Are Fixed Braces the Only Option for Teeth Straightening?

If your teeth are not perfectly even, you may wish they were straighter, but hate the idea of going through months or years of having visible metal braces fixed to your teeth. Thankfully, fixed braces are not the only way to achieve a straighter smile. In some cases, you may be able to correct your smile using one or more of the following options.

Invisible Braces

Invisalign is a teeth straightening system that has become very popular in recent years. Whereas traditional metal braces are fixed to your teeth by an orthodontist and stay in place throughout your treatment, Invisalign retainers are removable. You can take them out whenever you eat and then slide them back onto your teeth after the meal. As long as you wear your retainer for most of the day, it should be able to apply enough pressure to your teeth to gently move them into the right place. Best of all, Invisalign retainers are made from clear plastic, which means nobody can tell you are wearing them.

Veneers

If your teeth are only slightly crooked, veneers could be a good alternative to fixed braces for straightening your smile. Instead of changing the position of your teeth, this dental treatment involves attaching ultra-thin slices of porcelain to their front surfaces to make them look straighter and better aligned. The application process is quick, painless, and requires only a very tiny amount of material to be removed from the front of your tooth to create a surface that the veneer can stick to. Veneers are a good option if you have a slightly crooked front tooth that causes you embarrassment, but they can't solve serious overcrowding problems.

Crowns

Like veneers, crowns mask wonky teeth rather than trying to change their positions. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped prosthetic made from porcelain or dental composite material. A dentist can fit a crown over a misaligned tooth to make it look straight. Getting a crown fitted is typically a slightly more involved process than getting veneers and may require the dentist to remove some material from your natural tooth. Crowns are very durable, which means they are a suitable long-term solution for a crooked smile.

Which Teeth Straightening Method is Right For Me?

Not all teeth straightening methods are right for all people. If you have overcrowding or a seriously misaligned bite, braces may be your only option for a straighter smile. However, for other people, veneers and crowns can be a good solution. Talk to your dentist to find out which treatment is right for you.