Lumineers are the thinnest ceramic plates (0.2-0.3 mm) that are superimposed on the front walls of the teeth in order to create a “Hollywood smile”.
According to their characteristics, they have the maximum similarity with natural tooth enamel. The main goal of lumineers is to preserve the natural appearance of the teeth as much as possible and at the same time give them an aesthetic appearance.
Lumineers are the newest, safest technology for whitening tooth enamel. Thanks to them, today everyone will be able to quickly and painlessly whiten their teeth by several tones.
Lumineers and veneers - what's the difference?
Many patients believe that veneers and lumineers are one and the same. But it's not. Indeed, they are very similar, but they also have some differences. For example, lumineers are thinner, as a result of which the dentist does not have to remove a thick layer of natural enamel to install them. Lumineers are more securely attached to the teeth and have a longer service life.
Naturally, for these reasons, the cost of Lumineers is also much higher.
Lumineers are often used by Hollywood stars, which is why a snow-white smile is called "Hollywood". Thanks to them, dentists can create a healthy and beautiful smile for a long time.
With their help, you can solve several aesthetic problems at once. This is due to the fact that lumineers act as a damper that hides all defects. Moreover, almost all problems associated with an unaesthetic appearance of teeth can be solved in just a few sessions. Therefore, the installation of lumineers is also called "instant orthodontics". Thanks to them, you can achieve the same result in a short period of time as if a dentist worked on your teeth for a long time.
For the manufacture of super-thin plates, dentists use zirconium dioxide and phosphorus. They are used to cover teeth with visible damage.
In addition, after the veneer has been installed between it and the tooth, a gap may form into which bacteria can easily penetrate. All this can lead to the formation of caries under the plates. In the case of lumineers, this is excluded, since they are attached to the tooth as tightly as possible with the help of special glue.
Indications
Most often, doctors recommend the use of Lumineers in the following cases:
- with too dark color of tooth enamel;
- in the presence of dark spots on the teeth;
- with teeth that have lost their whiteness due to the use of antibacterial drugs (especially tetracycline);
- with pathological thinning of tooth enamel;
- with too much distance between the teeth;
- for the restoration of underdeveloped teeth or teeth with age-related changes;
- when changing the position of the teeth or their crowding;
- with a non-uniform color of the enamel due to excessive intake of fluorine;
- with erosion of tooth enamel or the presence of stripes on it;
- in the presence of chipped teeth;
- in the presence of too noticeable seals on the teeth visible during the conversation.
However, Lumineers can not always help correct the situation. In some cases, prior dental treatment may be necessary. Lumineers for enamel whitening can be used at any age in the absence of caries, even without a doctor's prescription.
Advantages and disadvantages of the method
The main advantages of this method include:
- the ability to hide visible defects of the teeth under the plates;
- the use of materials resistant to temperature extremes during the production of lumineers;
- preservation of the shade of the teeth for the whole period of use;
- the procedure is absolutely painless and does not cause even the slightest discomfort;
- there is a huge selection of lumineers, which allows you to choose a shade that will best match the appearance of each patient.
However, even this method has some drawbacks. So, lumineers can still break under too strong mechanical loads. In addition, they are quite brittle and fragile.
Contraindications
The main contraindications for the use of Lumineers include the presence of carious teeth in the oral cavity. Due to the fact that the teeth are not ground during the installation of lumineers, after the installation of lumineers, the patient's jaw may look somewhat larger.
Lumineers are very difficult to fit under the gums, so they may bleed during installation. It can also cause the gums to become infected and swollen. In this case, the dentist may recommend cutting off part of the lumineer, which may also require additional costs.
Another disadvantage of lumineers is the likelihood of getting caught by scammers. Lumineers are not made in Russia, but are ordered from America, which already indicates that the cost of the goods will be quite high. Therefore, often patients in unverified clinics install ordinary veneers, or simply fakes.
Duration of use
The duration of operation of lumineers largely depends on the correctness of their installation, as well as on the quality of the product. In general, the period of wear of ceramic lumineers with proper care is from 10 to 20 years.
The main indications for the replacement of lumineers are their damage and the occurrence of caries.
Most often, not cement is used to attach lumineers to the teeth, but a special glue that cannot be dissolved by anything. Therefore, the replacement of lumineers due to the fact that they peel off is extremely rare.
Lumineers cost
Only a doctor after examining the patient will be able to name the exact price for Lumineers. The cost of the plates is very low, however, given that the patient will have to make impressions of the teeth, spend money on materials for manufacturing and pay for preparing the teeth for installation, then on average, about 25-30 thousand rubles may be needed for pads in a cheap regional dental clinic.
The price for creating a “Hollywood smile” can vary greatly depending on the location of the clinic, the qualifications of the doctor, and the availability of equipment necessary for dental treatment in the dental office.
However, the cost of lumineers fully justifies itself, because having spent it once, the patient will be able to enjoy his ideal, healthy smile for many years.
In some cases, the price of creating a "Hollywood smile" can reach up to 200 thousand rubles, but in the pursuit of the beauty of people, this, as a rule, does not stop. This is due to the fact that by virtue of the profession, some patients are simply required to have a perfect smile.
Manufacturing and installation of lumineers
At the first visit to the doctor, the dentist takes casts of the patient's teeth. At the same time, the shade of lumineers is selected. After that, using plaster, the doctor makes a cast of the jaw. Upon completion of the process, both impressions are sent to a laboratory located in the USA.
There, the records are made from a patented material and sent back to Russia.
During the second visit, the doctor cleans the teeth from plaque, sharpens some of their parts, if necessary, and glues Lumineers.
If desired, the patient can remove the plates at any time and restore naturalness to his smile without damaging the tooth enamel.
Thus, after two visits to the dentist, the patient will be able to enjoy the aesthetic appearance of his smile.
