If you're thinking about getting porcelain veneers, in your research you may have come across a few different terms. You may have heard terms like porcelain, composite, shaving, and another word, lumineers. In your research you may be trying to figure out what's the difference between porcelain veneers, and the new dental thing called lumineers. In this article, let's take a look and discuss the differences between the terms, and why they are different.

In general, veneers come in two different ways. You can get composite veneers or porcelain veneers. Composite veneers are veneers that are made up of two different types of material. All porcelain veneers are made of porcelain. In general composite veneers are less expensive because they're made with multiple materials that keep the cost down, as opposed to porcelain veneers which are pure porcelain. The process of manufacturing is different, as well there some differences in what work goes into the application.

When you get porcelain or composite veneers, what typically happens is your teeth have to be contoured or shaped to fit the veneers. This is part of the prep work. Since you are getting an additional thin layer added to the top of your existing teeth, you need to take some of the natural tooth away to accomdate the additional space. Because of this, what happens is you lose the natural enamel on your teeth because the dentist has to shave them down. If you ever have to remove the veneers, your teeth are weakened and the protection that the enamel provides is no longer there. With out the protective enamel, your teeth are prone to decay.

That's where lumineers come in. The process of lumineers is different in that the application does not require your teeth to be shaved down. The benefit to that is, in the event you need to take the lumineers off, you still have the natural enamel on your teeth. And with the enamel, you still have the strong barrier protecting the tooth. The other benefit is that the process for implementing lumineers is quicker because there's less work required in the preparation process.

Because there's less preparation and less work in general, lumineers can be at a better cost then porcelain veneers. A great deal of the costs of porcelain veneers is in the prep work, and multiple visits.

Consult with your dentist or your cosmetic dentists for more detailed information and pricing on the differences between the composite, porcelain, or lumineers veneer. With the right process and the right price your perfect smile is a few steps away.