Dentist Kenneth J. Rawlinson goes to work on model Jayme Lynne Sooby. She said the procedure has made her more confident and allows her to audition for things she wouldn't have considered before.

EAST PROVIDENCE - Dentist Kenneth J. Rawlinson, who practices with his sister, Robin, in Riverside, is giving his cosmetic dental patients something to smile about: An alternative to the porcelain veneers that were, until recently, one of the only ways to improve the look and length of a person's pearly whites.

Called "Lumineers," the process involves very little filing of the teeth to place a thin covering on each tooth that can rectify cosmetic imperfections. The old process for putting on veneers involved heavy filing to put a much thicker covering over the teeth: Standard veneers were often a millimeter or thicker, whereas Lumineers are between two and three tenths of a millimeter thick. Filing teeth to accommodate veneers was a tricky process, as filing involves exposing inner layers of the tooth, which can put patients at risk for sensitivity and can also cause the veneers to pop off after several years, as veneers bond best to the outer enamel of the tooth, not the inner layers.

Hawaiian Tropic models Cynthia Hasson, of Wales, and Jayme Lynne Sooby, of Texas, both had the procedure done with Dr. Rawlinson, and both were happy with the results of what they both described as a painless procedure.

Ms. Hasson is a professional model in Wales who comes back to America both as a tourist and as a working model. Dr. Rawlinson approached her after a Hawaiian Tropic pageant in Las Vegas, where he was a judge, and told her about the Lumineer procedure. Ms. Hasson, who had always been less than satisfied with her smile – she said she had issues with spacing and tooth length – booked an appointment. The process of fitting her Lumineers took approximately two hours, which Dr. Rawlinson said was a bit longer than usual.

"Dr. Rawlinson is quite a perfectionist," said Ms. Hasson, who added that she would have sat for 10 hours if that was what it took. A good smile, she said, can make or break getting a job.

"I've just been smiling non-stop," she said.

"I had very small teeth," said Ms. Sooby, who is Miss Indonesia for Hawaiian Tropic, thanks to family roots in the country.

"I was called Chicklet teeth."

She had the procedure done to boost her confidence and give herself what she described as a "healthy smile." Ms. Sooby is not sure if her previous smile ever cost her a job, but she does know that she never went to acting casting calls because she did not like to speak in public, thereby missing out on job opportunities. And now?

"Now I'm going to pursue everything," she said.

It isn't cheap

The process is about a year and half old, but few dentists perform the procedure. Dr. Rawlinson, who is the cosmetic dentist for ABC6's Extreme Makeover, is one of the few in Rhode Island who use Lumineers instead of veneers. The cost is steep: Approximately $900 a tooth, which is not covered by insurance, and patients usually get between four and eight teeth done.

"It's a lot of work," Dr. Rawlinson said, "and these things are very tricky, to get them right."

"It's almost like putting a puzzle together," he said, of the exacting positioning process. Of the entire procedure, he said, "It's a small learning curve, but once you figure it out, it's good." He expects more dentists will start doing the procedure as it gets more popular and people start demanding it more.

Though the cost seems prohibitive, it's not a procedure in which only the rich and beautiful are taking part.

"Far and away, 90 percent of the people who seek this out are everyday people," said Dr. Rawlinson, who said the process can change a person's outlook on life dramatically. Many people may be self-conscious because of how their teeth look, and the procedure can change that.

For more information on the Lumineer process or to find a dentist in your area, visit http://www.cerinate.com/.

Lumineers

* Function: To cover the teeth and give a bright, Hollywood smile

* Size: Between two and three tenths of a millimeter thick

* Cost: Approximately $900 per tooth; not covered by insurance

* How many: Patients usually get between four and eight teeth done

* Info: For more information on the Lumineer process or to find a dentist in your area, visit http://www.cerinate.com/

by kimberly harper

kharper@eastbaynewspapers.com