Invisalign or Porcelain Veneers?

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I’m ready to fix my smile. I’ve been going back and forth between Invisalign and porcelain veneers. I’ve heard that the Invisalign fixes your teeth without anyone knowing and it’s much less expensive than the porcelain veneers. But the porcelain veneers should be faster. Is there a significant difference in their results? Are the porcelain veneers worth the extra cost?

Amaya

Dear Amaya,

Which procedure you get depends on two things. First, what your needs are for your smile. Second, the skill of the dentist you are working with. Let’s go over what each of them do.

Invisalign

Invisalign Aligner

Invisalign Aligner

Invisalign is specifically orthodontic related. If your teeth need to be straightened, this is the procedure to go with. It will straighten your teeth without anyone even knowing you are doing orthodontics.

It has an additional cosmetic benefit, too. The aligners used to straighten your teeth can also double as teeth whitening trays. This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth simultaneously, thereby saving you both time and money.

Both of these procedures are fairly simple and will not require your dentist to have done extensive post-doctoral training in cosmetic work.

Porcelain Veneers

single porcelain veneer being held up by a dental tool

A Porcelain Veneer

This is more for those going for a total smile makeover. Porcelain veneers use tiny wafers of porcelain to completely remake your smile. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth simultaneously. While they can’t straighten your teeth, a skilled cosmetic dentist can make them appear straight.

This is the go-to procedure for celebrities to get their Hollywood smile. However, this does require some expertise on the part of the dentist. Unfortunately, smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school. A dentist has to invest their time after they graduate learning the procedures, as well as developing their artistry. Without that, I’m afraid you’ll be sorely disappointed in the results.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Dentist Keeps Pressuring Me to Get Porcelain Veneers

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I have a lovely dentist but he is really into cosmetic dental work. Every time I go to an appointment he keeps telling me how beautiful my smile will look with porcelain veneers. First, I can’t afford anything close to porcelain veneers. Second, he is starting to make me feel quite uncomfortable about my smile. Now whenever I see my smile, all I see are how much darker they are than when I was younger. I just can’t afford to make them look younger. Is it really the norm now to get porcelain veneers?

Susan

Dear Susan,

Dr. Cheek with patient

I’m going to say two things right off the bat which make me uncomfortable with what your dentist is doing. First, you should never feel pressured into any procedure, let alone one that isn’t a medical necessity. Second, a dentist’s job is to make you feel good about your smile. This may not be the right dentist for you. While it is great that he is pursuing his passion for cosmetic dentistry, it sounds like you are more into basic dental care. The best dentists help their patients meet their goals with their teeth. They don’t try to create needs which aren’t there.

As to your question about norms, it really depends on quite a few things. For instance, your area of work. More people in Los Angelos will get porcelain veneers placed on their teeth than in many other cities. This is because of the emphasis for celebrities to have perfect teeth. Another example would be pageant contestants. These groups have a higher than normal percentage of smile makeovers.

However, in more “normal” cross-sections of society, it isn’t the norm.

You Don’t Have to Get Porcelain Veneers for Younger Looking Teeth

Now that your dentist has given you doubts about your smile, it is likely going to bother you for a while. However, that doesn’t mean you have to have a complete smile makeover to get that younger look for your teeth.

Teeth whitening is simple and inexpensive. Not only that, just whitening your teeth, takes off more than stains, it takes years of your appearance.

In your place, I’d just do that and tell your dentist you are content with your smile. If he still doesn’t let the idea of porcelain veneers go after that, it will be time to get a new dentist.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Solution for a Gigantic Tooth Gap

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I have a rather large tooth gap. My dentist said it is about 9mm. I want to fix it and whiten my teeth at the same time. My dentist said he was just certified in Lumineers and can place those on my teeth to close the gap. Is this a good solution? I want to make sure for two reasons. One, it’s expensive. Two, he is new at it.

Joey

Dear Joey,

Invisalgin Aligner

Inviaslgin Aligner

I want you to run away from the recommendation your dentist gave you as fast as you can. Here are just a few reasons why. First, Lumineers are simply a brand of porcelain veneers. This particular brand is highly marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place because there is no prep. In all honesty, there is no such thing as no-prep veneers. Your teeth will have to be etched no matter what brand you use.

Second, certification in Lumineers simply means they have attended a seminar. It does nothing to develop their skill or teach them artistry.

Thirdly, your particular case would require a dentist who has tremendous skill, experience, and artistry in placing porcelain veneers. The size of your gap is enough to fit an entire tooth into. In order to make this look natural, it will take some technical expertise not available to your dentist.

Invisalign is a Much Better Solution

In your place, I would have Invisalign done. These use clear aligners to straighten and align your teeth. You can see a picture of one of the aligners above. These will close the gap without anyone even knowing you are wearing orthodontics. They are invisible even at a conversational distance. Additionally, they are much more comfortable than traditional braces and work in half the time.

Not only will using Invisalign cost significantly less than getting porcelain veneers, but the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays, saving you even more money. Your dentist can just provide you with the whitening gel, which you can wear in your aligners at a convenient time for you. This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Dentist Said to Crown Instead of Veneer My Teeth

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I’m really disappointed right now. I’d been looking forward to getting my teeth re-done for a while. I’ve always wanted a pretty smile. I’d been saving up for four years. When I finally was sure I had enough, I went to my dentist. He said porcelain veneers don’t work and what I should get is dental crowns. I don’t want to get those. I have perfectly healthy teeth. Plus, I’ve seen some patients who’ve had crowns at my clinic and I’ve never been impressed with how they’ve looked. It’s not what I was hoping for with my new smile. Do porcelain veneers work?

Lucy

Dear Lucy,

a porcelain veneer being placed
Porcelain veneers are a great option for smile makeovers

Your dentist is wrong. Porcelain veneers work. In fact, they are the go-to procedure when you want a beautiful smile makeover. My suspicion is the reason your dentist is trying to steer you away from this is his lack of experience.

Doing smile makeovers isn’t something taught in dental school. Instead, a dentist needs to invest post-doctoral time studying them. In fact, the best dentists will always keep up with their field. You definitely don’t want a dentist who does the bare minimum of their required continuing education. You want a dentist who is passionate about their field and keeps up with the latest developments.

Getting Your Smile Makeover

If you want a beautiful smile, you’re going to have to go to a different dentist– one who has invested time studying cosmetic dentistry.

The trick here is there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry, so anyone who calls themselves a cosmetic dentist is simply a general dentist who offers cosmetic services.

So, how do you separate the ones who do a good job from those who just get average (or worse) results? I’d start by looking at their smile gallery. This should be a page on their website which has before and after pictures of cases they’ve done. You may want to call and double check they’re showing cases the dentist has done and not just stock photos, though.

If you don’t like what you see there, move on. If you do like the type of results they get, take one additional step. Check their reviews. It’s always helpful to see what patients who have actually been to their practice think of the experience.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Boss Wants Me to Straighten My Teeth

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My boss called me into his office. He started off by telling me he felt awkward saying this but he thinks I’ll understand in the long run. I was so afraid I was about to be fired. Instead, he said, “I want to give you a big promotion, but you’ll need to straighten and whiten your teeth to get it.” I was puzzled until he explained that I’ll be their Public Relations person as well as a division leader. The PR post would require me doing media interviews, which means I’d need a pretty smile in order to make a positive impression. The money would be super worth any expense. It’s a huge promotion and he was right that I’d completely understand. I want to do this right. What do you suggest?

Madison

Dear Madison,

side by side of a smile with braces and a smile with Invisalign

First, let me say congratulations! What a promotion that is. I’m sure you’re thrilled. You have a couple of great choices to meet your cosmetic goals.

Straighten Your Teeth With Invisalign

Invisalign is a type of invisible orthodontics which is ideal for adults who which to straighten their teeth without a mouth full of metal. They use clear aligners. The image above shows a comparison of someone smiling with both braces and Invisalign. They tend to also work more quickly than braces as well.

If you go this route, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays allowing you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time.

Remake Your Smile with Porcelain Veneers

If you don’t care about straightening your teeth and just want them to look straight, you can get a total smile makeover with porcelain veneers.

These use tiny wafers of porcelain to change the shape, size, and color of your teeth simultaneously. They have two big benefits for you.

  • They will be a faster procedure than Invisalign
  • They can completely change your smile, making it celebrity beautiful almost instantly

Their drawback is they’re much more expensive than the first option I gave you. Either one will give you the smile you need for your promotion.

Best of luck to you and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.