Americans spent more than $1 billion on white teeth last year—on gels, strips, bleaching and bonding. If you’re part of that crowd, consider Lumineers, porcelain veneers that are contact lens-thin and painlessly bonded to your teeth. Whereas veneers usually require grinding the existing teeth down to make room, ruining the natural teeth for good, Lumineers require no reduction in the size of your teeth. They also make chipped, misaligned teeth look shapely and straight. Once they’re on, your regular dental upkeep is all the routine you need. They’re good for 20 years.
If you’re tired of messy bleaching gels, you could shape up your smile with Lumineers.
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Pricing varies based on how many teeth are covered and what you’re covering, but a good per-tooth estimate is somewhere between $700 and $1,100. Cash might not be your only setback: Without proper placement, Lumineers can crack, darken or irritate your gums.
Waynesboro dentist Dr. Alan Bream has put Lumineers on a handful of patients since he started offering them two months ago. “People love them, but if you’re going to get them, you’re going to want a uniform smile—meaning you need to get at least six.” Bream says you can choose your shade of white and the shape of the new teeth—“rounded for a more feminine look, squared for more masculine.”—K.C.