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The following case  illustrates how Dr. Joseph Whitehouse used Lumineers from Den-Mat to give one of his patients a more esthetic smile. For the full article from the print edition that features another MID smile makeover, check out our September issue or visit (link to full article here).

The case

The patient presented with the basic wear seen for a 57-year-old. Figs 1, 2 and 3 (see below) show how his teeth looked before treatment.

This long-time Silicon Valley executive wanted his teeth to look aligned and whiter. He was not interested in “cutting his teeth down.” When the evaluation of his models returned from Den-Mat (den-mat.com), the patient was shown that only some minor contouring would be needed to facilitate his desire.

It should be made perfectly clear that I prepped teeth much more in the past than I do now, and this case is my first Lumineers case from some years ago. The main point is that the material and workmanship make it possible to do much less preparation than was necessary in the past.

The outcome of this case was rewarding for both my patient and me. Figs. 4, 5 and 6,  taken in May, show how well the case has held up over the years.

Here to stay

There are a number of dentists who still believe that removing tooth structure is the only way to provide an esthetic smile. But more laboratories are replicating Dr. Robert Ibsen’s revolutionary idea of no- or limited-prep veneers. and have realized that a MID approach does work.

In the early 1980s, Dr. Ibsen taught me how to prepare teeth for veneers. His message has evolved over the years along with Den-Mat’s technology to produce Lumineers. This method of minimal- to no-prep veneer delivery has revolutionized the ability to preserve valuable tooth structure.

Fig. 1 The patient before treatment.	Fig. 2 The patient’s smile before treatment.	Fig. 3 Retracted view of the patient’s teeth before treatment.
Fig. 4 The patient after receiving his Lumineers.	Fig. 5 The patient’s Lumineers smile.	Fig. 6 Retracted view of 14 Lumineers 6 years after placement.