Wish List: Keep Smiling
You've flossed, you've brushed, you've whitened, you've bleached...but the fact is, some smiles need more help than others. Yet jumping to the idea of veneers should be done with caution. Often, getting laminates means that the real tooth is ground down till, as one friend put it, "I looked like Gollum in Lord of the Rings." Which is why many dentists are still wary of this cosmetic procedure. But now it doesn't have to be that way. Lumineers, the newest veneers on the market, are as thin as a fingernail, and, "You don't compromise the integrity of the tooth because very little tooth structure is removed," explains Dr. David Nusblatt, a Manhattan dentist who has applied thousands of Lumineers over the past eight years. Preparing teeth for the veneers usually means a light sanding as opposed to painful shots, drilling, and temporaries. Because Lumineers are made of an ultra-thin patented porcelain, they look more translucent, hence more like real teeth. But they're strong too; studies show they can last up to 20 years. Plus they don't stain! So, for a smile you'd be proud to flash, do your research. Lumineers by Cerinate offer dentist referrals nationwide at 800-972-1236 or www.cerinate.com