When it comes to beauty standards, fashion and social trends can often dictate what is “in” this year or what is bound to give you that great look. It seems every year that there are new haircuts, new stylish clothes, and new accessories that come with it all.

But over time, there are plenty of beauty standards that have not faltered. One of those is having a great smile.

Part of having a great smile is home maintenance. You need to make sure you’re brushing your teeth, flossing every day, using plenty of mouthwash, and keeping away from sugary foods and sodas. You might have also had to wear braces in the past or have some procedure done. No one wants the nickname snaggle tooth or to greet strangers with a crooked smile.

Sometimes though, more procedures are needed. That’s where many people turn to one of two options: Lumineers or veneers.

In this article, we’re going to dive into the differences between Lumineers and veneers to find out which is the best option for you.

What’s the Difference?

Well, The Lumineers is a musical group and veneers are a dental procedure. Just kidding, but you should check out The Lumineers music.

All things considered, there isn’t a big physical difference between Lumineers and veneers. In fact, Lumineers are a type of veneers that is “new and improved”.

Their function is the same, both as custom fitted covers for your teeth that are supposed to cover up discoloration and staining. Both options sound pretty good for someone wanting to cover up any unsightly spots on their teeth. Veneers are traditionally made out of porcelain.

The main difference between the two is how thin they are. Lumineers are about as this as a contact lense (about 0.3 millimeters) while typical dental veneers are about 0.5 millimeters. Not that much of a difference, right?

How do they Affect the teeth?

Around everyone’s set of teeth is something called enamel. This enamel is a protective layer on the outside of your teeth that protects your teeth from decay and disease. Enamel is incredibly important to both short-term and long-term health of your teeth.

If enamel is removed, there’s no real way to get it back so it’s in your best interest to make sure you’re doing everything you can to make sure enamel stays where it is.

So what does that have to do with Lumineers and veneers?

Overtime, those veneers are going to grind away at your teeth because of that width difference. Because of those extra 0.2 millimeters, the dentist must grind away on your teeth in order to make sure that the veneers fit and function properly. Are you cringing in pain?

This process won’t be instantaneous, but the more years you have veneers the more likely your teeth are to experience this issue.

On the other hand, Lumineers won’t be taking away any of that enamel. Since they are smaller, they’re easier to put on and have no long-term health issues for your mouth or teeth. This is one of the main reasons Lumineers are preferred by dentists.

What’s the procedure like?

As mentioned above, the process for putting veneers on requires a bit of grinding before the veneers are put on. It’s a pretty quick procedure all things considered, taking about two weeks from start to finish with all the preparatory visits factored in.

Lumineers, on the other hand are totally noninvasive. They require just two appointments and the process is much speedier. You won’t have to be reclining in the dentist chair for too long to have them fitted.

What about the cost?

While we’ve been singing the praises of Lumineers for the past few paragraphs, they are more expensive than traditional veneers.

While traditional veneers can run as low as about $500 per tooth, expect to be paying four digits per tooth when it comes to Lumineers. The average cost is $1,400 per tooth.

With all that said, Lumineers are still the much better option. They last longer, are less invasive, and are healthier for your teeth. So if you’re up in the air between the two, it’s time to commit to Lumineers.