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Your Options for Correcting Misaligned Teeth

13 May 2015

Duane Kelly

Correcting misaligned teeth and addressing other cosmetic dental problems is not as difficult as it once was, as today's cosmetic dentists have a number of options they can offer their patients which are very affordable. Today's options also take very little time to address a problem, and aren't as unsightly as they once were.

If you or your teenager needs to have some misaligned teeth straightened but you're worried about the appearance, note the following choices and be sure to talk them over with your cosmetic dentist.

1. Caps, bonding & veneers

Caps are just that; they are plastic pieces that slide over a tooth and are glued into place. They can instantly correct chipped or broken teeth, and can make a crooked tooth look straight. However, they don't always work for all crooked teeth as the caps take up additional space and may make a tooth look too large. Drilling can sometimes be used to whittle down the tooth.

Bonding and veneers are soft putties that are shaped over a tooth and which then dry and harden to look like the tooth itself. They too can correct broken or chipped teeth, or can make recessed teeth look as if they are lined up with other teeth. In some cases a dentist may be able to drill down a crooked tooth and then use bonding or veneers to structure it so that the tooth looks straight.

One drawback to bonding and veneers is that they may not work for a number of teeth that are very crooked, as this would require extensive work from a dentist to drill down all the teeth and then rebuild them with the putty.

2. Invisible braces

Braces are a good choice for crooked teeth because they address a full set of teeth at once, and there is no drilling or other damage to the teeth required. In other words, you keep your own teeth when you get braces, but just get them gently nudged into place.

Today's braces are not as unsightly as they once were; incognito braces can be made of an invisible, clear plastic that fits over the entire set of teeth. Typically you need to have these made to fit your teeth in particular and wear one set for several weeks, then have a new brace fitted.

Another option is the standard wire braces that get tightened over time. These too can be made of an invisible or white plastic that cannot be easily seen. In some cases they can even be placed behind the teeth so they're fully invisible. Discuss these options with your dentist through clinics like Perfect Smiles Orthodontics to learn more about your options.

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