Veneers are thin shells of porcelain that can be placed over flawed teeth to project a newly perfect appearance. Those flawed teeth will still be present, but no one needs to know about those flaws when they’re hidden behind porcelain veneers from a dentist in Winnipeg. What can veneers help with? Veneers can perfect discolored teeth affected by stains that can’t be whitened away, teeth that are chipped or cracked, teeth that are narrower or shorter than other teeth, or teeth that are inconsistently spaced. But what about crooked teeth? Can veneers help with that? Stay tuned.
Invisalign is a form of orthodontic treatment that is nothing like the traditional braces made of wire and metal that you might automatically think of when you think about having crooked, misaligned, or inconsistently spaced teeth straightened. Invisalign’s teeth straightening system uses transparent aligners made of a thermoplastic material to straighten teeth quickly and comfortably while giving you the freedom to remove those aligners to eat, brush, floss, take selfies and even enjoy cozy moments with a loved one. Try that with braces. But what about stained, chipped and cracked teeth and teeth that aren’t the same size as their neighbors? Can Invisalign help with those?
Can Invisalign and porcelain veneers accomplish the same goals?
Porcelain veneers in Winnipeg can not straighten teeth. But they can make teeth appear straighter. The teeth underneath your veneers will be in the same position before and after receiving porcelain veneers near you, but those porcelain shells will be exactly as precisely straight as your dentist designs them to be. (Strangely enough, that means they might not be perfectly straight since every dentist near you will prioritize ensuring that those veneers match your other teeth naturally. If geometrically straight teeth would look unnatural, your dentist will not sacrifice the natural appearance of your teeth to achieve some geometric ideal.
If your dentist or orthodontist recommends that you have your teeth straightened for orthodontic reasons, porcelain veneers are not the best option for achieving that goal. After all, braces and Invisalign will actually move the teeth and their roots whereas veneers will only affect the appearance of the surface of your teeth.
On the other hand, if your priorities are cosmetic ones — the color, texture, shape, and spacing of your teeth — porcelain veneers can transform all of those characteristics while also providing the appearance of straighter teeth.
What about the other way around? Can Invisalign help you to achieve cosmetic goals beyond merely straighter teeth? Not really. Invisalign’s treatment plans will not change the color, size, shape, width, or texture of your teeth like porcelain veneers from a dentist near you can. Invisalign makes it easier to keep teeth cleaner and whiter during treatment plans than traditional braces do, but they don’t actually change the appearance of your teeth themselves.
Which is better: Invisalign or veneers?
It would be an unusual situation when you are choosing between Invisalign and receiving porcelain veneers from a dentist near you. They are targeted at and help you to achieve different goals. If you have entirely cosmetic goals, veneers may be an attractive option because they can, while making your teeth beautiful, also make them appear straighter. If your teeth straightening goals are motivated by purely cosmetic considerations, ask a dentist near you if veneers can improve your appearance.
If, on the other hand, there are more-than-cosmetic considerations involved in your dentist’s recommendation to have your teeth straightened, don’t rely just on cosmetic porcelain veneers — ask your dentist about Invisalign. Once those teeth are straightened, then ask your dentist about how to make them look even more beautiful, too.