How are no-preparation Lumineers placed?

In terms of what the procedure involves, here's how no-drilling protocol (the on
e that can be used with ultra-thin laminates) compares to traditional veneering
technique.
A) Conventional placement.
When traditional porcelain veneers are made, the dentist will first grind away s
ome of the front side of the tooth. (See picture "A" in our graphic.)
Diagram showing the difference between no-drilling and conventional veneer place
ment.
Conventional veneers vs. Lumineers.
They'll usually only need to trim an amount that's about the same thickness as t
he laminate they plan to place.
And although that's just a very slight amount:
The patient will have to endure the drilling process.
An anesthetic will probably be required.
Temporary veneers will likely need to be worn until the next appointment when th
e final restorations are cemented.
For more details, use this link for an overview of the steps a dentist follows w
hen placing conventional porcelain veneers.
B) No-shots, no-drilling veneer placement.
Since ultra-thin products like Lumineers can be made wafer thin, they can be bond
ed right onto a tooth's surface without unduly increasing its size (see picture
"B" in our graphic).
That means:
There's no need for any tooth preparation, thus allowing the procedure to be gen
erally painless (no anesthetic "shots" are needed).
The dental work involved with the procedure's first appointment is quick and com
paratively easy. It can be as simple as just polishing the teeth so they're good
and clean and then taking a dental impression. Really.
No temporaries are needed. Unlike with conventional technique where temporary ve
neers are sometimes needed to cover the patient's trimmed teeth (because they ma
y be rough, sensitive or unsightly), with no-drilling protocol they are never re
quired.
But all of this simplicity comes with trade offs. And you should know that not a
ll dentists think that the use of this technique creates the best results. And i
n fact, for decades there's been continued, heated debate in the dental communit
y about if and when a no-drilling approach makes an appropriate choice. (See thi
s topic's next page.)
Actually, Lumineers can be used with either protocol.
We're not trying to confuse the issue here but the following point needs to be m
ade.

Lumineers (and similar ultra-thin products) can be placed using either traditiona
l or no-prep technique.
Just because they can be made to wafer-thin tolerances (.2 to .3 mm in thickness
) doesn't mean they have to be.
They can also be made to conventional dimensions too (.5 mm thickness or more).

It simply depends on what the patient's case calls for.

C) Minimal-prep veneers.
As yet another variation, dentists have the option of placing ultra-thin veneers
using minimal-tooth preparation technique.
This procedure is defined as the situation where the tooth is trimmed down, but
less so or less extensively than it would when using conventional placement prot
ocol. (Typically .3 to .5 mm vs. .5mm or more for conventional veneers.)
Advantages.
The patient still reaps some benefits (minimal drilling, likely no "shots," no n
eed for temporaries, etc...). Yet by trimming back the most prominent portions o
f each tooth, the dentist can create a better functioning or more esthetically p
leasing end result than they could with no-drill technique.
Minimal-prep brand names.
Each of the ultra-thin veneer brands mentioned above (Lumineers, Vivaneers, and DU
RAthin) can be placed using minimal-prep technique. MAC (MicroDental Laboratory),
daVinci, and IPS e.max veneers are suited to this type of placement too.
Applications for ultra-thin porcelain veneers (Lumineers) vs. conventional ones.
Success has a lot to do with proper case selection.
People who know about products like Lumineers typically do so because of advertis
ements they have seen. However, ads can lead a consumer to form unrealistic expe
ctations.
Most people understandably draw the conclusion that the use of no-drilling techn
ique can be used in their situation. And while in theory this may be true, any d
entist can tell you that there's often quite a bit of difference between what's
technically possible and what's in the patient's best interest.
In reality, ultra-thin products like Lumineers are best used just to make simple
upgrades and enhancements for teeth.
Who makes the ideal candidate?
Diagram showing how the use of no-drill veneer placement may add noticeable thic
kness to a tooth.
When a veneer is placed without trimming the tooth first, the tooth will end up
being at least some degree larger.
In order to avoid the situation where this change is enough to create problems,
a dentist will look for applications where:
Only minimal changes are needed (so the laminate can be as thin as possible).
Any resulting increase in tooth size can be used as an asset.