Question:

I am 27 and had a lot of orthodontic work when I was a teenager. I had three sets of teeth and a small jaw. My teeth are much better but my two front teeth are now overlapping. I saw an orthodontist today to see if I could use Invisalign but he said no. I have also done a little research into veneers and it would seem I may look like a rabbit at the end as the teeth would be thick to match up. Do you have any other ideas for treatment? I really would like to fix it up. Should I just have them extracted and start again?

Answer:

It is very difficult to give advice for a case like yours without a thorough examination and a look at some X-rays, but there are some general tips I can give you to help you out with what must be a confusing and difficult decision to undergo teeth straightening for the second time.

Firstly, if the only problem you perceive is the overlap of the two front teeth, that is certainly within the realms of Invisalign, but like many things it comes down to the experience, skill and confidence of the operator to provide a treatment they are most comfortable with.

Did you ask why Invisalign was unsuitable? Maybe you should ask the orthodontist what proportion of cases he treats are Invisalign and maybe show you the results he has achieved. In the right hands, Invisalign is capable of restoring some pretty complex cases. Maybe you should seek a second opinion from an orthodontist or dentist who does a lot of Invisalign cases. Again, ask to see before and after photos of cases they have treated.

If your two front teeth are sticking further forward than their neighbours, then veneers might well require a lot of tooth reduction in order to make the teeth aligned, and the deeper you need to prepare into the tooth, the more likely the veneer is to fail in the long term.

I would think very carefully about potentially damaging your teeth when an equivalent or better result can be achieved with straightening. Veneers have their merits, but even in complicated cosmetic cases I am finding myself resorting to Invisalign or orthodontic correction as an adjunct to veneers so as to minimise tooth preparation and achieve the best cosmetic results.

For more information please visit Dr Angelo Lazaris's website.