I have a tooth gap and my dentist is suggesting I get either braces or porcelain veneers to close it. I’m not keen on either solution. The porcelain veneers are super expensive and I am way too old to have a mouthful of metal. Are those my only choices?
Kaitlin
Dear Kaitlin,
Good news for your here. They are definitely NOT your only choices. If the only thing you are wanting to treat about your smile is your tooth gap, I would consider porcelain veneers a major overtreatment. It is designed for patients who are looking for a complete smile makeover. If that is not what you’re going for, save your money!
As for orthodontics, if you were going to go that route, I would suggest Invisalign instead of braces for an adult, unless it was an unusually complicated case. These use clear aligners instead of metal wires and brackets. You can straighten your teeth without anyone ever knowing. They are completely invisible even at a conversational distance. They do have an additional cosmetic benefit that you can take advantage of in that the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This will allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time.
If that doesn’t appeal to you, there is another option– dental bonding. If your dentist is an excellent cosmetic dentist then he can use a composite bonding to fill in the gap. It does take an expert cosmetic dentist, however. This is something that has to be done freehand. Make sure your dentist has before and after images of dental bonding cases that he has done so you can make sure he can provide beautiful, natural-looking results. My guess is he cannot as he did not even mention this as a solution. If that is the case, your best bet will be to look for an AACD accredited dentist. These are the best cosmetic dentists in the country.
This blog is brought to you by Des Moines Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Phelan Thomas.
