Is it bad to get veneers after braces if you do not plan on wearing a retainer for the rest of your life? (photo)

Question

I don't want to have plastic in my mouth for a lifetime. I want to get braces and then veneers but I worry that if I don't wear a retainer, the teeth will shift back into the original position, and disrupt the veneer. Thoughts?

Sarah Thompson, DMD · Answer

Your concerns are very valid.  For this reason, I often let my patients know that if you think you'll be bad at wearing retainers for life, you may want to go directly to veneers.  I am not advocating against braces, because I do provide Invisalign, but I make sure that my Invisalign patients know that they will have to wear retainers for life.  If you veneer after braces, your teeth will shift and the veneers will not look good.  Looking at your photo, I would recommend 8 veneers.  I've attached a link to a patient for which I did 6 veneers.  I hope this helps.  Follow me on RealSelf for more answers.

Leonard Tau, DMD · Answer

If you undergo orthodontic treatment and do not wear retainers, you will likely experience relapse, and your teeth will become mis-aligned.  Even if you have veneers, your teeth will still drift and then your veneers will look out of alignment.  If you get veneers you still must wear retainers. Make sense, hope so

Doug Jopling, DDS · Answer

You are hitting the nail on the head. If you undergo orthodontic treatment and do not wear retainers, you will likely experience relapse, and your teeth will become mis-aligned.  Even if you have veneers, your teeth will still drift and then your veneers will look out of alignment.  If you don't mind paying for veneers every few years, then I don't imagine it matters that much; but ,as a dentist, I want to provide care that will last the longest period of time possible with doing the least amount of maintenance or re-treatment for the patient. Do you already have veneers?  Your photo looks like they may have been done before and already drifted. If so, it looks like they could easily be moved back into position using Invisalign, and you would not have to have brackets cemented to the veneers as you would with conventional orthodontic treatment which could also be used to move the teeth.I always recommend a nightguard after veneers and this acts as a retainer as well so my patients who have veneers wear a piece of plastic every night to protect their veneers from nighttime grinding which occurs in a high percentage of adults.Douglas Jopling, DDSDallas, Texas area

Is it bad to get veneers after braces if you do not plan on wearing a retainer for the rest of your life? (photo)

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Is it bad to get veneers after braces if you do not plan on wearing a retainer for the rest of your life? (photo)

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Everything you need to know about Porcelain Veneers

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