I am way too old to wear ugly metal braces but am tired of my teeth not being attractive. I have one tooth that sticks out more than the others and they’re pretty yellow all around. Could I just get a dental flipper to snap on my teeth and make them look straight so I am no longer embarrassed by my teeth?
Kelly
Dear Kelly,
I think there may be some confusion here. I placed an image of a dental flipper to the left. these are designed as temporary tooth replacements meant to hold the space open until your permanent tooth replacement came in. It isn’t designed to make your teeth look straight.
Snap-on Smile
You may be thinking of the Snap-on Smile. These do snap over your teeth. One thing to consider with them is because they go over your teeth, they can sometimes look bulky. This will be more true in your case because you already have that one tooth that sticks out. Another thing to look at is they are made of acrylic. They won’t look as natural or beautiful as something like porcelain veneers, nor will they last as long. I would plan on replacing it every few years.
I do have an alternative for you, though, which will be a permanent solution and won’t require metal braces.
Invisalign— the Alternative to Braces
In your place, I would look into Invisalign. These straighten your teeth, in less time than traditional braces, without anyone even knowing. That is because instead of using metal wires and brackets, it uses clear aligners and a sophisticated computer software program to plan out your treatment and design the aligners.
You simply pop the aligners in and go about your day. Every two weeks, you will switch them out for a new set that will move your teeth just a bit more.
Straightening and Whitening Your Teeth Simultaneously
You mentioned your teeth have yellowed over time. That happens to all of us. Fortunately, because Invisalign aligners are custom fit to your bite, they can double as teeth whitening trays. Simply ask your dentist for some professional strength teeth whitening gel and you can wear them in your aligners each day. This allows you to whiten your teeth while you are straightening them. It’s a two-for-one. To me, this is a much better solution for you both financially and in terms of creating a smile you won’t be ashamed of anymore.
This blog is brought to you by Invisalign dentist Dr. Susan Dennis of Portage, MI.