Dustin Nelson, DDS

Your teeth look pretty straight. The second tooth on the right side could be rotated a bit more. Try flossing your teeth to see in the contacts are tight. If so, you may need further treatment with a refinement. Check with your treating dentist.  Best of luck.

Thank you for your question and photos. From what I see, your veneers have the classic chicklet look. Natural front teeth have a flatter profile on the middle four teeth, with a more rounded profile going towards the rear teeth.  Were these No Preparation style veneers?  If no enamel was removed before your final impressions, teeth will often times look over contoured. Porcelain veneers require an artistic eye and a smile design to achieve a realistic result. Cosmetic dentistry requires passion, artwork and training.  Have a heart-to-heart discussion with your treating dentist. Best of luck.

This is a great question.  The standard answer is all night for one year.  In more detail, it depends upon how far the teeth were moved, the direction of the movements and how long the treatment required to achieve the final result.  Especially if the teeth were rotated, it takes far longer for the forces on the roots to "Relax", to avoid a significant relapse.  A patient should keep their retainer for years because the teeth constantly change position during one's life.  Be sure to consult with your doctor on this vital part of your treatment.

Orthodontic treatment for a 12 year-old is common and yes, your child will continue to grow.  If the upper teeth have gaps between them, the first step is to determine the cause. The gaps can be the result of small teeth in a larger jaw, or an acquired tongue-trust from infancy.  Once the cause is known, the next question is patient compliance. Invisalign is attractive for many patients because the aligners can be removed easily.  For a young person, this can be a challenge if she is not highly motivated to stay with "The program".  Talk with your dentist to uncover the causes for the spacing.  If your child is motivated, this could be a great solution.  Best of luck.

Black triangles are an unfortunate side effect of bone loss between the front teeth.  Healthy gums have a small   spike of bone between the teeth which supports the tissue like a tent pole.  Dermal fillers are designed to "plump up", wrinkle lines or make the upper lip fuller. As you may know, dermal fillers dissolve with time.  A better result might be achieved with Invisalign to move the teeth closer to each other. I have had great success using this treatment on many black triangle cases.  Best of luck.