Veneers after braces

[veginess]

I'm getting my braces off next week and I really couldn't be more excited to get all this stuff out of my mouth. Unfortunately, I have periodontal disease, lots of bone loss, and while my time in braces has left me with MUCH better looking teeth than what I started out with, they're still not and won't ever be what I want them to look like. I have tons of very large black triangles and an off-center midline. I am strongly considering getting veneers on my top front 6 teeth next year, after my teeth have settled in a bit. My dentist said he supports my decision, but encouraged me to take a while to get used to my teeth un-braced before I make any final decision about it. Part of me thinks I'm nuts to consider it - I just spent a year and half in braces and spent 3 grand to get them straightened out and now I'm thinking of spending another 3 grand and shaving down my teeth in my pursuit of a more perfect smile. The other part of me thinks I should just go for it. I've always wanted a beautiful smile and I can afford it so why shouldn't I do it?

So, I pose this question for the boards... if you were about to be de-braced and still did not like your smile (and keeping your teeth in braces would not help) would you consider veneers?

Here's my before and current, in case anyone is curious.

[busy bee]

Your teeth look fabulous by the way! That's a hard decision! I think your dentist is right, you need to give yourself time to get used to your new teeth once the braces come off. In time you might become really happy with them without veneers. The thing that worries me about veneers is the permanence of them, once you have them done you can't go back. And, they would need to be redone in the future I believe. You need to think carefully about whether it's something you might regret in the future. One thing that encouraged me to get braces was that my teeth should then last me well into old age as they will be easier to keep in good condition. Would you mind in the future having to replace your veneers our would you rather have a healthy set of natural teeth. In the end it's such a personal decision, you know what your priorities are. Good luck!

[fosterp]

I think that if you are unhappy enough with something that you want to change it and you have the resources to do so, you should definitely do it. While vanity is bit of a taboo thing, the reality is that people do these things for their own psychological well being. If your smile bothers you, its going to cause you undue anxiety, especially when you had such high expectations going into braces. No amount of other people telling you "your crazy your teeth are nice" or "don't be so vain" will change how you feel about yourself. No one can tell you what is a good idea when it comes to fixing something that is causing you anxiety - because it is your smile, not theirs.

That said, I would still follow the advice of waiting on it for a couple months to see how you feel about your smile once the brackets are off. You can always get it done sometime in the future rather than now, but you can't do it now and then change your mind later. Also, you absolutely will need to address the underlying periodontal issues before you start thinking cosmetically about the teeth.

You might also possibly consider other options that might give you what you are looking for. I'm not an expert on the subject, but I think a periodontist might be able to provide a solution for your black triangles via gum grafting. Your ortho might also be able to improve the appearance of your teeth with some skillful manicuring of your teeth. I had a bit of that done on my teeth that were worn down and chipped in a lot of places and they look a lot better - you can look at the link in my sig for an example.

My personal opinion of veneers, while I haven't done a ton of research, is that frequently they don't give the "perfect smile" and a lot of times result in a very fake looking appearance, especially if only some of the teeth are crowned and not others. Granted, some turn out very well, but I've seen more than just a few flukes where it was a result I wouldn't be pleased with. What you see on the internet, and especially the web sites of potential doctors - are not entirely representative of the results you can expect. You are going to see the good outcomes, and not really the bad outcomes.

Whatever you decide to do, managing your expectations will be important. There's a lot of variables going into achieving a "perfect smile" and only some of those can be controlled by yourself and doctors. The unfortunately reality is that some variables can't be fixed, and getting the smile you want might just be an impossible task. So in the interest of getting an outcome you are pleased with, you should make sure you clearly communicate to your doctors what you are hoping to get so they can tell you whether or not its possible. Examples of what you want your teeth to look like is probably the best objective way of communicating this as it leaves little room for misinterpretation.

[plugnickel69]

I very much agree with everything fosterp said. Additionally, braces seem to magnify tooth problems. Misaligned teeth, black triangles, and asymmetry look much worse while the braces are on. I was really worried about how my black triangles stood out with my braces. Now they are off and they don't seem like that big a deal. I think my teeth look real good, white, straight, and natural. I'll consider some bonding when I see my dentist for my six-month cleaning and check-up.

You may be very surprised at how good your teeth look after your braces are removed. You can always get veneers if you're not happy with the result. They do wonders for some people and certainly can give some people with crooked teeth a very straight smile, but they often don't look natural. I can always tell when people have veneers. Remember that a pleasing result doesn't have to be perfectly symmetrical and that we are our own worst critics.

[Bikerchick85]

I say do whatever makes you happy there are some types of veneers that do not usually require removal of any tooth structure and can be taken off if you ever decide to reverse the procedure. I can pm you the brand if you want. Don't know if its allowed for me to post it. Good luck with whatever you decide! I'm sure you are thrilled to be getting your braces off!!

[BraceFace2o1o]

So, I pose this question for the boards... if you were about to be de-braced and still did not like your smile (and keeping your teeth in braces would not help) would you consider veneers?

Yes I would if I could afford them.

I think your teeth look great. But I know (and I'm sure many others do too) how it feels to be so critical of our own teeth, we often see things others don't. At the end of the day it is not about what others think, it is about you and how you feel and I think you should do whatever makes you feel better. I would agree with others to maybe wait a little while after the braces are removed and then see how you feel. When I got my braces off they looked like a different set of teeth than what I went in with at the beginning of the brace removal appointment - they looked better! which is something I didn't expect at all. I'm getting used to them now though but still pretty happy with how they turned out, never were going to be perfect as some of my teeth and more worn than others.

[ambraced]

Hi! My lower brace got off last week with a far from perfect result due to asymmetrical positions of canine teeth, and some minor misalignment. My orthodontist said it was the best result he could achieve.......whether this is true or not I can't really tell. My dentist did some aesthetic contouring and composite build up on the canine to make it look like an incisor and they look much better. I was considering veneers too but then I realised what a great improvement my teeth are as compared to how I started. I think that while in braces we tend to become obsessed with the way our (and everybody else's) teeth look. I started out wanting a Hollywood smile then I realised that people who have really perfect teeth sometimes seem to be wearing dentures and look very fake!!! Some people who get veneers on the upper jaw seem to acquire a bit of an overbite. On the other hand some very pretty divas have imperfect teeth which I had never noticed before.
As your dentist and some others said, give it some time. I think your teeth look great!

[mapleleafman888]

Veginess, have you looked into other options such as bonding? I'm sure a good cosmetic dentist could fix up what you want with bonding, it's a whole lot more cost effective and you keep most(if not all) of your natural teeth compared to the stumpy posts they make your teeth into for veneer fittings.

My treatment co-ordinator had bonding done after her treatment and I couldn't even tell!

My ortho says at the end of my treatment I will need either veneers or bonding on the 2 upper laterals because they are to small and to get the proper alignment---he needs to leave about 1mm on either side of them. So then he suggested build up with bonding or veneers. The only other option would be IPA, but that doesn't fix the small arches.

I would definately do bonding because it looks just as natural, it is way more cost effective and I get to keep my natural teeth. Veneers on the other hand no way! 5 years ago my girlfriend opted for veneers over braces, now she has the veneers on her upper 10 and she still has major tooth sensitivity problems from all the shaving and reduction which comes from the procedure.

Anyways I hope this helps you, good luck with you decision!

[Woobster]

I'm in the same boat as mapleleafman...Due to small laterals, extracted bicuspids (thanks to my childhood ortho), and the spacing issues that will be created by my braces, I'll most likely end up with some bonding on my top 4-6 center teeth once my treatment is over.

[bluebird1]

I'm quite opposed to veneers, but of course it's something you have to decide for yourself.

Aren't there other ways to fix the issues you see with your teeth?

[veginess]

Unfortunately, my dentist and orthodontist both agree that bonding is not an option to fix the things I do not like such as the large black triangles. The spaces are so large that bonding would make my teeth too square vs. rectangular.

I am still keeping an open mind about it all, though, and will definitely wait at least until next summer before making any final decisions. My ortho will do some manicuring of the teeth when I get my braces removed and I will, of course, be getting my teeth whitened. Someone above also mentioned something that had occurred to me, that braces magnify imperfections in the teeth. That is another reason I will wait before making any decisions because I might be happier than I imagine I will be with my final result. However, if I still want veneers a year from now, I am going to do it.

[plugnickel69]

I think much depends upon how big your smile is. I'm not a big, open-mouthed smiler. Between that and the ceramic braces, most people didn't even seem to notice I was wearing braces. Interestingly, no one has even mentioned that I now have them off.

I think my black triangles are only noticeable when I smile big and unnaturally. My plan is to consult with my dentist at my six-month checkup, in about five months. He also mentioned about my teeth looking too square, but if only my lateral incisors are involved it seems to me that either bonding or veneers would look similar. Besides the price, I would worry that two teeth with veneers would look different from my other teeth. That would bother me. That said, it probably depends on how good your dentist is.

[Winkos]

I think your smile looks great. I am glad you are going to wait before making any decision on veneers. If I remember correctly you had some issues with your teeth- correct? If so, I think it would be best to consider not causing any trauma to your teeth, especially since your smile is so much improved and very pretty. If I am wrong I apologize.

[veginess]

Winkos, you are right that I definitely do have other problems with my teeth and that is certainly something to consider before I inflict any more trauma upon them! I just got my braces off yesterday and I am happier than I thought I would be with my teeth so let's see how I feel in a year!