Can Porcelain Veneers Correct Overlapping Crowded Teeth? (photo)

Veneers can definitely correct crowded teeth.  However, you want to be careful when deciding to treat your teeth with veneers.  Due to the amount of crowding I see in your picture, I would feel more comfortable treating you with some kind of orthodontic treatment.  You have options such as traditional orthodontic treatment (ie: braces) or Invisalign (clear aligners).  Based on the picture I see of your teeth, you seem to be a younger patient.  Therefore, be careful when deciding to do any treatment which requires grinding on tooth structure, ie: Veneers.  You may want to take the more conservative route so that you preserve more of your natural tooth structure. Good Luck!

Dr. Parnaz Aurasteh

Veneers are always a fantastic option to address esthetic needs and concerns of patients' smiles.   If you would like to proceed with veneers however, I would proceed with caution and understanding that there are potential risks.  There are no guarantees the veneers will remain straight, unless you have a permanent or removable retainer.  Time-permitting, it is always ideal to have all your teeth straightened, aligned, and with a proper bite prior to restoring with veneers.  There are a few reasons:  if your teeth are crowded, you may continue to accumulate plaque in those areas despite having the perception that they look straight with the new veneers.  Another risk is overpreparing teeth.  The goal is to be conservative;  minimally invasive and having to remove far less, if any, tooth structure.  There is also a risk of bite and premature collisions with the lower teeth.  Based on your picture, some of your lower front teeth are protruding out of alignment which may become an interference when you're biting, chewing or grinding.  You may want to have a consult with an Orthodontist prior to committing to veneers right away to obtain more information.  It is possible you may even like the way your teeth look after they have straightened, and simply whiten them and they could look great.  At the end of the day it is your decision what to do, but it's nice to have informed consent and knowledge of what you are getting into.  Best of luck!

Porcelain veneers can offer a very good solution to your overlapping upper teeth.  Yours is a challenging case and should only be done by a VERY experienced cosmetic dentist that uses proper planning prior to starting your treatment.  This planning includes before and after imaging, a diagnostic wax up, and meticulous temporary veneers.  There is a risk of needed future root canal treatment due to the extreme crowding you exhibit.  If your dentist does not tell you this I would be very skeptical.





Steven M. Goldy,DDS

In answer to your question, porcelain veneers would be a great option for you in achieving a more symmetrical, even, and brighter smile. They are often used to correct crowded teeth. Just remember when treating crowded teeth, we need to prepare the tooth more and there is always the small risk of having to treat the nerve. The ideal treatment (although longer) is Invisalign and then veneers. If you decide to do veneers right away, talk to your dentist about pros and cons for your particular case and degree of crowding. The amount of veneers you need depends on how widely you smile and what your goals are. In most cases 8 or 10 veneers will achieve a beautiful complete result.The procedure takes multiple office visits. It starts with a planning phase where take impressions and photographs and we get a mockup from the lab where we can create a trial smile. You can actually see in our mouth what your smile with veneers would look like. Then after your teeth are prepared you wear temporaries for a few weeks and come in for your final restorations to be cemented permanently. Good luck! Follow us for more information.

You need to reconsider Invisalign or Braces. You might be able to improve your smile without any extractions. You are concerned about "pain." Invisalign is typically not a painful process. With the new aligners patients report that the treatment is very comfortable. What will be more "painful" is having to file down your teeth for porcelain veneers and the added cost of having to redo them in the future. 

In theory you could fix your smile with veneers but it should not be your first option.