A Dental Flipper to Make My Teeth Look Straight

I wanted to know if I could use something like a dental flipper to make my teeth look straight. I feel I am too old for braces. I just want a beautiful smile without spending three years with a mouth full of metal.

Brandon

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Dear Brandon,

I am glad you wrote. A dental flipper is a tooth replacement. It is meant to fill in the gap for a missing tooth so it does not cover the teeth. You may be thinking of snap-on smile. While this does snap-over your teeth, it will not give you a beautiful smile. It is made of acrylic, which means it won’t look natural close up. Plus, because it snaps over your teeth it tends to make your smile look bulky. It does fine for something like a photoshoot, but I do not think it will give you the results you are looking for.

I have a couple of recommendations for you. If the only thing that is wrong with your smile is that the teeth are crooked, I recommend you get Invisalign. This uses clear aligners to straighten your teeth. No one will even know that you are straightening your teeth. It works in about half the time of traditional braces. The aligners can also double as teeth whitening trays, allowing you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time.

A second option is to get porcelain veneers. This is what people get who are looking for a complete smile makeover. It can completely change everything about your smile, including the shape, size, and color. You should know it is more expensive than the Invisalign/teeth whitening option. You will also need an expert cosmetic dentist if you want it done right.

Cosmetic Dentistry is not a recognized specialty. This means that any dentist can do cosmetic dentistry with or without the post-doctoral training that helps them to develop the skill and artistry. You have to be careful when choosing the dentist. There are countless cosmetic dentistry horror stories.

If you decide on a complete smile makeover with porcelain veneers, I recommend you go to an AACD accredited dentist. These are the best cosmetic dentists in the country. Any one of them can give you a stunning smile makeover.

This blog is brought to you by Des Moines Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Phelan Thomas.