While a crooked smile can be cute and charming on baby teeth, most grown-ups would prefer an even row of bright white teeth. When your smile is healthy but not what you’d like to see in the mirror, veneers for crooked teeth can help. Here’s how.
Can you get veneers for crooked teeth?
Dental veneers are an excellent option for a variety of cosmetic issues. These thin shells made out of porcelain or composite resin are affixed to the outside of otherwise healthy teeth and are a good choice for front teeth. They can help cover deep stains or discoloration and fill in minor gaps and cracks.
But can you get veneers for crooked teeth?
In a word, yes. It will depend on the extent of alignment issues and other factors, but whether you need veneers for one crooked tooth or for several, veneers can often improve the appearance of crooked teeth. They will not actually straighten teeth or fix alignment or spacing issues, but they can give the appearance of straight, even, beautifully bright teeth.
Benefits of veneers
Dental veneers are used mostly to address cosmetic issues, but they come with a host of other benefits.
Because veneers are placed on top of healthy teeth, the natural tooth itself can be preserved. It is always best to preserve as many natural teeth as possible. Veneers also prevent further damage if teeth are chipped or cracked. This decreases the need for more (or more intense) dental work or smile reconstruction.
When it comes to bite, dental veneers may not straighten crooked teeth, but they can be made so that the bite is better aligned. This improved alignment may actually address the jaw pain that often occurs from a poor bite.
I need crooked front teeth solutions: can veneers help?
As noted above, if you have minor misalignment and need crooked front teeth solutions, veneers may be a good option.
If your smile is severely misaligned, though, getting veneers only covers up the issue and may cause more problems down the road. In this case, it’s always best to ask your dentist about other crooked front teeth options.
Other dental options
If you are not eligible for veneers, you still have options.
For stained or discolored teeth, a take-home whitening kit might get good results. In some cases, professional in-office teeth whitening can address more stubborn stains.
If bite issues need to be corrected, Invisalign braces can be a solution for adults who wish to avoid traditional metal orthodontia.
For patients who have underlying oral health issues, a dental crown might be the best way to restore your smile. Veneers cannot be placed on teeth that are not healthy. If you have excessive tooth decay in the crown but healthy roots, dental crowns can be matched to natural teeth to restore your smile.
If one or more teeth need to be removed,