When you are unhappy with the shape of your front teeth — veneers, tooth reshaping and clear aligners
When the shape of your front teeth is not to your liking, the options that usually come to mind are veneers, tooth reshaping and clear aligner treatment. The three look as if they aim at the same thing, but what differs is whether the tooth is moved, covered or trimmed. Here is what divides them.
The three take different approaches
Clear aligner treatment — moving
A method that moves the tooth itself to the position you want. It uses clear, removable appliances, without wires or metal brackets. The website notes that because the appliance can be taken out, it is easy to keep clean and there is less chance of a cavity developing.
Veneers (laminates) — covering
Cosmetic treatment that creates an ideal tooth shape in a short time with minimal trimming of the tooth. The website introduces the situation "if you are not happy with the shape of your front teeth but hesitate over orthodontics" as the starting point for this treatment.
Tooth reshaping — trimming
A procedure that trims the tooth and fills in what is missing, to make up for parts that are not esthetically satisfying. In the table on the website it is shown as about 30 minutes of chair time, no anesthesia, 1 visit, average duration 1 day.
It depends on what is bothering you
The D-day Dental Clinic website gives the following three cases as candidates for tooth reshaping.
- Where a gap between the front teeth is the concern
- Where the tooth shape is angular or uneven
- Where a front tooth is chipped, or there is discoloration that whitening does not resolve
The website explains that where a tooth is angular, pointed or uneven, it can be trimmed slightly to make it smoother and more even. Conversely, if it is the position of the tooth that concerns you, the moving side (orthodontics) is looked at; if you want to change shape, color and alignment at once, the covering side (veneers) is looked at as well.
The thing people worry about most with veneers
The website states that "what most people worry about with veneer treatment is the trimming of the tooth". It therefore also describes no-prep veneers, in which a prosthesis of minimum thickness is bonded without trimming the tooth, based on precise analysis.
D-day Dental Clinic states that it uses the VTO (visualized treatment objective) approach, setting a concrete, visible goal together with the patient before treatment and designing the prosthesis from there, and that teeth are analyzed with CEREC Primescan equipment.
Side effects such as tooth sensitivity can occur with veneer treatment. The website also states that there are cases in which veneers are not suitable or not recommended, and cases in which no procedure was carried out after the consultation. The no-prep method is likewise not possible in every case, and whether it can be applied depends on the condition of the tooth.
If you have already had veneers
The website gives the following cases for considering redoing veneers: (1) where an existing veneer has chipped or come off; (2) where a long time has passed since the procedure and the margin at the gum line is exposed; (3) where the current design does not suit your face shape or the image you want; (4) where inflammation has developed in the tooth or the gum, so the prosthesis has to be removed and the inflammation treated.
Where the tooth has already been trimmed, it explains that it matters to achieve as much as possible with the least additional trimming.
The gum line also changes the impression
If what concerns you is not the shape of the front teeth but how much gum shows when you smile, it helps to look at gum contouring as well. The website notes that where the teeth look short because of the gum length, or the gum line is asymmetric, this can be improved with anterior gum contouring.
Wondering which method suits you? The starting point differs according to whether it is the position, the shape or the color of the tooth that concerns you.
- Veneers
- Tooth reshaping and teeth whitening
- Clear aligner treatment
- Gum contouring and gum depigmentation
- Dental glossary — veneers, no-prep veneers, tooth reshaping
Please note · This article is general information to help you understand what happens in the treatment room. It does not replace a diagnosis or a prescription. Whether a method can be applied, and the result, can differ with the condition of your own teeth.
Written and medically reviewed by
Dr. Kim Mu-jin Director, D-day Dental Clinic
This column was written and medically reviewed by Dr. Kim Mu-jin, Director of D-day Dental Clinic. Dr. Kim is a board-certified specialist in Integrated Dentistry (통합치의학과) certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, holds a master's degree in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from Korea University, and served as director of esthetic prosthodontics at Snow Dental Clinic.
- Board-certified specialist in Integrated Dentistry, certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare
- Master's degree in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Korea University
- Full member, America Academy of Implant Dentistry
- Full member, Korean Academy of Integrated Dentistry
- Full member, Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Implantology
- Full member, Korean Academy of Esthetic Dentistry
- Full member, Korean Academy of Prosthodontics