procedure, many dental offices offer financing plans to help cover expenses.
If you want a fast, painless, beautiful solution to your imperfect smile, Lumineers veneers might be right for you. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call Smile Designers located in Pint Loma, Rosecrans at (619) 222-6000.
Does insurance cover veneers?
Dental veneers are considered cosmetic improvements rather than necessary dental procedures, so dental insurance usually does not cover the cost. However, some insurance policies will cover all or a portion of the cost of veneers if they are needed to restore the structure of the tooth or if an existing veneer is damaged.
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