Veneers or Braces, Prosthodontist or Orthodontist?
As an adult who wants to improve their smile, you may not be the type of person who speaks to your general dentist in the first instance. Instead you may start where many others start, and that’s by Googling the specialist options you have been told about in the past, or the options you think are best for you. Fixing your smile may be motivated by a big event coming up, or a the long-standing wish you can now address as an adult.
At Western Prosthodontics, we will provide you with ethical options to help you improve your smile and best reflect your dentistry health needs. So, whether we refer you to one of our orthodontic partners for braces, or you undertake veneers with ourselves, we’ve broken down the different options, so you have a better understanding of how each treatment works.
Veneers
Porcelain or composite veneers are bonded to the front of the existing tooth surface to improve the appearance of a natural tooth. Porcelain veneers are used to eliminate a range of problems including stained or dark teeth, reshaping a tooth, or even to close the gap between teeth.
The advantage of veneers is that they can immediately improve your smile. They’re a great option to cover up slightly crooked teeth or fill gaps. They can also be individually coloured and shaped to match with the rest of your teeth. Porcelain veneers in particular are quite resistant to staining, which is a plus for any major coffee drinker!
However, while veneers may provide the aesthetic results you desired, they don’t address any underlying tooth or jaw alignment issues. As ethical dental professionals, we will advise you if we feel you need to see an orthodontist or maxillofacial surgeon before seeing us.
Braces
The long-standing dental treatment of braces are a conventional option to straighten crooked teeth or correct a misaligned bite. They work by placing constant pressure on each tooth to move them in a certain direction.
For some adults wanting to fix their smile, braces may be the only option available in the first instance. While veneers may help address the aesthetic look of your teeth, braces are designed for the serious engineering issues such as overbites, underbites, overcrowding that can lead to tooth decay and tooth loss. Braces therefore aren’t just a cosmetic fix but also a long-term dental health treatment.
How to Work Out If I Need Veneers or Braces?
The answer to your question should come from consulting us as your prosthodontic specialist, and/or your orthodontist. As dental specialists in prosthodontics, we often work with other specialists such as orthodontists to provide the best health option for you as the patient. It’s therefore not uncommon for a patient to have some orthodontic treatment to fix the alignment or bite first, before fitting veneers. The long-term results mean a healthy bite and smile that you have long wanted.
Get a Second Opinion
At Western Prosthodontics, we follow an ethical and honest approach to dentistry. If we feel a particular treatment option is not right for you, we will advise you and refer you to an orthodontic or other dental specialist we know and trust.
Many of our patients have come to us for a second opinion on the treatment options their dentist has recommended. If you’re wondering if you should seek a second opinion for your dental treatment, then you probably should. Most people are happy to gain a second opinion when it comes to their medical health but aren’t so sure for dental issues.
For general and specialist dentists, second opinions are part of the doctrine and professional code, so they expect some patients will want to gain more information to allow them to make an informed decision.
If you would like a second opinion at Western Prosthodontic Centre, call us on (08) 9321 1632 or contact us online.