Traditional porcelain veneers, alternatively termed "dental veneers" or "dental porcelain laminates," are wafer-thin shells of porcelain permanently bonded to teeth that are discolored, worn, chipped, or misaligned. Porcelain veneers are non-porous (they will not stain), incredibly resilient, and "kind" (non-abrasive) to opposing teeth. When a veneer is firmly bonded to a sturdy substructure (like a tooth) it becomes very strong and durable.

A traditional veneer is essentially a conservative crown. Rather than encompassing the entire tooth, a cosmetic veneer covers the visible part of a tooth preserving a large amount of the natural tooth structure. Veneers can straighten, lengthen and whiten teeth to provide a beautiful smile and even create a more comfortable bite position. For optimal results, each veneered tooth must be shaped. This means that a thin layer (approximately .5 mm) of the natural tooth structure is removed to allow space for veneer placement.

LUMINEERS® LUMINEERS are different than a traditional veneer in the way they are manufactured and placed.

LUMINEERS® is a brand of porcelain veneers. (DuraThins™ is another brand with similar properties and application.) A LUMINEERS restoration is as thin as a contact lens and placed over existing teeth without having to remove tooth structure. Like traditional porcelain veneers, LUMINEERS restorations are an excellent cosmetic solution for stained, chipped, discolored or misaligned teeth.

An ideal candidate for Lumineers must have enough remaining tooth surface on which to bond the LUMINEERS to ensure long-term results. Since Lumineers do not require the removal of tooth structure, they can be removed if circumstances require it.

Advantages
Porcelain veneers and Lumineers resist staining.
A significant advantage of placing porcelain veneers and Lumineers is in the nature of their material. Since porcelain is a ceramic, and therefore glass-like, the porcelain surface of veneers and Lumineers will be extremely stain resistant.

Porcelain veneers and Lumineers can be used to repair minor tooth imperfections and defects.
Teeth that have small chips or whose surface is worn or misshapen are often good candidates for porcelain veneers and Lumineers.

Porcelain veneers and Lumineers can be used to cover over and conceal fillings that have become stained or discolored.
Old fillings and previous attempts at cosmetic bonding that have become discolored can be easily corrected with porcelain veneers or Lumineers.

Porcelain veneers and Lumineers can be used to make color changes for teeth that have permanent stains.
Some teeth are just naturally discolored. This includes teeth that have tetracycline or fluorosis staining and those that have become darkened as a result of physical trauma or root canal treatment. In many cases these teeth are good candidates for porcelain veneers or Lumineers.

In some cases porcelain veneers and Lumineers can be used as alternatives to orthodontic treatment.
Porcelain veneers and Lumineers can be used to close the space (called a "diastema") between a person's teeth. In cases where teeth are slightly crooked to extremely crooked, porcelain veneers and Lumineers can be used to create instant orthodontics.