I have a large tooth gap. It is about 10mm wide. I was talking to my dentist about a way to fix this and he is suggesting Lumineers. That is a bit expensive, but if it is my best option, I will do what it takes to get the money. What I don’t want is a mouth full of metal braces.
Kevin
Dear Kevin,
I would NOT go with Lumineers. First, Lumineers is just one brand of porcelain veneers but it is a brand that is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists so I would be careful with any dentist recommending that brand. A second thing that concerns me is the size of the gap. Ten millimeters is large enough that you could fit another tooth in there. This would be an especially challenging case if you were to fix it with any brand of porcelain veneers. You have a better, safer, and less expensive option.
Orthodontics have improved tremendously in recent years. You said you do not want a mouth full of metal and I certainly do not blame you for that! Did your dentist ever mention Invisalign to you? This uses clear aligners to straighten your teeth. You can wear them without anyone even knowing you have some type of orthodontic on. These clear aligners are invisible even at a conversational distance.
They also have an added benefit which enables you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time for a fraction of the cost. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. All your dentist will need to provide is the professional strength gel and you’ll wear them in your aligners at a time that is most convenient to you.
If you decide you want to go with porcelain veneers anyway, that is fine. Just make sure you choose the dentist for this carefully. I would say, for your situation, you would need a dentist who is in the top 1% of the cosmetic field. It will be more expensive than what your dentist is even quoting you.
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