I have some teeth which are crooked and stick out a bit. If I got a dental flipper which fits over my teeth, could that make my teeth look normal and straight? I just feel I am too old for a mouth full of metal wires and brackets but don’t want to be too embarrassed to smile anymore.

Beatrice

Dear Beatrice,

I think there is some confusion here. A dental flipper is a false tooth which can be used to temporarily replace a missing tooth. It fits in the empty space, but will not cover your teeth. There is another apparatus, called snap-on smile which will fit over your teeth. It also is a temporary solution.

You should be aware, they only last a few years. When you have teeth which stick out they can look pretty bulky. As you mentioned some of your teeth stick out, I’m not sure you would be happy with this solution.

Instead, I’m going to recommend something else.

Straightening Your Teeth with Invisible Braces

I know you said you were too old for braces. The good news about that is there have been incredible advancements in orthodontics. You can straighten your teeth without anyone even knowing. One of the most popular of these types of invisible braces is Invisalign.

Dr. Tran, however, prefers Clear Correct because she finds it to be superior and less expensive for the patient. Using these type of clear aligners has an additional cosmetic benefit as well. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This will enable you to straighten and whiten your teeth simultaneously giving you a mini smile makeover.

This blog is brought to you by Fountain Valley Dentist Dr. Tammy Tran.