Favorable applications for no-prep veneers.

In general, here are the kinds of situations that make the most ideal applicatio
ns for no-drill laminates like Lumineers.
Animated-Teeth.com Virtual Smile Makeover cases that feature porcelain veneers.
General applications.
Closing tooth gaps.
"Straightening" teeth.
A) Making minor color changes.
Background.
Veneers lighten teeth by simply covering over and masking the darker tooth struc
ture that lies underneath. There are two ways an effective amount of masking eff
ect can be created.
1) When using comparatively translucent veneers.
When a veneer is fabricated using relatively translucent porcelain (doing so ten
ds to give the tooth a more life-like appearance), it will need to be comparativ
ely thicker, so it can effectively mask the color of the tooth underneath.
This is the approach used with conventional placement technique. The tooth is tr
immed back so a thicker/more translucent veneer can be placed without creating a
result that's too bulky or oversized.
Ultra-thin veneers used to make a color change for teeth. Before & After.
Ultra-thin veneers are best for making just small color changes.
2) When using comparatively opaque veneers.
In cases where ultra-thin veneers are placed, the only way to get the needed amo
unt of masking effect is to use porcelain that's relatively more opaque.
The problem is that more opaque veneers typically look more artificial. (This is
a criticism of Lumineers and similar products in general. We discuss it here.)
Appropriate applications.
By limiting the use of no-drill technique to just cases where only a minor amoun
t of color change is needed (such as lightening teeth just a shade or two, or ma
sking slight blemishes), the veneer can be both ultra-thin yet comparatively les
s opaque (win-win).
B) Making minor alignment changes.
Background Veneers can be used to even out the apparent alignment of teeth. But not trimmin
g back portions of the most prominent ones first (which is the case with no-dril
l technique) can result in an outcome where the restorations make the teeth very
thick. (We illustrate and explain this issue here.)
Appropriate applications.
Think of no-prep veneer placement as a way of tweaking and perfecting a smile, s
uch as correcting minimal tooth misalignments or straightening out minor incisal
(biting) edge discrepancies. Not as a substitute for involved orthodontic work.
Before and after pictures of using Lumineers to close tooth gaps.
Closing tooth gaps. (One of our virtual smile makeover cases.)
C) Closing tooth gaps (diastema closure).
Diagram showing how tooth gaps can be closed by placing veneers.

Background Since placing no-prep veneers ultimately increases the size of the patient's tee
th, any time this change can be used as an asset makes an ideal application for
this technique.
Dentists sometimes refer to these types of situations as "additive" cases.
Appropriate applications.
Probably more so than with any other type of case, patients who have spaces betw
een their teeth frequently make good candidates for no-tooth preparation veneers
. Even more so if the teeth involved are relatively small or lingually inclined
(see next section).
A short and slightly retruded tooth.
The extra thickness of a Lumineer would be a benefit for this tooth.
D) Enhancing the appearance of small or inclined teeth.
Background This is another class of "additive" cases, meaning situations where the added bu
lkiness that results when no-tooth preparation veneers are placed can be used as
an asset.
Applications.
Improving the look of comparatively small teeth. (Such as improving the appearan
ce of "peg" laterals.)
"Straightening" the alignment of lingually inclined teeth. (Teeth that are tippe
d inward or backward as opposed to being flared out.)
As with the other examples given on this page, just relying on the veneer to mak
e minor improvements is typically the key to a successful outcome.
E) Minor repairs.
Applications Teeth that have small chips, minor wear on their biting edges or an irregular ou
tline form can make appropriate candidates for no-drill laminate placement.
As with all veneering techniques in general, just improving the appearance of th
e tooth should be the goal. Other types of restorations (especially dental crown
s) make a better choice for rebuilding or strengthening damaged teeth.
F) Masking existing fillings.
Applications White fillings (dental composite) tend to deteriorate and stain over time. Placi
ng ultra-thin, no-prep veneers over these types of restorations can provide a mo
re esthetically pleasing and durable tooth surface.