If you’re not happy with your smile, chances are you have considered cosmetic dentistry or orthodontics as a permanent solution. After all, nobody wants to go through life feeling self-conscious when they should be at their happiest or avoiding having their picture taken. But with so many options out there, how do you decide which treatment is right for you? Here’s a comparison of two of the most popular and successful smile treatments available today:

The Look of Braces and Lumineers

a-few-helpful-doctors-ready-to-excuse-you-054933-edited.jpgHow your smile will look afterwards is arguably the most important consideration in making this decision, but by no means the only one. In fact, in order to evaluate how either treatment will affect your smile, you need to consider the problems you’re trying to solve.

If your teeth are crowded and misaligned, braces are really the only way to rearrange them into a more even, symmetrical formation. On the other hand, the size, shape, and color of the teeth themselves will remain the same. Lumineers, which are thin pieces of porcelain that are adhered to the tooth itself, can help with discolored, misshapen, or broken teeth and even gaps. Lumineers can even be used in combination with braces to achieve a picture-perfect smile.

The Feel of Braces and Lumineers

After the respective treatments are complete, the feel should be just about identical. With braces, you’re simply left with your original teeth, albeit in a more comfortable configuration. Lumineers are so thin and durable that you’ll never notice them in your mouth once they are glued on. The procedures themselves are a different story, though.

Time

Depending on the condition of your teeth, braces can be a long, painful process. Some people even find that they need to repeat the procedure multiple times throughout their lives to preserve the effects. The Lumineers procedure, on the other hand, can be completed in just two visits with almost no pain or discomfort whatsoever.

Cost

Lumineers cost in Schaumburg Again, this factor can vary a lot depending on your teeth. Braces typically cost somewhere between $8-13,000, with an average out-of-pocket cost of around $5,500 with insurance. But because Lumineers are priced per tooth, they can either be a drop in the bucket comparatively—or much, much more. Lumineers can cost up to $1,300 per tooth, so it only takes about ten teeth for the procedure to cost just as much as braces.

What’s the Answer?

The truth is that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to the art of dentistry. Both Lumineers and braces are virtually permanent solutions that can treat myriad problems you may have with your smile. But in order to understand which is right for you, you should ultimately consult your dentist. A good dentist will help you understand your own mouth better and explain the pros and cons of each procedure in much more detail.