Veneers or Braces--What to Consider

Poorly aligned teeth are a great concern to many people. Such dental alignments distort a person's natural smile and overall beauty. In the early days, you would have to live with this fate for your lifetime. Later on, braces were introduced as a way of gradually correcting teeth alignment. Today, different types of enhanced braces and veneers can be used to correct misaligned teeth. When visiting your cosmetic dentist for this problem, the choice between veneers or braces may seem tricky. The following are some considerations you should make concerning both before settling on the right solution for you.

Dental history

Your dentist will have to take a great look at your teeth. Both past and present conditions guide the use of these two methods. Tooth decay, missing teeth, or even gum disease are all factors to consider when choosing between veneers or braces. Gum disease, for instance, may necessitate your dentist to go with veneers instead of braces. Braces tend to align your teeth by naturally pulling them to the desired orientation on the gum. A person with gum disease might get further gum problems if such a method was used.

However, when many teeth are misaligned, as opposed to a few, it would be best to go with braces. Braces can achieve whole mouth realignment. Veneers would simply be too costly, since each tooth will have to be processed.

Time versus results

Many people get braces during their early childhood years, which take a long time to achieve teeth alignment. Your dentist should go over the time concerns with you before recommending braces. It could take several years for braces to achieve realignment of teeth. Veneers are an instant alternative to braces. Veneers are recommended for adults who feel they do not have the time to wait for braces to bring out the desired effect. In terms of results, it is a general perspective that braces can achieve slightly better results.

When dealing with many teeth, braces would be the best option. Veneers are limited to how much of the tooth can be trimmed down. In the situation of many teeth that need thorough trimming for realignment, your dentist may not be comfortable with going all the way to your desired proportions. Your teeth have to maintain their basic structure and strength. Too much trimming ruins this and poses other health concerns.

Cost

Ultimately, you will have to consider the costs of each orthodontic treatment. Today's braces come in a myriad of styles and costs. Veneers cost more than braces. But when aligning just a few teeth, veneers may be your cheaper option. Braces are relatively cheap to maintain as opposed to veneers. In many cases, the only maintenance you may need is wearing a retainer every once in a while.