How Dental Veneers and an Invisalign® Dentist Can Straighten Your Teeth

If you do not like your teeth, dental veneers can correct a variety of aesthetic challenges. As an Invisalign® dentist, we can use veneers to improve the appearance of your teeth or resolve many of these same issues using Invisalign®. The two solutions are wildly different, but can be used to achieve similar goals. Since these are only two options we offer, we encourage you to visit our office for a consultation so we can examine you and then make a determination as to the best way to improve your smile. In the meantime, here is what you need to know about these two options.

Dental veneers can make your teeth appear straighter – Invisalign® can actually straighten them.

Dental veneers are a thin shell made of ceramic or porcelain. It is thin enough to be placed on the surface of your teeth after a small portion of your enamel has been removed. In this way, a veneer can replace your enamel so all you see is the veneer. This is why a veneer can be used to make your teeth appear to be straighter, even though their actual position has remained unchanged. As a result, your smile will look better, and since veneers also cover stains and discoloration, a variety of challenges can be resolved at the same time.

Invisalign® is different in that it is an orthodontic procedure that actually changes the position of your teeth. As an Invisalign® dentist, we can use clear aligners to straighten teeth, close gaps in between them, and align your bite. Where dental veneers are a cosmetic fix, Invisalign® actually solves the problem by moving your teeth into the correct place. If you have a misaligned jaw, this is the only option of the two that will address the reason for your smile imperfections. The procedure can be completed in a way that is discreet since the aligners are virtually invisible, making this an ideal orthodontic solution.

One thing to note is that if you need a fast solution, dental veneers are likely your best option. This is because the process can be completed in two to three appointments in around a month’s time. That means you can have a full smile makeover in time for a special event, family reunion, wedding, job interview, etc. Invisalign®, naturally, can take months to over a year for the process to be completed, so while it is discreet, it still takes time. As an Invisalign® dentist, we have also helped patients who have gotten dental veneers to improve the appearance of a few teeth and then pursued a more permanent orthodontic procedure to align the jaw at a later date. This is certainly something we can discuss if you are on time constraints.

Whether you are interested in the fast and dependable dental veneers or you want to pursue Invisalign®, we can help. To get started, schedule a dental examination and consultation for us to discuss your options with you.