I’d like to know if bonding can be as effective or look as appealing as Lumineers. I just got my braces off after nearly 4 years and have some spaces that wouldn’t close all the way.
My orthodontist recommended bonding to close the spaces. I had an appointment with the dentist this past Monday and she is saying that the bonding won’t look right and that it won’t match enough to appear natural and that there is too much space and that she recommends lumineers.
I have no intention of getting lumineers as if that was the solution then I would not have gone through the time with braces. Suffice it to say, I don’t think she has an extensive enough cosmetic background and/or she’s just trying to sell something else. I need to know if bonding is still a good option for me. It is the only option I am willing to consider at this point. The orthodontist left spacing across the front on the top specifically for bonding.
Thanks!
- Cornelia from Texas
Cornelia,
Do the dental bonding, not Lumineers. Let me explain why I believe this dentist is trying to steer you toward Lumineers.
Dental bonding has to be done freehand, so it requires artistic ability. Dentists tend to be technicians but not artists. So I’m sure what is going on is that this dentist is feeling very uncomfortable with doing direct bonding. And in many dental schools, they are very emphatic in their training that the dentist always needs to present a confident front to the patient, so she doesn’t dare say, “I’m just not very good at bonding.” So she says that it won’t look natural, etc. She also may be coming from the perspective that IN HER HANDS, the result would not look very natural, and she may not be able to match the color very well. Lumineers, on the other hand, are sold to the dentist as not requiring much at all from the dentist – the lab does it all – so she feels that would be a better way to go in her office.
When you just have gaps between your teeth, Lumineers are not only overkill, but they could result in your teeth looking funny. If done the way the Lumineers people recommend, they would make your teeth longer and bulkier. Dental bonding is very conservative, and is what we recommend for a tooth gap. Lumineers or porcelain veneers would have to cover your entire tooth. Bonding just adds the composite material to the sides of the teeth where it is needed to make your teeth wider.