I have a 9 mm tooth gap. I’m tired of being embarrassed by my smile, but I’m too old for braces. My dentist suggested Snap-on Smile. We’d started the whole process, but it turned out I wasn’t a very good candidate. So, I’m back to square one. He’s now suggesting Lumineers, which is way more expensive than our original plan. Is there something in between?
Floyd
Dear Floyd,
There are invisible alternatives to traditional braces.
The Bad News
I’d like you to find a different dentist to help you with this. He may have good intentions, but he is in over his head. First, Snap-on smile will only provide an adequate smile and only last a few years. It’s made of acrylic and will not be very attractive. However, the bigger issue here is his suggestion of Lumineers.
You have a 9mm gap in your front teeth. That is large enough to fit an additional tooth. It would take a top of the line cosmetic dentist to make this work. Very few top of the line cosmetic dentists choose Lumineers. They are a brand of porcelain veneers that are heavily marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. While they may be easy to place, they are not easy to get to look beautiful. This is especially true because the company that manufactures Lumineers (DenMat) requires dentists to use their lab. Many excellent cosmetic dentists feel the DenMat Lab gives subpar results and prefer to use a ceramist they handpick.
The Good News
There is a much more affordable solution for this problem. You mentioned you are too old for braces. I assume you’re referring to the metal braces we grew up seeing our peers wear. Is there a chance your dentist mentioned Invisalign to you? This is significantly less expensive than the Lumineers option he suggested.
These will straighten the gap in your teeth invisibly. Instead of metal wires and brackets, they use clear aligners. No one will know you are straightening your teeth. They also have another benefit of allowing you to whiten your teeth simultaneously. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. By the time you’re done with your treatment, you’ll have a mini smile makeover.
If you do decide to go with the porcelain veneers, I would make sure you only allowed an AACD accredited dentist to do the work.
This blog is brought to you by La Jolla Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Stephen Doan.