Can a Dental Flipper Make My Teeth Look Straight?

My teeth have been out of alignment my whole life and as I age they are starting to look dark, too. I’ve gotten to the point where I hardly smile. I don’t want braces because they are ugly, uncomfortable, and take forever to work. Would it be possible to get a dental flipper to make my teeth look straight?

Rick

Dear Rick,

I think you may be thinking of a different procedure. A dental flipper is used to fill in the space for a missing tooth. Maybe you are thinking of snap-on smile? This is an acrylic device that will snap over your existing teeth. This will give you an okay smile if you have realistic expectations. They do have some downsides. Up close it will not look like your natural teeth. Because they are snapping over your teeth, they tend to look a bit bulky and make your smile stick out a bit. There are two other considerations. First, you will have to remove them after each meal and thoroughly brush your teeth and the device. Second, they will only last a few years, so you will have to replace them quite often.

An Alternative to Braces

You do have a solution that does not include braces. My suggestion is that you get Invisalign. Instead of metal wires and brackets, these use clear aligners. No one will even know that you are straightening your teeth. They are invisible even at a conversational distance. They’re much more comfortable than braces and work in about half the time.

As for the discoloration of your teeth, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This means that you can straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. You would simply need to ask your dentist to provide you with the whitening gel. Then you can wear the gel in the aligners at a time that is most convenient to you. By the end of your treatment, you’ll have a mini smile makeover at a fraction of the cost than if you did the procedures separately.

This blog is brought to you by Nashville Cosmetic Dentist Dr. David Wickness.