Could Veneers Have Worked Instead of 4 Years of Braces?
Hello Dr Hughes. I am 44 years old and had traditional braces on for four years. They have just been removed and now I have demineralization white spots on my teeth around where the brackets were. I was told that these spots are permanent and cannot be removed. The dentist recommended veneers, after 4 years and $6000 worth of braces. Could I have just gotten the veneers without the braces 4 years ago? Is it true the the white spots are permanent and cannot be removed? If so, what are the major differences between the veneers: durathin, Lumineers, porcelain, composite, MAC, Da Vinci. Thank you.
Without seeing your clinical situation in person it’s impossible for me to answer the question about the spots being permanent. Also, without knowing how your teeth were before your orthodontics, it’s difficult to say if veneers would have accomplished the results you have achieved with the orthodontics. If teeth were very crooked beforehand, placing veneers might have been very destructive to your teeth and potentially caused some short and/or long term complications.
Of your list of veneers, almost all are made by hand, out of porcelain, by a dental technician or Master Ceramist. The quality of the veneer very much depends on the skill of the Ceramist. Composite veneers are usually made directly on your teeth by the dentist and so their skill and experience in this technique is very important. In general, composite veneers are less destructive to the teeth, usually cheaper but they do not normally last as long and require more maintenance to keep their shine and polish up because they are more porous.
The list of veneers contain a few brand names such as ‘Lumineers’ and a few made by branded laboratories such as MAC and Da Vinci. Which types are suitable in your case also needs to be assessed clinically, so ask your dentist for advice on this.
I hope that helps for now?
Best wishes, Mark.
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