I have teeth that are horribly stained. They also are a bit crooked in places. What are good ways to make my smile pretty?
Kelli
Dear Kelli,
You actually have a couple of good options depending on what you want your teeth to look like when it is finished.
Option 1: Invisalign and Teeth Whitening
If you just want to straighten and whiten them, this will be a great option. Invisalign is sometimes called invisible braces because it can straighten your teeth without anyone knowing. Instead of the metal wires and brackets that traditional braces use, Invisalign uses clear aligners, like those pictured above.
Your dentist can provide you with teeth whitening gel that you can wear in the aligners to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time.
Option 2: Porcelain Veneers and Teeth Whitening
This option is what people traditionally think of when they want a smile makeover. Porcelain veneers can change everything about your smile, including its shape, size, and color.
Porcelain veneers are what people get when they are looking for that “Hollywood Smile”. The teeth whitening is usually to save you some money. It would be too expensive to place a porcelain veneer on every tooth. The typical procedure is to whiten your teeth first, then place veneers on enough top teeth to cover what is visible when you smile. The teeth whitening ensures the other teeth blend in.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.