When I was younger I had a terrible overbite. My parents got me braces and I finally felt better about my situation. A few months ago my dentist told me I had gum disease. Now, I have a tooth gap again that has just appeared and it is making my teeth look crooked again. There isn’t an overbite so could I just get porcelain veneers to fix this?
Madelyn
Dear Madelyn,
I am glad you wrote. If you have gum disease and your teeth are shifting, as yours are, it means your gum disease is serious. You’ve lost half or more of your bone support for your teeth. They could start falling out if you don’t get a handle on this soon. Hopefully, your dentist did more than just tell you that you have gum disease and got you started with a treatment program. If he or she hasn’t, then you are not being well-served. You will be better off getting a new dentist.
Your first order of priority is getting your gum disease under control. Porcelain veneers will cost you thousands of dollars and will fall out with your teeth as long as this gum disease is an issue.
Once your gum disease is dealt with, you could have porcelain veneers done to close the gap, but it would require an expert cosmetic dentist. Very few dentists could do that well, so be careful who you choose. Another option, depending on the size of the gap, is to have dental bonding done.
Your best option will be to use orthodontics to straighten them again. I’m sure you do not want traditional braces, but many dentists offer Invisalign these days. They can straigthen your teeth without anyone even knowing.
I cannot stress enough the importance of getting this gum disease under control first. Otherwise, you will be looking at ways to replace your teeth rather than straighten them.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.