I’ve really been having a hard time finding a dentist I can trust. I’ve seen three different dentists in the last year, and all of them offer me different advice about how to deal with my problem.
I have one tooth–the one on the right immediately adjacent to my front teeth– that is crooked. I mean REALLY crooked, like seriously distracting. I’m sick of this having such an impact on my confidence, and have been trying to find a good dentist to help me fix it. Part of the problem is that I really don’t know anyone in the city I live in. I just moved here after I graduated from college, so I don’t know anyone well enough to ask for a recommendation.
One dentist said I needed braces, and that it could take up to two years and several thousand dollars. It is ONE TOOTH! Another said I could use Invisalign, and that my treatment time would be much less than with conventional braces. A third dentist said I could get porcelain veneers, though when I mentioned Lumineers as a possibility he said that he doesn’t usually place those. What is the deal with that?
None of this sounds right! Why did they all tell me different things?
Cara in Boston
Dear Cara,
As luck would have it, it sounds like you just happened to ask three dentists who have different strengths. Each dentist suggested the course of treatment (all appropriate) that they are most comfortable with.
Invisalign would almost certainly be an appropriate choice for you, and as the dentist said treatment times are usually significantly shorter than treatment times with conventional braces. Porcelain veneers would also work well for you. Some dentists do not like to regularly use Lumineers, because they can sometimes yield bulky results. But there are many different kind of extremely beautiful porcelain veneers that could be appropriate for you.
An excellent option would be to choose an experienced, talented cosmetic dentist that does both Invisalign and porcelain veneers, and then let them help you chose the option that fits your situation and budget best.
This blog entry posted courtesy of Dr. Stapley and Dr. Kitchen, Mesa Arizona dentists.