Lumineers sounded like exactly what I’d been looking for when I wanted to close a gap and fix a chip in my front teeth. My dentist recommended them and told me that I would finally have a beautiful smile. He convinced me that I needed to have six teeth done for it to look right. I was pretty apprehensive because this was a big decision for me and I went in thinking I only needed those two front teeth corrected. Well, he won out and I did all six. Everything seemed okay, but I was a little nervous when one of them was cracked in the packaging before it even was applied. So, he decided to place five of the six and send the broken one back. Well, another one broke at the office during the application process. I’m thinking, “What did I get myself into?” So, that meant I was left with four while the other two were sent back. I looked silly for a couple weeks while we waited. Well, before the broken ones were re-sent, another one broke. Is this a common occurrence with Lumineers? Were my expectations too high? I feel like I’ve been ripped off and deserve a refund. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I’d love an explanation!
-Becky in Texas
Becky,
Well, there is a good chance your dentist is not an experienced cosmetic dentist. Most expert cosmetic dentists will not even place Lumineers. Not necessarily because they break (that is uncommon especially before they were even applied) but because of the end result. Most excellent cosmetic dentists prefer other brands of ultra-thin porcelain veneers or traditional porcelain veneers. This is mainly because the Lumineers brand of veneers comes with strict trademark requirements. The veneers have to be created in Den-Mat’s laboratory. This means the dentist cannot select their ceramist. Also, many Lumineer customers end up thinking that they look bulky, longer than normal, and fake. Too many general dentists offer cosmetic dentistry services without the training or expertise to deliver beautiful results. A smile makeover is a work of art and you need a dentist that shares this passion.
Good luck on requesting a refund. It’s worth a try, but there is a good chance the dentist want the opportunity to fix his work. But sadly, if you have had three out of six break, there is a good chance you could end up with more of the same.
The best result will be to find a qualified cosmetic dentist, one that has advanced training and experience in cosmetic dentistry. Ask to see before and after photographs of patients with a similar case as yours. Don’t settle for general marketing material, ask to see actually patients of that particular dentist.
Sorry to hear you are going through this ordeal. Hopefully your story helps someone else do a little more research before moving forward with any kind cosmetic dentistry.
This post is sponsored by Lexington cosmetic dentist Hamburg Expressions.
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