I am seeing a cosmetic dentist to close the gap between my some front teeth. They aren’t the ones right in front, but the ones next to the front ones. I feel like my smile has always been unbalanced and I’m ready to get it fixed. When I started looking around online, Lumineers seem like a good way to go so the dentist doesn’t need to remove any of my natural tooth structure. I really like that. But when I met with the dentist, he told me most types of porcelain veneers have problems and he wants me to get crowns. Is this really the only solution?

-Arnold in Georgia

Arnold,

If this “cosmetic dentist” is telling you that he has problems with porcelain veneers, it doesn’t matter if it’s Lumineers or another brand, he probably doesn’t have the expertise to place them. Not every dentist that claims he is a cosmetic dentist has the artistic ability or knowledge of dental bonding techniques to create a beautiful result. So don’t press him out of his comfort zone, or you may end up regretting it. When porcelain veneers are done correctly, they can last for well over 10 years or more. It may be that your dentist is much more comfortable with placing crowns. But, unless the teeth are decayed and require porcelain crowns, that is not the ideal treatment since such a large portion of the tooth must be removed to fit a crown.

It may be time to find seek a second opinion from an expert cosmetic dentist. Most dentists would suggest the least-invasive treatment. Before moving forward with any type of cosmetic dentistry, be sure to check out the dentist’s credentials and ask to see examples of cases that are similar to yours. Best of luck!