Can Veneers fix my slanted smile and asymmetrical gumline? (photos)

Question

When I was a kid my left canine was ankylosed into my jaw bone. Prior to knowing that, my orthodontist attempted to move it through the use of a chain. Since the tooth was indeed ankylosed, it moved my surrounding teeth up at a slant. I have had braces twice to bring the teeth back down but to no avail. I received a dental implant on the left canine in 2010. I am so self conscious about my smile and am thinking that Veneers may be the best option since braces do not seem to work.

Kiyan Mehdizadeh, DMD · Answer

I am sorry that your smile is cause for self-consciousness. Since orthodontics is not necessarily an option, then you can definitely correct this smile with ceramics, but it would be more involved than just veneering the teeth. If you want an ideal outcome, then every upper tooth that shows in your smile should be covered with ceramic in some fashion. The 4 front teeth would likely have to be moved "back" and "up" - this would require trimming the teeth significantly and possibly require root canals. Then the implant crown would have to be re-made so that it would appear to move "lower" and match the opposite-side canine. Then your left pre-molars would require onlays to close the gap in the bite. Then there is the whole issue of your gum-line: you have to determine whether the slant in the gumline is acceptable, or whether you want to trim the gums back slightly. The teeth on the right are perfect as-is, but you may want to finish the right side with conservative, minimal-prep veneers to create harmony. I am personally not an advocate of trimming teeth back aggressively, but if orthodontics is off the table, then you still need a cosmetic outcome that will make you happy. If doing aggressive treatment will result in you being happy with your smile, then it is better than preserving teeth intact but being unhappy with them.

Susan Hollinsworth, DDS (retired) · Answer

Veneers can indeed help with your asymetrical smile line of the teeth but they cannot correct the asymetrical gum line. That would need to be accomplished with laser removal of some gum tissue and likely some crown lenghthening by removing some of the bone around the teeth on the right side to raise the gum level more in line with the left side. How perfect a smile you want and how involved you want to get can vary the treatment plan. I would try to find a restorative specialist or dentist who is very experienced in cosmetic dentistry and discuss your needs and wants then come up with a treatment plan that gives you the smile you want.

Can Veneers fix my slanted smile and asymmetrical gumline? (photos)

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Can Veneers fix my slanted smile and asymmetrical gumline? (photos)

Answers (2)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Porcelain Veneers

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.