Lumineers Vs. Braces
There are often multiple ways to achieve your ideal smile, from braces to Lumineers (otherwise known as no-prep veneers).
Not many people consider cosmetic dentistry when it comes to straightening their smile. Orthodontic treatments such as traditional braces serve as one solution. But why wear braces when you can achieve a beautiful natural smile in less time and with less pain?
When making a decision about smile correction, it is vital that you have correct, accurate information about each treatment and what can be achieved. When considering Lumineers vs. braces, it is important to take into consideration the facts about the length of treatment, cost, recovery time, and the level of improvement you envision.
A Beautiful Smile: Lumineers or Braces?
Both Lumineers and braces can correct specific flaws, but the similarities largely end there. Lumineers are a strictly cosmetic dental procedure, while braces address the skeletal structure of the teeth, palate, and jaw. Both options create fantastic results, but which is right for you?
What are the differences between Lumineers and Braces?
Lumineers, like porcelain veneers, are ultra thin, tooth-colored shells that can be placed over the front of your existing teeth to correct many common cosmetic dental problems. However, Lumineers are actually thinner than some traditional veneers, allowing them to restore the appearance of a tooth or teeth with little-to-no removal of original tooth enamel.
In addition to closing gaps and straightening out the appearance of crooked teeth, Lumineers can also correct imperfections such as badly stained teeth, chips or cracks, or oddly-shaped teeth. Choose Lumineers if you want to beautify your smile in just a few visits.
While our Lumineers patients love their final results, they are not the right treatment for everyone. Orthodontic treatments such as braces can fix things Lumineers cannot, such as an overbite or underbite, as they address the skeletal structure of the teeth, palate, and jaw. (This is why meeting with your dentist is the most important step. Somebody needs to ask the right questions to determine which solution is right for you.)
Braces can correct and help to align many facial and dental flaws including correcting crowded or crooked teeth, correcting an overbite, underbite, cross-bite, or malocclusion of the jaw. Braces may also be used together with other types of orthodontic treatments to widen a narrow palate or jaw. While braces often make for a longer process that may require months or even years, depending on your unique smile situation, orthodontics may be the necessary route for you.
What is the difference between Lumineers and Porcelain Veneers?
Lumineers provide the same effect as traditional veneers, with a less complex procedure than is necessary with the application of custom veneers. With traditional veneers, tooth reduction usually must occur to accommodate for restorative space.
Lumineers are a far less invasive process, requiring no numbing of the area or preparation of the existing teeth to create a surface prior to the insertion. Your teeth are left fully intact and the enamel undamaged. Lumineers are also much thinner than traditional veneers, being about the same thickness as a contact lens. Your Lumineers are overlaid on your existing teeth, creating a bright new smile in just a few visits. Many people with minor smile imperfections can achieve a brilliant, beautiful smile without the need to wear braces.
Why should I choose Dr. Tara Hardin?
Dr. Tara Hardin is an Accredited Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the recipient of many other top honors. She works with each of her patients individually to ensure their comfort and ease, and is known for her exceptional artistry, advanced techniques, and the individual care she provides to her patients. Dr. Hardin stays abreast of the latest techniques in cosmetic and restorative dentistry. Her thoughtful approach can help you achieve the perfect smile – one you are proud to share. Contact us today with one of the best dentists Cincinnati, Ohio has to offer.
