I have protruded teeth. I’m looking for options to help me fix this and get a smile I will not be ashamed of. It would also help if I knew about how much money this would cost so I can make a good decision.
Jennie
Dear Jennie,
I’m glad you wrote. Please understand, without having examined or even seen your bite, I can only make some generalizations. With protruded teeth, you have three options that can work well for you. These are in no particular order of preference.
Option One: Braces
Conventional braces have been tried and true for even the most difficult orthodontic cases. They can and will straighten your teeth in about two to three years. The cost is around $4000 unless you have an unusually complicated case that requires some type of surgery. These usually have to be done by an orthodontist, though some dentists have braces training.
Option Two: Invisalign
Invisalign Aligner
These are sometimes called invisible braces because they use clear aligners to straighten teeth instead of metal wires and brackets. In most cases, Invisalign works in less time than braces and costs about $5000. Whether they work for you will depend on how protruded your teeth are. These can double as teeth whitening trays allowing you to whiten and straighten your teeth at the same time. Any dentist trained in Invisalign can do these. Orthodontists tend to shy away from them because it is not what they went to school to do.
Option Three: Porcelain Veneers
This would, again, depend on how protruded your teeth are. While they will not actually straighten your teeth, in the hands of an expert cosmetic dentist, they can make them look straight and further back. I would expect to pay about $1500 per tooth for this, depending on the location and skill of the dentist. Most smiles are 8-10 teeth wide. Though, you can do fewer if you have teeth whitening done to help the teeth blend in. While any general dentist is technically allowed to do these, to do them right, especially in an advanced case like yours, requires some expertise. I would only allow an AACD accredited dentist to do this procedure for you. Porcelain veneers are what celebrities use to get that Hollywood smile.
This blog is brought to you by La Jolla Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Stephen Doan.