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.

As you can see there are many options to choose from.  My preference is using Invisalign retainers or the Invisalign Vivera retainer system where you get 4 retainers 3 of which are shipped directly to you, over the course of the year.  This way you have a fresh retainer year round.

There is the risk of poor fit if the new filling was large or contoured differently than your tooth was to start.  If the aligner does not seat properly, an adjustment to the filling can r

Yes it is safe to move a tooth that has a root canal. The forces on your teeth are gentle and should not cause any issues. There is always a risk with any root canal treated tooth that it could have root resorption, but that is very unlikely and could occur with or without Invisalign.

I think you are safe to proceed with getting a beautiful smile!

If your grinding was severe enough to wear away your enamel the composite/ tooth colored plastic we add to teeth will be chipped or worn away quickly. It would be wise to have a dentist evaluate your bite and try to stop the grinding or control it to protect your teeth. Once corrected then the teeth can be restored to proper function.

It really depends of the severity of your bite problem and the degree of damage in your jaw joint from the TMD. Sometimes getting things aligned will allow for your jaw to function properly again if the reason for the TMJ problems was the tooth positon. If this is the case then Invisalign treatment may be for you. You still may need TMJ treatment even after Invisalign if there are residual symptoms.