Cate Vieregger, DDS

In most cases, crowns and veneers are roughly the same cost.  They can even be made out of the same materials.  A crown replaces all the enamel on a tooth where a veneer is a bit more conservative and often only covers the front , top and sides of the tooth (the part that you see) and does not cover the entire tongue side of the tooth.  Either restoration is beautiful, the difference between which you use is determined by whether large existing fillings and cracks are present in a tooth.  If so a crown is likely the better choice, if not a veneer would be a better alternative.

There are new materials on the market that can mask a dark tooth with a veneer, for example E-Max.  It is beautiful, strong and could mask the color better than other materials.  If possible be as conservative as you can.  Perhaps some of the teeth could be veneered and the extremely discolored ones crowned to mask the darkness.

The buttons are tooth colored fillilng material, to match your shade.  They are placed using a special tray for a precise fit.  We use them to control tooth movement and provide anchorage.  The are easily removed and do not harm your natural tooth.  They are barely noticible when the aligners are in.

I highly recommend sticking with water.  Any beverage that is colored can discolor your aligner over time as well as your teeth.  Sugary drinks will contribute to plaque formation confined in the aligner and lead to cavities and bad breath.  So stick to sugar free, colorless drinks with your aligners in...aka Water.

It is imperitive that you wear your retainers as your Doctor recommends.  Studies have shown that without proper retention, the teeth will likely relapse.  It would be a shame to invest time and money in a beautiful smile only to let it loose some of it's beauty due to relapse.