Do I Really Have to Wait to Get my Veneers After Getting my Braces Off?

Yes, you should always wait until the teeth are solid after the ortho movements and the tissue's health is stabilized. 

I agree with your dentist that it is best to wait, however if the appearance really bothers you, you could have the teeth prepared and left in temporaries for at least 8 weeks before having the porcelain veneers placed.  Make sure you are fitted with retainers right after to prevent any tooth shifting.

Having your teeth moved can lessen the amount of veneer work you need after your braces.

I would go see a cosmetic dentist NOW, and let him help you plan what your final smile will look like.

In some cases, here's what I'd do:


get your gums under control right now with perfect care at home. Brush three times a day to get the inflammation down as fast as possible.

For the right case, I'd consider preparing the veneers right away. You could at least fix some of the spacing and alignment issues immediately. The down side would be, that you would need to wear those temporaries for 2-3 months to act as a retainer.


To make this work, all of the conditions have to be just right. You MUST take perfect care of your gums, your bite needs to meet well and correctly, and you have to be patient and wait out the time until you get your permanent veneers.

It CAN be done, but it has to be well planned and well coordinated with your cosmetic dentist and your orthodontist (and you have to be the perfect patient).