My front teeth are slightly overlaps should i go for veneer or to get braces

Q. Hi Dr, My front 4 teeth slightly overlap and have holes in the middle, one tooth is slightly chipped. I would love to have perfectly straight teeth without the holes and chips. I asked my dentist and she said I would need 4 Veneers but I also could go to an orthodontist to get these teeth straightened and then filling them would be no problem and it might be better. I’m not sure what is the best thing to do – get braces and then end up getting veneers also, taking more time and money or just getting veneers now to solve all my problems but in the long run what would the benefits be am I better to try to preserve my natural teeth as long as possible? Also my daugther is 10 and her teeth are very crooked bottom and top. She still has some baby teeht and her eye teeth have not come down yet – is it too early to start orthodontic treatment?

A. To start with, I would strongly advise that you have orthodontic treatment first. This will move your teeth into a better position. Your dentist was right when she said that you can then have them filled to look better. If you want veneers at that time, this can also be done and the drilling of your natural tooth would be quite minimal. If you choose not to move your teeth into a better position first, then veneers may not be the best option. you will more than likely need crowns- and to prepare for the crowns will need more drilling- and may compromise the health of these teeth. This means that they may die and need root canal therapy. It IS an option- but perhaps not the best option. THis is just something for you to consider.
As for your daughter, there is no harm in getting an orthodontic opinion at the moment. She may not be able to start any treatment just yet, but it is always good to know. Hope this info has helped you.

Dr Kailesh Solanki Kissdental – UK Practice of the Year 2007 157 Woodsend Road, Flixton, Manchester, M41 8GN.2 New Street, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2QS. 13 Stanley Street, Manchester, M8 8SH. Web: www.kissdental.co.uk Tel: 0161 748 5250 View My Profile Dr Solanki

Leave a Reply