Are Lumineers stronger than porcelain veneers?

[Misch]

Hi

I am thinking about getting sixteen porcelain veneers for my top and bottom front teeth. I have been doing some online research on different types of porcelain veneers and looking to have a type of porcelain veneer that would be the strongest. I have heard that veneers can break and want to have the strongest one that I can have.

I have seen on your site that you do several different types of veneers but it does not say specifically which one would be the strongest veneer. Can you tell me if Lumineers are stronger than porcelain veneers? Also roughly how long do these porcelain veneers last? Do you offer any guarantees for veneers at your practice?

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

Thank you for your question.

From a pure strength point of view, Emax porcelain veneers are stronger than Lumineers and are probably less likely to break. Lumineers advocates will probably tell you that they are bonded to the tooth underneath very well and get their strength from the tooth underneath and that is true to some extent.

The trueth is that all veneers, be they lumineers or emax porcelain veneers can break especially if teeth clenching and grinding is involoved. The veneer/lumineer can be protected by wearing a nightguard to protect against parafunction at night and being more careful with them during normal function (ie. not opening beer bottles with them). We guarantee all of our lumineers and veneers for 12 months and should they break in that period, we will replace them free of charge.

Porcelain veneers and Lumineers last on average 7-10 years and you should take the future cost of veneer replacement into account before having veneers carried out.