Do You Need to Have Straight Teeth to Get Veneers?
While the quest to improve and restore teeth appearance may compel people to opt for cosmetic dental procedures such as veneers, the query, ‘Do you need to have straight teeth to get veneers?’ often arises.
You don’t need straight teeth to get veneers unless you have severe misalignment or other issues that can hinder or affect the optimum results of the dental makeover.
In fact, veneers can conceal, reshape, or enhance the overall aesthetic appearance of teeth and solve conditions such as teeth gaps, broken, chipped, or irregular teeth shape, and discoloration.
In this article, we answer the question, ‘Do you have to have straight teeth to get veneers?’ and discuss types of veneers, whether veneers can stain or get cavities, and other FAQs on porcelain and composite veneers.
Do you need to have straight teeth to get veneers?
While you may not need to have straight teeth to get veneers, some issues, such as extremely misaligned teeth, may need you to get teeth straightened before getting veneers.
This is to ensure that you get the best outcome after getting veneers because they’re irreversible and permanent.
Consider scheduling an appointment or one dental consultation that’s tailored to your needs and goals.
However, if you consider correcting minor issues such as broken teeth or small gaps, discoloration, chipped, uneven, or irregular-shaped teeth, veneers may be an ideal choice.
Related: Are Veneers Worth It? (What to Expect When Getting Veneers)
What if you have severe teeth misalignment?
If you have severe misalignment, your dentist may recommend teeth straightening options such as metal, lingual, and ceramic braces or Invisalign before you begin the process of getting veneers.
An improved appearance may boost self-esteem. Although attractiveness and looks are subjective topics, people may form positive individual perceptions based on impressions.
After all, research studies highlight that individuals spend a sixth of their lifetime in appearance enhancement. Correcting tooth defects is a prominent corrective choice for all age groups.
Here are some options that a dentist may recommend to straighten teeth before getting veneers:
Invisalign
You may be eligible for Invisalign to resolve mild to average dental issues such as spacing and teeth crowding.
Invisalign is ideal for adults who don’t want traditional metal braces because they’re clear and removable, unlike braces.
The dentist tailors Invisalign aligners for your teeth to help straighten and gradually reshape them to shift to specific positions.
You may also need to get new aligners every few weeks for optimum functionality.
Braces
Metallic and lingual braces are a popular alternative for correcting severe misalignment among kids and adults.
They can correct issues such as an overbite, underbite, and teeth crowding.
Braces reposition teeth into the proper desired positions by applying pressure on teeth to facilitate movement.
You also need to revisit your dentist after a month or so for readjustment to attain effectiveness.
Afterward, you can proceed to get veneers if you still wish to. Let’s examine the types of veneers.
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Types of veneers
Veneers are custom-made thin porcelain or composite resin shells that a dentist bonds to the front surfaces of teeth using dental cement.
Veneers, often comprising porcelain or composite resin, can conceal imperfections and improve the appearance of tooth structure.
Composite resin material veneers tend to be inexpensive, unlike porcelain, because they’re less durable, prone to wear, and susceptible to surface stains or discoloration.
The type of veneers you opt for depends on your budget, goals, and dental concerns.
Most insurance coverage rarely caters to veneer treatment funding because they’re cosmetic procedures.
Here’s an overview of the types of veneers to guide you in decision-making:
No prep veneers
No-prep veneers are a highly sought-after dental cosmetic procedure due to their effectiveness and value for money.
They’re also an ideal choice for individuals who are concerned about the deeper enamel shaving or tooth drilling associated with traditional veneers.
No prep veneers have a 15-25 year durability with proper care. Here are different varieties of no-prep veneers:
Lumineers
Lumineers are a slimmer version of porcelain veneers. They’re a popular option for resolving dental issues such as gaps, chipped teeth, and stains.
In addition, they’re pain-free since they require no enamel shaving and are more durable than composite resin veneers.
However, you may need to replace them quite often, unlike regular veneers.
Lumineers are a good option for people with minor gaps seeking braces or composite veneer alternatives.
Vivaneers
Like Lumineers, Vivaneers are custom-made from thin porcelain and are about 0.33 mm thick, which is approximately the width of a contact lens.
Vivaneers are available in various shades, from translucent to opaque, depending on your preferences and dentist recommendations.
Your dentist may prepare veneers by hand-waxing them to achieve ideal contours.
Afterward, they can press them onto your front tooth surfaces using a high-strength ceramic thin-press ingot.
DURAthins
Durathin is another prepress option to traditional veneers for an individual seeking a smile or teeth makeover.
Depending on the condition or position of your teeth, you may get durathins with minimal to no enamel shaving.
While regular veneers need deeper enamel shaving and drilling to create space for fitting the veneers, durathins require minimal preparation and tooth shaving.
Besides, they’re 0.3mm thick. This feature means that your dentist may shave just 0.3mm of your enamel to place them appropriately.
However, this is subject to change depending on each individual’s set of teeth or dental issues.
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Pop on veneers(Snap-ons)
Snap-on or pop-on veneers are a popular choice if you are seeking a noninvasive dental cosmetic procedure that is an alternative to permanent veneers or orthodontic braces.
Pop-ons are removable, and they can conceal issues such as stains, gaps, and chips.
Besides, they may be quite inexpensive, unlike permanent veneers, Invisalign and orthodontic braces.
However, pop-ons are predominantly used to enhance teeth’s aesthetic appearance, and they don’t correct issues such as decay.
While pop-ons may be a quick go-to option, they’re not reliable. Here’s why:
- You may lose them in your sleep
- They’re more susceptible to chips and cracks
- They’re not durable
- They can lead to the onset of tooth decay
- They may cause discomfort, pain, and eating issues, especially when taking hard, tacky, or sticky meals.
- They may dislodge when you least expect
Related: Remineralizing Teeth With Gum That Contains Xylitol
Composite veneers
Composite resin veneers or dental bondings are affordable choices for individuals on a tight budget who are seeking a less invasive veneer alternative.
Unlike their porcelain counterparts, they are inexpensive and may fix issues such as cracks and minor gaps in teeth with fewer teeth, such as one or two.
However, they’re less durable and typically last for less than 7 years.
Also, they may not be the best choice if you seek a full-mouth cosmetic makeover.
Composite veneers may be more susceptible to staining and typically need regular replacement, unlike porcelain veneers.
Composite veneers can be obtained in a single in-office appointment, and unlike traditional porcelain veneers, they’re reversible.
In addition, the procedure may not involve the use of local anesthesia for some people since the dentist may not need to shave the enamel down at times.
However, the use of anesthesia may vary depending on a person’s level of tooth sensitivity and tooth condition.
Porcelain veneers(Traditional)
Traditional porcelain veneers are an irreversible cosmetic dental procedure, but they’re highly sought after because they mimic natural tooth appearance.
They’re also available in different shades of white. They are a perfect resort for enhancing the appearance of your teeth, from two to several shades whiter.
The dentist needs to shave part of the enamel from the front teeth surfaces to make room for the new custom-made porcelain veneers.
Shaving the enamel roughens the surfaces so that the new porcelain veneers fit and stay in place perfectly.
Porcelains are durable, less prone to chipping and fractures, and, with proper maintenance, may last 20-30 years.
They’re also more stain-resistant, unlike composite veneers.
Will porcelain veneers stain?
Porcelain veneers are more stain resistant, unlike composite veneers, because porcelain material is non-absorbent.
Porcelain is the shiny, whiter cover that conceals a tooth surface.
However, the bonding material(dental cement) that attaches the veneer to a tooth surface may become discolored because it is absorbent.
This feature makes the cement more prone to stains from food and drinks.
Due to dental cement’s absorbent nature, the presence of stains may give the appearance of a stained veneer, mirroring the veneer’s translucence.
Does composite veneer stain?
Yes. Composite veneers can stain over time, but in-office dental appointments can polish them to remove surface stains.
However, you can not whiten your composite veneers like natural teeth, and therefore, polishing can’t alter or improve their natural color.
Consider getting new replacements, though, or switching to non-porous veneer porcelain varieties.
Also, maintain optimum dental hygiene practices, such as regular brushing, flossing, swishing, and rinsing after having highly pigmented drinks such as wine, coffee, and tea.
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Can you get cavities if you have veneers?
Properly done and well-maintained veneers can safeguard and strengthen the enamel against tooth decay development.
Correct bonding between the natural tooth surfaces and the veneers ensures that bacteria and food leftovers do not get stuck in between.
Any spaces between the tooth surface and the veneer can harbor food leftovers and bacteria, which can degrade the shaven enamel and cause and accelerate tooth decay if left untreated.
Related: Here’s What Happens During a Composite Dental Filling Procedure
Frequently asked questions before getting veneers.
Here are some questions and answers to popular FAQs on getting veneers:
1. Are veneers permanent?
Traditional porcelain veneers are permanent, but composite veneers may be reversible.
Traditional porcelain veneers may last for 20-30 years, but with proper care and maintenance, they’re also less prone to staining.
Composite veneers have shorter durability and may last 5-10 years, besides being susceptible to staining.
2. Does it hurt getting veneers?
No. Getting veneers is often painless because the dentist often numbs your mouth with local anesthesia if they need to prep your teeth by shaving the enamel.
However, you may have an increase in sensitivity in the early days after the procedure. Still, the discomfort is minimal and manageable in most cases.
3. How much are porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers can cost between $800 and $2900 per tooth. Still, the price may vary depending on the city, location, number of teeth to cover, and the expertise of the dentist.
4. Can you do Invisalign with veneers?
Although you can get Invisalign with veneers, your dentists may strongly prefer and advise you to get Invisalign before you get veneers.
Invisalign can help you reshape and straighten your teeth before getting veneers.
Also, veneers are costly, so getting Invisalign after veneers may not be budget-friendly or offer value for money.
Getting Invisalign after veneers can change and lower the aesthetic appeal of the veneers as your teeth shift to newer positions.
The takeaway
Porcelain veneers are worth it because they offer a long-term solution to dental flaws such as minor gaps, chips, and discoloration.
Aside from their costly price, they solve stubborn cosmetic dental issues and significantly boost your self-esteem.
After all, research proves that looking and feeling good triggers a positive psychological response in our bodies.
But remember that your dental insurance may not cover the cost of veneers, as they’re a cosmetic dentistry procedure, and you need to cover the full costs.
Cecile M., is a communication strategist, avid reader, and storyteller with ghostwriting and direct response copywriting experience. Besides writing, she enjoys eclipse chasing, star gazing in remote places with less light pollution, sunset chasing, bird watching, poetry, old movies, animations, bookshops, karaoke sessions, and wildlife conservation.