Are crooked teeth making you unhappy with your smile? If so, then you’re likely considering options to straighten them in Savannah. If you’ve done some research, you’ve probably learned that there are multiple options for achieving the straight smile you desire, including Invisalign and veneers.
The best way to know which treatment is right for you is to talk to a cosmetic dentist and get a personalized recommendation. At Beyond Exceptional Dentistry, located in Savannah’s Victorian District, we’re ready to help, and you can contact us today for an appointment. However, if you’re not ready for an appointment, here are some aspects of the two procedures to consider.
Straightening Teeth without Braces
One of the best advances in modern dentistry is the expansion of your options for straightening teeth. Although traditional braces are still available and may be the best option for some people, others may benefit from different options, such as Invisalign or porcelain veneers.
Invisalign uses clear plastic aligners rather than metal wires and brackets to straighten your teeth. The plastic aligners are more comfortable, with no sharp metal that can irritate or cut your tongue or cheeks. The aligners are removable, so there’s no need to change your diet, and there’s no painstaking cleaning around brackets and wires. Best of all, they’re nearly invisible.
Porcelain veneers are thin surfaces of advanced ceramic that a cosmetic dentist attaches to the front of your teeth. They straighten your smile by reshaping your teeth. This has many advantages. First, it can be completed quickly. Instead of waiting months to move your teeth, they can be reshaped in just weeks. Porcelain veneers can also be used to reshape damaged or small teeth and whiten deeply discolored teeth at the same time that they are straightened. And with porcelain veneers, you don’t have to wear a retainer, as you do with other teeth straightening techniques.
When Invisalign Is Best
More Significant Teeth Movement
Invisalign works better than veneers for people with significant crookedness, crowding, gaps, overbites, and underbites. It’s a full orthodontic treatment that can handle these issues. The technology has improved significantly over the years and can do more than in the past. If a dentist told you Invisalign wouldn’t work for you, it’s worth talking to a dentist again. At Beyond Exceptional Dentistry, we utilize the latest technology and understand the potential of the treatments we use–we’ll tell you honestly if Invisalign can achieve your goals.
Won’t Reshape Teeth
Invisalign works best if you are relatively happy with the size and shape of your teeth. Invisalign only helps with moving your teeth–it won’t build up small teeth or repair chips. It also can’t reshape peg laterals and other oddly shaped teeth.
However, modern Invisalign treatment can include teeth whitening, so you can brighten teeth while straightening them.
Invisalign Takes Time
Invisalign also works best when you have more time to achieve your cosmetic goals. Invisalign treatment can be slightly faster than traditional orthodontics, but it’s not really a fast treatment. The average treatment time for Invisalign is about one year.
When Veneers Are Best
Less Movement Required
Veneers can straighten teeth, but they can’t do as much straightening as Invisalign. Veneers are best when you need only slightly straighter teeth. There are some cases where it’s easier to achieve straightening with veneers than with Invisalign, such as rotated teeth. However, in general, if you need more straightening, then Invisalign would be a better choice.
Veneers Can Reshape Teeth
Veneers are the best choice if you want to reshape your teeth while straightening them. Veneers can easily fix chips and cracks. In addition, veneers can make your teeth larger if you think they’re too small. Perhaps you have retained baby teeth, or perhaps you’ve worn your teeth down. In any case, veneers can make them larger again. Veneers can also help if you don’t like the appearance of peg laterals or other poorly formed teeth.
In addition, veneers can whiten your teeth beyond the limits of traditional teeth whitening. If whitening your teeth doesn’t make them bright enough, veneers can help you get the bright smile you desire.
Veneers Are Fast
Veneers don’t take nearly as long as Invisalign to achieve their goals. Veneers take just two visits after the initial consultation to achieve results. This means that you can have your new smile in less than a month from the time you commit to the procedure. If you want a new beautiful smile in time for a special occasion, veneers are often your best choice.
Comparing Cost and Durability
Two more factors to consider when comparing these treatments are cost and durability.
In general, Invisalign is less expensive than veneers. However, veneers are a more flexible treatment. Veneers can be used to straighten just one or two teeth, leaving the rest of your teeth alone. In this case, veneers can be less expensive than Invisalign. It’s best to talk to a cosmetic dentist about your case rather than make decisions based on a general trend.
Both treatments give long-lasting results. Veneers typically last 10-15 years, though they can last much longer with proper care. Results from Invisalign treatment can last a lifetime as long as you keep wearing your retainers and take good care of your teeth. If you don’t wear your retainers after Invisalign treatment, your teeth might drift back to their old positions in less than a year.
Straighten Your Teeth in Savannah
We know how crooked teeth can make you uncomfortable with smiling or speaking in public. The cosmetic dentists at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry offer great options to help you get a straight smile that you can confidently share with the world. We’ll help you decide which is best for you.
Please call (912) 234-8282 or use our online form to request an appointment at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry, located in Savannah’s Victorian District.
