I’m so in love with my new Lumineers smile! It looks better than I ever imagined, but there’s one little problem I am noticing since I got them: when I talk, my upper lip tends to dry out and stick to my front teeth. It’s kind of annoying, but I don’t know what to do other than try and get used to it. Is this normal? — Ashley

Ashley,
Lumineers are a great option for many people and it sounds like you are very happy with the appearance of your new smile. It’s unfortunate about this lip issue. While you think it’s just a little annoying right now, you’ll likely find that if it continues, it will become more distracting and even embarrassing. Kudos to you for trying to live with it, because most people would probably be very irritated and back at their dentist to complain in no time.

When traditional porcelain veneers are placed, it requires shaving down the front of the tooth slightly to accommodate the veneers. Lumineers are called “no-prep” which means your dentist can bond them directly to the teeth, which often results in a bulky or thick feeling.

That is probably what you are experiencing. Your teeth are now thicker and your lip is getting stuck and drying out. Since the Lumineers are bonded in place, your dentist could try and shave them down a bit and polish them, but it’s pretty risky if he gets too aggressive and accidentally shaves right through the veneer. Your only other options are to have the Lumineers re-done, or as you stated before, try to get used to them and just live with it.

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