Dental Answers

What are Lumineers? They are a type of porcelain veneers made from a special, very hard porcelain. This allows Lumineers to be much thinner than regular veneers, about as thick as a contact lens.

The process of getting lumineers is much the same as traditional veneers.

1. The dentist makes an impression of your mouth then discusses the options with the patient. Together you decide on the perfect smile for you.
2. The dentist sends the impression to the lab with specific instruction on what is wanted.
3. The lab produces a wax model called a "Wax up" and sends it back to the dentist.
4. When the wax model arrives the dentist and patient look over the wax up and make any changes they feel are necessary.
5. Once the model is approved the lab starts to produce the final product. This takes about 3 - 4 weeks.
6. The dentist then makes another impression and makes temporaries for the patient to wear
until the real ones arrive.
7. The teeth are prepared which involves grinding down the teeth. (Lumineers claim that no grinding is needed but if this isn't done it could result in problems.)
· If the teeth are not ground down the veneers may look unnatural. Certain conditions are the exception.
· Without grinding down the teeth it could leave an unnatural space at the top of the tooth. Here you could have tooth decay of gum problems.
· Without roughing up the enamel the veneer will not bond as well.
8. When the Lumineers arrive the temporaries are removed and the final product put on.
9. A few days after the Lumineers are put on they may need to be adjusted to provide a more comfortable bite or fit. This is perfectly normal.

Who is the candidate for Lumineers. They can be used for treatments from complete smile reconstructions to things like crooked tooth, gaps between teeth, chipped or cracked teeth and stained or discolored teeth.

So how much do Lumineers cost? Regular porcelain veneers run about $975 - $2,200 per tooth depending on what part of the country you are in. Lumineers are about 25% less. This is a significant savings but for the average family it's still a significant cost. There are a few things you can do to make them more affordable.

1. Shop around: No dentist can give you and exact cost without examining your mouth and that costs money, but many will give you a rough irea of what they charge.
2. Ask about discounts and payment plans: Dental insurance doesn't pay for anything considered "cosmetic" so dentists are usually prepared to work with patients to make treatment affordable.
3. Medical savings groups: There are now medical savings groups that are affordable to join and can save you a lot of money.

to see how you can save more money Visit: Discount Family Dental

What are Porcelain Veneers? They are thin shells of fired porcelain that are placed on the front side of the teeth. Often known as instant orthodontics veneers offer a natural look and feel and they are strong & versatile. Veneers also resist staining to keep a white smile for a long time.

Porcelain veneers are used for a variety of smile enhancements from complete makeover to more specific flaws like stained or discolored teeth, chipped or cracked teeth, crooked teeth and even gaps between teeth.

The process takes several visits and starts with an exam followed by a discussion about the options and the type of smile you would like. The dentist then takes an impression of your mouth and sends it to the lab which makes the veneers with precise instructions.

The lab produces a wax model called a "Wax up" that shows how your smile will look. The dentist and patient will examine the model and either approve it or request changes. Once a model is settled on the lab starts to produce the final product. This takes 3 - 4 weeks.

While waiting for the veneers the dentist makes temporaries. To do this the dentist first makes another impression then make the temporaries. The next step is to grind the teeth down a little. This is done for several reasons.
· Shape the teeth so the veneers fit right. If the teeth aren't taken down the veneers will
stick out to far and look unnatural.
· The adhesive will stick better to a surface that has been roughed up.

After the veneers come in the temporaries will be removed and the final product bonded to the teeth. After a few days the veneers may need to be adjusted to provide a more comfortable bite or fit. This is perfectly normal.

Porcelain veneers aren't cheep. They run from $975 to $2,200 per veneer depending on the part of the country you live in. This is a significant cost that is out of many peoples price range. There are some steps you can take to help save money.

1. Shop around: A dentist can't give you an exact cost without first examing your mouth and that will cost money but many can give you a rough idea of what they charge.

2. Ask about payment plans: Dental insurance doesn't cover anything considered "Cosmetic" so most cosmetic dental providers are prepared to set up payment plans for patients who can't afford to pay the entire amount up front.

3. Medical savings groups: Today there are groups that for a very affordable monthly fee can offer huge discounts on all dental care, including cosmetic dentistry.

To see how you can save more money visit Discount Family Dental

There are actually two routes to go, in office or at home. Both methods are effective but you need to decide if you would rather spend an hour or so at the dentist or have a couple quick dentist visits then do the treatment at home over a 3 day period. Another thing to consider is that some in office methods take special equipment so you need to see what your dentist is set up for. All of the methods produce similar results.

This is a guide that is here to inform you of the options available and what is involved but remember that everyone's teeth are different so to decide on the best option for you ask your dentist.

In home method:

The in home method includes two short visits to the dentist then 3 days at home. On the first visit the dentist takes an impression of your mouth. The dentist then uses the impressions to make two trays, one for the upper teeth and one for the bottom. These trays are very thin and almost invisible. They can be worn during the day or at night.

On the second visit the trays are given to the patient and tested for a proper fit then the dentist shows how to apply the prescription quality gel into the tray. This gel is stronger than the tooth whiteners you would buy over the counter.

At home the patient will wear the trays for several hours a day for three days. By the end of the treatment the teeth should be noticeably whiter.

The patient usually experiences some sensitivity for a couple days after the treatment.

This treatment usually runs around $500.

In office methods:

Zoom Whitening:

Zoom Whitening is about a 1 hour in office treatment. The Dentist first places a retractor in the mouth to pull the lips away from the teeth. The "Zoom" whitening gel is then applied to the teeth. A bright light is then shone on the mouth for about an hour. The gel is activated buy the light that whitens the teeth.

The patient may have some sensitivity for a couple days.

The cost of this treatment runs about $500.

Bright Smile:

This is also about a 1 hour treatment. A gentle hydrogen peroxide gel is applied to the teeth then activated by shining a special light onto the mouth. This is a gentle "Blue Spectrum" light which is patented by Bright Smile. The blue light is wavelength matched to the gel so it can whiten and brighten your smile.

The patient may have some sensitivity for a couple days.

This treatment costs about $500

Rembrandt:

Rembrandt is a 1 hour in office treatment that can whiten teeth up to 10 shades. A bleaching gel ( Rembrandt Virtuoso Lightening Gel) is places on the teeth. A "Rembrandt Sapphire light" is the shone on the mouth for about an hour.

Rembrandt claims that this treatment will prevent renewed stains, yellowing & dulling.

After this treatment you may experience some sensitivity for a couple days.

This treatment costs about $500.

Are you a candidate for tooth whitening?

The candidate for tooth whitening is anyone with stained, yellowed or discolored teeth that wants a brighter smile. The real question is which candidates will have the best results.

The candidates that will see the most dramatic change will be those whose teeth are discolored due to age, drinking coffee, tea, red wine or cola. If your teeth are stained from smoking or gray due to taking certain medications you will see improvement but not as extreme.

How to save money

Tooth whitening is considered a cosmetic procedure so dental insurance wont pay for any of it. This means that many people who would really like to brighten their smile are forced to delay or completely go without treatment. There are a few things that you can do to make tooth whitening and all your dental care more affordable.

1. Shop around: You can ask different dentists what they charge for their services. With many procedures they would need to examine your mouth before giving you a cost but with whitening they can usually give you a pretty accurate figure.

2. Ask about discounts and payment plans: Because cosmetic procedures are costly but not covered by insurance many dentists are prepared to work with patients so they are able to get treatment.

3. Medical savings groups: There are now medical savings groups that are very affordable to join and can save you a lot of money.