Usually, when people think of what it would take to get their dream smile, many think of having to get braces and often become discouraged.
It is completely understandable why someone would not want to get braces, for there are several complications that can come with having them. Oftentimes braces are viewed as one of the necessary evils in achieving a desired smile, but did you know that there are alternatives? Here are a couple ways to improve your smile without needing braces!
Invisalign
If you are serious about setting your teeth straight without the use of braces, then Invisalign is the best bet for you. Not only does Invisalign take a significantly shorter time than braces to straighten your teeth on average, they are also much more versatile. The custom fitted aligners that your dentist will work with you to mold can be removed at any moment. You will need to wear the aligners as long and as often as you can – it is suggested to have them in around 20 hours a day – but if you do feel like they are exerting more pressure than you’re comfortable with, you can take them out.
Invisalign aligners are also significantly easier to maintain than braces. Braces create many nooks and crannies that end up making it unrealistic to completely clean them. Invisalign, on the other hand, only needs a mouthwash or toothpaste rinse with a light brushing of a toothbrush to be properly cleaned.
Traditional Veneers
Dental veneers, typically made out of porcelain or resin, are basically custom molded caps for your teeth. They project the beautiful smile you want while keeping your actual teeth underneath as the bases to set the veneers on. These traditional veneers require a more intricate process than the no-prep versions, as the name would imply, but they do allow more wiggle room for the dentist and are more common. With traditional veneers, a dentist shaves down a layer of the tooth enamel to ensure a more solid bond between your tooth and the veneer. This method also allows more space between the teeth for a dentist to work with and allows increased variety in what the teeth will look like.
However, an important thing to consider with traditional veneers is that this procedure is irreversible due to the tooth enamel being shaved down. Naturally, the veneers will wear out over time and you will need to replace them, but the time between the setting of the veneers and the replacement is around 20 years.
No-Prep Veneers
No-prep veneers are exactly what they sound like. There is no shaving down of the enamel and the veneer caps are thinner to compensate for that fact. This also means that these veneers are not as sturdy as traditional veneers and there is less room to work with between teeth. Getting no-prep veneers still allows you to get a dream smile that is essentially indistinguishable from traditional veneers, but you will not have as much variety as traditional veneers when it comes to tooth design. What makes this substitute for braces an attractive option to many people over their permanent counterparts is that if they decide that veneers are not for them, the no-prep veneers can be removed.
Ready to Get Your Dream Smile?
The smile-enhancing methods mentioned above are an easy and effective way to achieve that smile you’ve always wanted while avoiding the hassles that come with braces. If you want to improve your smile through Invisalign or veneers, please contact us!