problems with Lumineers Archives - Dr. Duane Delaune's Blog

Having Doubts about this Lumineers Case

Posted on April 10, 2021 by writeradmin.

My husband purchased me a Lumineers package for my birthday. I went in and had all the planning and tooth preparation done and then was just waiting for them to arrive. Several weeks passed and then the cosmetic dentist called and said that something is wrong with the impressions and they need to be re-done. Is this a common thing? As my husband had already paid should I be worried that he is just going to keep our money and not actually ever provide the Lumineers?

Elle

Dear Elle,

I have some concerns here, but not that you will not get your smile makeover. My concern is you are going to get your smile makeover and hate it. Here are some things you need to know. First, cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. This means any dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist regardless of the amount of training they’ve received. Second, smile makeovers are not taught in dental school, so that training is imperative for a dentist to do a respectable job at these procedures. This leads me to Lumineers themselves.

Lumineers are simply a brand of porcelain veneers. However, they are a brand that is heavily marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists. I have a very bad feeling that your dentist falls into this category for a reason we’ll go into in a moment. Almost all expert cosmetic dentists do not like the brand. This is mostly because the company insists you use their lab, which is not known for its artistic results.

As for your dentist and the impression, that is a completely different concern. While it is not totally unheard of for impressions to need to be re-done, and it happens to even the best dentists, it is the duration with yours that has me concerned. The lab would have known right away that something wasn’t right and contacted your dentist. Maybe because he is so new that he was embarrassed and didn’t contact you right away. But, the length of time tells m that either he held onto it or he sent it back to the lab, telling them to try to work with it, but it was so bad they said no work could be done.

Here is one thing you can do to protect yourself when it comes to cosmetic work. Insist your dentist use a try-in paste when the Lumineers finally arrive. This is a water-soluble gell that allows you to have your Lumineers tried on without permanently bonding them on. You should then get a good look at them in several lights. Only give your approval for them to be bonded on if you are pleased with how your new smile looks. If you aren’t, tell your dentist what you aren’t thrilled with and he should send them back to the lab to be redone until you are thrilled.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

Before Getting Lumineers, Read This

Posted on September 28, 2018 by writeradmin.

The Lumineers brand is heavily marketed to both patients and dentists. You see those pictures of the models with their gorgeous smiles and dream about that being you. And it can… but you may need something other than Lumineers to make that dream come true. Here are some things that can make your smile makeover a dream come true instead of a nightmare.

Lumineers is Just a Brand

Let’s say you keep seeing advertisements for the wonders of plastic plates. You see commercials of families entertaining and everyone having a great time with them. They’re great. If you want to entertain maybe you should get them. But, what if instead, you could get gorgeous, sturdy designer marble plates for around the same price. Suddenly those plastic plates aren’t looking so great.

A brand is just that. A brand. There are many brands of porcelain veneers. Each brand has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Lumineers is Marketed to Inexperienced Cosmetic Dentists

The dentists who offer Lumineers the most often are inexperienced cosmetic dentists. They tell the dentists they’re easy to place because they’re ultra-thin and don’t require tooth preparation. The biggest problem with that is many smiles require at least a minimal tooth prep even with ultra-thin brands. Without that, the results end up looking bulky.

Many patients have come to our practice to fix the cosmetic disaster they received from another dentist, describing the results as “horse teeth”. That’s probably not the smile you’re dreaming of.

Lumineers Biggest Weakness is their Lab

The Lumineers brand is owned by the DenMat Company. They require all dentists who choose to use their brand to also use their lab. This lab doesn’t have a great reputation for producing beautiful work. Many cases end up looking bulky, chalky, and opaque.

The best cosmetic dentists prefer working with the lab of their choice. Having a ceramist you work well with is extraordinarily important in producing beautiful results.

The Most Important Decision for Your Smile Makeover is the Dentist You Choose

You not only need an experienced cosmetic dentist, but you also need an artistic one as well. So, how is a patient to know who can produce gorgeous smiles and who can’t? My recommendation is that you look on the mynewsmile.com website.

They screen cosmetic dentists who wish to be listed. Each dentist has to prove their knowledge, technical skill, and artistry through extensive scrutiny and examination. Anyone on their list will give you a stunning smile. Just don’t be surprised if they recommend a different brand for you.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

Is It Possible to Get a Refund for Lumineers?

Posted on November 16, 2016 by writeradmin.

All I wanted to do was close a gap between my two front teeth and correct a chip on one from when I was a kid. My dentist told me that Lumineers was the way to go, and he promised me a beautiful smile, but he wanted to do all six of my top front teeth to make sure it matched. I was a little uneasy about it because I really just wanted the middle two done.

He said he couldn’t make it look nice unless I did all of them. Ok. I went along with it. We went through the prep day and everything seemed fine, but the day I went in to have them put on, one of them was cracked in the box. Really. I can’t believe they didn’t realize it was broken until I got there. He then says he’s going to put the rest on and send that one back, and another one breaks while he’s cementing them. So, I go around looking goofy for a couple of weeks and go back for the other two, but they don’t match. He agrees to reorder them, and while we’re waiting, a third one breaks. I just want to be done with this. I have been waiting for months at this point and he still hasn’t gotten it right. Is this a common problem with Lumineers? If so, do I have grounds to request a refund?

Thanks,

Art

Dear Art,

Lumineers, as a whole, can sometimes look okay, though it really depends on how skilled the dentist is. Unfortunately, they’re often marketed to inexperienced dentists as being easy to place. Those dentists jumped right in and started giving them to patients. It’s under these circumstances that there are usually a lot of complaints about breakage, though having one arrive broken is certainly rare.

As for requesting a refund, you can always ask. He’ll probably want an opportunity to correct the work, though if he’s unskilled, any new work will likely wind up exactly the same.

If you decide to have them re-done by another doctor, it’s best not to ask for the brand name. Many doctors who are incredibly skilled at cosmetic work use a similar ultra-thin veneer, though they use an in-house or local lab to make them. It’s also wise to ask for before and after photos of the doctor’s actual patients, so you can examine his work. Be certain they’re not stock photos. Some will offer those, or images of patients who have had the same treatment, but they’re useless if they don’t showcase the doctor’s personal skill. Best of luck to you.

It wouldn’t hurt to get a second opinion by a more experienced cosmetic dentist. They might put some pressure on your current dentist to refund your money.

FYI, the typical treatment for a chip and tooth gap is dental bonding, not Lumineers.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Duane Delaune.