The Ultimate Guide to Lumineers vs Porcelain Veneers

Hey, I’m Dr. Richard Eidelson, DDS, FAGD and I’m excited to share something that surprises many of my dental patients. What if I told you that there is a safe, fast and affordable way to make a striking improvement to your appearance and drastically boost your confidence? Something that movie stars and famous people commonly use to get that picture-perfect smile. It’s a procedure that I’ve performed countless times over my 20+ years as a top Philadelphia dentist. Well, it’s time that you get in on the secret – dental veneers!

The Value of a Perfect Smile (Priceless!)

One of the most popular services I provide at Main Street Dental Center City is a complete smile makeover and for good reason. I think the actress and singer Connie Stevens said it best – “Nothing you wear is more important than your smile.” We all know the value of a first impression and how it completely shapes ones perception of you from that moment forward.  Well a bright, gorgeous smile is a sure-fire way to make that unforgettable first impression. 

But, the truth is that very few of us are blessed with the genetics of perfectly aligned, spaced and white teeth. Add in normal wear and tear over the years, and maybe a Starbucks habit that you’ve had a bit too long and odds are your teeth will show their age. As a highly reviewed cosmetic dentist in Philadelphia and Fellow with the Academy of General Dentistry, I’m here to tell you that almost all of those perfect smiles you see are with the help of dental veneers.

How Dental Veneers Work

Dental veneers are handcrafted, cosmetic restorations used for enhancing the way your teeth look. Unlike dental crowns which cover your entire tooth, veneers simply mask the surfaces that are visible. They look like thin shells of porcelain and are bonded to each of the respective teeth that are in your “smile zone.”

They’re capable of reversing the appearance of aesthetic flaws and normal wear-and-tear including:

• Crooked teeth
• Gaps in your smile
• Minor crowding
• Severe tooth discoloration
• Minor chips or worn enamel
• Uneven, narrow, or misshaped teeth

Sounds great right? But what if I told you that there was something even better that top dentists are beginning to use instead of porcelain veneers. 

Introducing Lumineers – A Better Option of Dental Veneers

Lumineers have many advantages over traditional porcelain veneers which have made them the #1 patient requested veneers at my practice. But first let’s discuss what exactly Lumineers are and what makes them different from porcelain veneers. 

Lumineers, a brand of veneers made from a patented ceramic material called Cerinate, replicate the natural luminosity and translucency of teeth. They are ultra-thin, comparable to contact lenses, requiring minimal to no tooth enamel removal during application. Being just 0.2mm thick, they are thinner and faster to apply than traditional veneers, which are typically 0.5mm thick. Developed by DenMat Lab in California, Lumineers are widely used in cosmetic dentistry to address various cosmetic issues and provide patients with perfect smiles. These no-prep veneers are digitally designed to maintain the original tooth structure while covering imperfections, offering a convenient option to achieve a flawless smile with less preparation work and the flexibility to remove them without compromising the natural teeth.

The Difference between Lumineers and Porcelain Veneers

Veneers and Lumineers serve the same dental purpose, yet they differ in several aspects. Lumineers are notably thinner and demand less preparation compared to traditional porcelain veneers, resulting in a less invasive procedure without the need for local anesthesia. Your natural teeth structure remains intact with Lumineers, and they can be easily removed, allowing you to revert to your original smile. In contrast, porcelain veneers are permanent, offering no option for modification except through replacement with new ones.

Which Solution is Best for You?

I want to outline some of the pros and cons of Lumineers and porcelain veneers to help you understand which dental veneers solution is best for you:

Lumineers Advantages:

• Little to no tooth enamel removed
• Reversible treatment
• No need for anesthetic or shots
• Natural-looking smile enhancement
• Requires less prep work
• Lumineers can be removed
• Cost less than traditional veneers
• The structure of natural teeth remains unchanged after procedure
• Less invasive and painless treatment compared to traditional veneers

Lumineers Disadvantages:

• Lumineers may not fully cover all imperfections, especially severely damaged teeth
• In rare situations, Lumineers may have the tendency to detach from the natural tooth
• Only a certified Lumineers Dentist may place your Lumineers

Porcelain Veneers Advantages:

• Widely available at dental offices 
• Can cover more extreme cases of severely stained, discolored or damaged teeth

Porcelain Veneers Disadvantages:

• Once bonded to your teeth, removal is not a practical option
• The procedure is completely permanent
• No changing your mind once you’ve committed
• The preparation process for traditional veneers can be lengthy and more invasive
• Traditional veneers can be more costly

My Professional Recommendation

I’ve done my best to utilize my years of experience in the cosmetic dentistry field to provide a thorough outline that will help inform your decision on which option to choose. I can say with certainty that my choice are Lumineers. My preference is always to maintain as much of your natural tooth structure as possible which will result in better outcomes over many years. The fact that Lumineers provide patients with a way to restore their smile without needing as much prep work before placement is a huge benefit. With Lumineers, only a tiny amount of tooth enamel is removed, so more of your natural tooth structure is maintained.

There are certain scenarios where I do recommend traditional porcelain veneers. Usually it is when a patient has severe discoloration. Since Lumineers are ultra-thin, they don’t cover up deep staining as well as conventional veneers can.

Whichever choice you make, you can feel comfortable coming to Main Street Dental City Center. I am a certified Lumineers provider and have been performing smile makeovers with Lumineers in Philadelphia for 20+ years.