Braces, Veneers or Implants? How to Uncover Your Best Smile by Angie Tall

An attractive smile is a crucial part to succeeding – professionally and personally. Conversely, feeling ashamed of your smile because of crooked, chipped, missing or gapped teeth can make you feel like a professional and social failure. It can even contribute to you doing poorly at work or at job interviews because you feel self-conscious about your smile and come across as unfriendly.

Luckily, an attractive smile is easily to achieve. You have so many options – from braces to veneers to implants – that it might seem confusing. Meet with a dentist who specializes in both general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry to come up with a plan of action that makes sense for your dental goals. Not everyone needs a full set of braces, but they could be exactly what you need to have the smile of your dreams. However, they’re far from the only way to straighten your teeth. Don’t let fear of the cost or time or even pain associated with fixing your teeth stop you from meeting with a dentist because it could prove far more affordable than you think. Plus, not every method involves pain or takes forever – veneers and implants are almost instantaneous. You won’t know the best way to improve your teeth until you ask the right dentist.

Braces… Or Aligners?

Of the veneer, implants and braces options, braces are the only way to keep your natural teeth entirely. That may or may not be the best thing for your smile, but it’s something to consider either way. Braces take the longest to work by far and require months or even years of treatment. They also will require you to wear retainers for the rest of your life afterward, otherwise the teeth could move back to their natural positions. (Over time, however, you’ll only need to wear the retainer at night or even every other night.)

If crooked teeth or teeth that are otherwise out of alignment are your primary concern, braces – or aligners – are the way to go. Aligners are the clear alternative to braces that may interest you if you don’t want to deal with the inner cheek and gum scarring metal braces may lead to and you don’t want to draw attention to your mouth. The only disadvantage to them is you have to keep the aligners in full-time except when you eat and brush your teeth.

Veneers

Veneers are fast – you get instant results. After your consultation, the dentist will take an impression of your teeth and order veneers made to fit perfectly into your mouth. Veneers are ideal for closing small gaps and covering up slightly crooked single teeth. Plus, no one can tell they’re fake, and you keep most of your real teeth intact beneath. You may have to replace them every few years, but they don’t require special maintenance and they’re the only way to get great-looking teeth in minutes as opposed to weeks or years. However, they’re not the answer if your crooked teeth make up most of your mouth.

Implants

A dentist won’t recommend implants unless you’re missing a tooth or one of your teeth has become so decayed or broken it would be better for it to be removed. It’s also a quick procedure – it only takes one consultation and one procedural visit – but it’s better to work with your existing teeth if at all possible.

If you’re self-conscious about your smile, you probably don’t want to walk around with braces on your teeth for months or even years. Luckily, there are ways to fix your teeth that won’t draw attention to your mouth. There’s no reason to avoid the dentist because you think your teeth would require too much work. Make an appointment today.

About the Author: Angie Tall is a fashion and makeup consultant from New York City. She refers all her clients to Park Slope Dentistry for their cosmetic dental needs.

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