porcelain veneers | Naperville Cosmetic Dentistry

Charcoal for Teeth Whitening

I read an article which talked about whitening your teeth with charcoal. I know you can’t believe everything you read so I wanted to get a dentist’s take on it. Will that work? If so, is there anything I need to know to make it more effective? Corinne Dear Corinne, You are a wise woman to verify the things you read. Too many people take anything they read or hear […]

Lumineers or Another Brand?

I really wanted to get Lumineers. I love the smiles I see in their advertisements. Yet, when I do research on them the reviews are quite mixed. I can’t decide if they are the right brand to get or not. I like the idea of the no prep part. It sounds like it would be better for my teeth. I just don’t want to make a mistake. Any advice? LeeAnne […]

New Lumineers over Old

I’ve had my lumineers for about 5 years. They’re okay but not as white as I wanted them. At the time, my dentist said that’s as white as they get. To me, they look dingy especially compared to other smile makeovers I’m seeing out there. I’m thinking about having him put new lumineers over them because it seems like you can get whiter now. However, my friend (who’s makeover is […]

Left: porcelain crown; Right: porcelain veneer

Can a Cosmetic Dentist Match One Crown?

I had crowns done many years ago on all my teeth. One of them felt loose last week so I scheduled an appointment with a new cosmetic dentist. He told me the crown needed to be replaced. That didn’t surprise me given its age. What did surprise me was he said I’d need to replace all of them in order for them to match. I was shocked to think he […]

My Teeth are Whiter Than My Porcelain Veneers

I’ve always done my best with my smile. When I didn’t have any money, I was diligent to brush and floss regularly and never drank coffee and other drinks which could stain my teeth. Once, my finances were a little better I started whitening my teeth about every two years. Now, I can finally do a full smile makeover. I’m was so excited about this…until they came in. The porcelain […]

Woman with a beautiful smile created by cosmetic dentist Dr. David Newkirk

Confusion Regarding Lumineers

Can you help me understand why some cosmetic dentists swear by Lumineers and others think they’re the worst? Terri B. Dear Terri, There is a wide variation of abilities among cosmetic dentists. Some are just after functionality, while others want their work to be aesthetically beautiful as well. When it comes to things like getting a smile makeover, you definitely want to end up with the latter dentist. The “controversy” […]

Should I Trust My Dentist if He’s Not Listed as a Lumineers Expert?

I want to get a Lumineers smile. My dentist can provide one for about $10,000. The price isn’t bad, but I noticed he isn’t listed as a Lumineers expert. Should I be concerned and try another dentist? Marcy Dear Marcy, One thing I can say about Lumineers is that they have a fantastic marketing campaign. I’d like you to be very careful here. Most expert dentist’s don’t recommend the brand. […]

A Second Opinion on Lumineers

I need an opinion from a dentist who doesn’t have a dog in the fight. I want to get porcelain veneers. My dentist wants me to get Lumineers. He says with any other brand he’d have to grind my teeth down. I don’t want that. But, I’ve heard Lumineers don’t look that great. He said he’s certified so they’ll look great. I just want to see what another dentist thinks […]

Can You Damage Enamel By Whitening Your Teeth Too Much?

The first time I saw my wife, she was covered in mud from head to foot from a powder puff football game played in the rain. The only thing not caked in mud were her teeth. Let me tell you, her smile was radiant. I fell instantly in love. I’m still in love with both her and her smile to this day. I say that as a preface because I’m […]

Will Lumineers Look Fake?

I’m dying to get a smile makeover. I mentioned Lumineers to my dentist because I’d seen them advertised and they looked like they can completely change my smile. But, my dentist said people can tell when you’re wearing them and I should get crowns instead because they cover the whole tooth. I’m a tad bit concerned about that. It seems like I’d be destroying healthy tooth structure to do that. […]