I was so excited about getting Lumineers, especially because they’re ultra-thin which my dentist said will look more natural. But, that’s not how they turned out. Instead, they look really bulky and chalky. I would say, though they’re whiter than my old teeth were that anyone could tell they’re fake. I’d have been better off just getting my teeth whitened. I’d have saved a lot of money too. Is this normal for Lumineers?
Kristin A.
Dear Kristin,
Here’s the thing about Lumineers. They’re heavily marketed to dentists as being easy to place because tooth prep isn’t required. This is appealing to inexperienced cosmetic dentists who may not have the skills to do proper tooth prep. Unfortunately, that also means they don’t have the skills to create beautiful smiles either.
What you end up with are fake looking, bulky smiles such as you received. Lumineers don’t have to be that way but a lot of it depends on your face and tooth shape, along with the skills of the dentist involved. Also, just because they are ultra-thin doesn’t mean your particular smile won’t need some mild prep. That’s probably why they look bulky.
Getting this Lumineers Disaster Fixed
The first thing I’d do is ask your dentist for a refund. He may offer to just do them over for you, but if he didn’t get close the first time I don’t think doing them again will matter. If you want to let him have another try, that’s fine. Just make sure he understands you want to see how they’ll look with a temporary try-in paste before he permanently bonds them and if you don’t like them, he doesn’t bond them.
It’s also possible he’ll only offer a partial refund. If that’s the case, tell him you’re willing to pay for the lab fees but that’s it. You didn’t get a beautiful smile and that’s what you paid for.
Next, you’ll need to find a dentist who can actually give you the gorgeous smile you’re looking for. Though, you may find they recommend a different brand of porcelain veneers. That’s okay. They likely know it will give you a more beautiful, natural looking smile. Most skilled cosmetic dentists will stand behind their work and offer a beautiful smile guarantee. But, how do you go about finding these dentists?
1. Look up local cosmetic dentists and check out their smile gallery to see if you like their work.
2. Check their online reviews to see if other people liked the results they received and enjoyed working with the dentist.
3. Call the office and ask them whether they guarantee their work. Check out Dr. Collins’ beautiful smile guarantee to get an idea what they should offer.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Steven Collins.