It’s amazing how much a beautiful smile with straight, white teeth influences a person’s appearance and relaxedness. Of course, not everyone can boast of such luxury - some have naturally not very white teeth, others were unable to maintain the integrity of their dentition. And in this case, lumineers to the rescue - they can be installed at any age (we are, of course, talking only about adults), and the price of the issue is not comparable to the cost of other methods, especially when you consider how long the overlays will last.
What are Lumineers? These are very thin ceramic plates used as onlays on teeth. Their thickness is almost less than that of contact lenses, and after installation they are not felt at all.
Lumineers are often compared to veneers. Is there a difference between them? Yes, and it is quite significant - lumineers are thinner and therefore do not require preliminary grinding of the teeth. But the minimum thickness should not confuse you - in fact, lumineers are very durable, as they are made from a special composite material with the addition of crystals, making it resistant to external factors - food, exposure to a toothbrush, and so on.
What are Lumineers?
To make a patient’s smile beautiful, dentists use specialized onlays. They are made from ceramics. The products are thin and highly resistant to mechanical stress. The products do not require special care. It is enough to carry out hygiene procedures daily.
Teeth onlays are made in a wide range of colors. This allows you to choose a product that matches the color of the patient’s tooth enamel and makes it invisible against the background of adjacent teeth. Installation of lumineers does not require tissue damage by grinding. The overlays are fixed to the enamel with an adhesive. If necessary, you can remove the product or replace it with a new one without causing harm to the patient’s teeth.
For the manufacture of plates, environmentally friendly materials are used that do not cause allergic reactions in the patient. The outer surface is resistant to the negative effects of various foods. With prolonged use, the linings do not lose their color and physical characteristics.
For reliable fixation, the inner surface of the plate is made porous. This improves the adhesive properties of the surface. The adhesive composition contains useful microelements. They strengthen tooth enamel and protect it from destruction for a long time.
Advantages and disadvantages of lumineers
Advantages:
- the opportunity to see the result of prosthetics in advance (using computer modeling);
- high strength and long service life;
- aesthetic restoration without preparation of dental elements;
- painless installation procedure;
- high aesthetics;
- no discomfort;
- the ability to install on sealed detailed units, on crowns;
- resistance to chemical attack (for example, fruit acids);
- protection of the enamel layer from mechanical damage;
- bioinertness to body tissues.
Flaws:
- high price;
- the need to wait for finished products.
Indications and contraindications
The installation of lumineers is indicated in some cases to improve the aesthetic qualities of teeth. Products can be installed on both front and back teeth. Indications for installation:
- Damage to teeth.
- Darkening and stains on the enamel.
- Presence of large gaps between teeth.
- Darkening of fillings.
- Curvature of teeth.
- Crowns on the front teeth that have an unaesthetic appearance.
- Grinded teeth.
The list of indications for installation does not end there. Lumineers are installed to improve the appearance of your teeth.
Contraindications are associated primarily with the presence of diseases, after treatment of which installation is possible. Contraindications:
- Caries at any stage of development.
- Cutting teeth (bruxism). It is observed in patients during sleep. During grinding, high pressure is applied to the surface of the teeth.
- Periodontitis.
- Severe crooked teeth or malocclusion.
Before installation, you should consult a specialist. The dentist will conduct diagnostic measures and, if necessary, prescribe treatment for the disease.
In what cases are lumineers not used?
Lumineers are a type of aesthetic prosthetics that are not suitable for all patients. The installation of ceramic onlays will have to be abandoned in the following clinical situations:
- Severe bite defects, abnormal curvature and crowding of teeth. In such circumstances, lumineers cannot solve the problem - preliminary orthodontic treatment is required, after which aesthetic prosthetics are planned;
- Contraindications are periodontal diseases;
- Ceramic plates are not installed in patients suffering from bruxism. Fragile ceramics will not withstand such a load and will break.
Patients with diagnosed abnormal abrasion of tooth enamel and the presence of fillings whose size is more than 50% of the total tooth area will have to refuse lumineers. And of course, before carrying out aesthetic prosthetics, it is necessary to cure caries, gum inflammation, and clean the dental surfaces of tartar and plaque.
Differences between lumineers and veneers
The main distinguishing feature of lumineers is their installation technology. On average, the thickness of veneers is 0.6 millimeters, lumineers – 0.2 mm. To install veneers, the dentist must grind down the patient's teeth. If you install veneers on entire teeth, the veneers will protrude forward and look unnatural.
Installation of lumineers is possible without preliminary sharpening of teeth. Before fixation, the specialist cleans the tooth. The nozzle is attached using a specialized adhesive.
How do you know if Lumineers are right for you?
It should be understood that installing lumineers in Moscow or any other city is not a quick process, requiring several visits to the clinic. At the first of them, you can ask the doctor to help you decide whether you need lumineers. To do this, the doctor will take a photo of your teeth, then use a computer to simulate a picture that will show the result of installing lumineers as close to reality as possible. If you like everything, impressions will be taken of your teeth and the dentist will send them to where the onlays are made, that is, in the USA. Why there? Because Lumineers are a patented technology, and only a few American laboratories have the right to manufacture them.
Installation benefits
One of the best ways to improve the aesthetic appearance of a patient's smile is to bond veneers. The products have a number of advantages:
- Possibility of installation without grinding teeth. Attaching the overlays does not involve processing fabrics. Only cleaning is used.
- With prolonged use, the surface of the products does not darken or change color.
- High installation speed. The patient will only need 2 to 3 visits to a specialist.
- Possibility of removing lumineers. The products can be removed without harming the patient's teeth.
- Wide range of colors. Thanks to a wide selection of shades, you can choose products that completely match the color of natural enamel. This allows you to install both several and one tooth in a row.
- Long service life. With proper care, lumineers can be used for more than 20 years.
- Comfort to use. The thickness of the overlay is 0.2 mm. Thanks to this, the patient quickly gets used to the design and does not experience discomfort.
- No allergic reactions. Environmentally friendly materials are used in the manufacture of the structure.
So what, all these years my teeth will look perfect?
Yes! Lumineers are not subject to discoloration due to food, drinks or simply over time, which, unfortunately, inevitably happens to human teeth. Ceramic plates will remain smooth, white, and beautiful throughout their entire service life.
Lumineers are one of the most interesting and truly useful achievements in aesthetic dentistry. Just imagine - just a month after your first visit to the clinic, you can have a perfect smile that will become your calling card. A great way to give yourself a little more self-confidence, attractiveness and increase self-esteem, isn’t it?
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How does fixation happen?
The procedure for installing lumineers is carried out in two stages. You can install the onlays in two or three visits to the dentist. The exact period depends on the individual characteristics of each patient. During the first visit, the specialist will examine the patient's oral cavity and conduct a survey. The doctor will advise the patient about the cost of installation. The dentist will create an impression from which the structure will be made in the future.
When you visit the specialist again, the onlays will be ready, and the dentist will install them. Before fixation, the doctor checks the shape and color of the product with a pre-made cast. The overlays are installed with a high-strength adhesive. This prevents spontaneous peeling of the product and the ingress of food particles between the lumineers and the enamel.
The installation procedure takes a minimum amount of time. During fixation of the pads, the patient does not experience pain or discomfort. Without the need for tooth preparation, lumineers can be installed without the use of anesthesia.
Some questions that concern patients
Is it possible to install lumineers on so-called dead teeth? Unlike veneers, lumineers can replace traditional crowns.
Is it possible to install onlays if crowns are already installed? Lumineers are installed on crowns, but only when the latter are in excellent condition.
Is it possible to combine ceramic and porcelain onlays? Lumineers, which are made of porcelain, are placed on the front incisors. To save on restoration costs, onlays made of zirconium can be installed on chewing incisors.
Lumineers care
Correctly installed high quality pads will serve the patient for a long time. The structures look natural and do not differ from the color of tooth enamel. To preserve the physical properties, the products should be properly cared for.
Cleaning lumineers is carried out in the same way as dental hygiene procedures. You need to clean your lumineers twice a day. When carrying out hygiene measures, a person can use a paste and a brush at his own discretion. Avoid using cleaning paste containing small solid particles. They can act as an abrasive material and lead to rapid abrasion of the material.
When carrying out hygiene procedures, special attention should be paid to dental spaces. Floss is used to remove food debris. Using dental floss allows you to remove small particles in hard-to-reach places. To increase the life of the onlays, you should visit your dentist regularly. You should have your teeth professionally cleaned at least once every 6 months.
Cost of this service
The price of lumineers is quite high - $1000 per unit of product. This is determined by the completion of the work and the cost of delivery of the product.
Not every dental specialist will be able to carry out the installation procedure efficiently, and not everyone has sufficient knowledge in this area. When turning to a doctor with such a request, you need to make sure how much his professionalism meets the requirements of the procedure performed. Incorrect installation of onlays will lead to spoiled appearance of teeth and the development of diseases. This happens due to the formation of small cracks, which become a haven for bacteria and the accumulation of dental plaque.
If we talk about manufacturing, it is produced only in the USA using special ceramics using patented technology. The cost of the overlays includes delivery of the goods. The first thing that should alert a patient when choosing a dental clinic and specialist is when such a service costs less than $700.
Sources used:
- "Glossary of Dental Clinical and Administrative Terms"
- Optimization of dental restoration with ceramic inlays / Ziliya Chaika, Galina Ivanovna Ron. - M.: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2012.
- Orthopedic treatment of pathological abrasion of hard dental tissues / Kh.A. Kalamkarov. — M.: Medicine
Features of installing lumineers on teeth
Dentists offer two ways to install lumineers - with preliminary minor grinding of the enamel or without preparation at all. By the way, lumineers can be fixed to crowns and dentures.
Main stages of product installation:
- Preparatory. It involves diagnosing the condition of gums and teeth, professional cleaning of plaque and tartar, and treating caries. Lumineers are placed exclusively on healthy teeth to avoid the development of hidden pathologies.
- Planning. At this stage, impressions of the jaws are made. Using 3D modeling, you can see what your smile will look like after lumineers are installed. The prostheses themselves are manufactured in the laboratory within 3 to 14 days.
- Installation. Before fixation, lumineers are always tried on; the dentist must finally make sure that the plates fit perfectly. The onlays are attached to the enamel using dental adhesive, which provides absolute adhesion. The glue is compatible with the acidic environment of the oral cavity - the patient can be calm, the lumineer will not fall off.
Can Lumineers be removed over time?
There is usually an opinion that since the surface of the teeth is not ground down under lumineers (in most cases), they can be removed completely painlessly. You may be surprised, but this is not true. Of course, you can try to grind down the lumineers with a drill, but this is a very long process, and this does not mean that the surface of the tooth is not damaged. Lumineers are glued to the enamel using a very strong “cement” that firmly binds the lumineers to the tooth surface. We hope that our article: Lumineers photos before and after price - was useful to you!
Sources:
1. Personal experience as a dentist, 2. “Adhesive ceramic restorations” (Manier P.), 3. National Library of Medicine (USA), 4. American Dental Association (USA), 5. https://www.lumineers .com/, 6. https://www.realself.com/.
Reviews
Margarita: “I had Lumineers installed 7.5 years ago, the installation of all 3 onlays was quick and painless. We had to spend a lot of money on this, but the quality of the plates is very high, they still haven’t changed their color and are in their original condition.”
Alexander: “I have experience installing both veneers and lumineers. I didn’t particularly like the veneers: the tooth was ground down for a long time and painfully, forming it into an onlay, and its lifespan was no more than 3-5 years.
After this period, I had to remove it, and it turned out that I had wasted my money on installing the veneer. Now I have lumineers, more than 5 years have passed since the installation and I am completely satisfied with these plates. If I immediately knew all their advantages and disadvantages, I wouldn’t even turn to veneers.”
Elena: “Due to the fact that I did not go to the dentist for removal in a timely manner, the shape of my entire dentition was disrupted. My attending physician suggested installing braces, which I categorically disagreed with.
Later I learned about the existence of lumineers, and I liked this option much more. I had to invest an impressive amount of money into it, but the result impressed me: the smile became more attractive, the teeth became snow-white, and the row was gradually leveled out.”
