Do I Really Have to Wait to Get my Veneers After Getting my Braces Off?

Yes, you should always wait until the teeth are solid after the ortho movements and the tissue's health is stabilized. 

I agree with your dentist that it is best to wait, however if the appearance really bothers you, you could have the teeth prepared and left in temporaries for at least 8 weeks before having the porcelain veneers placed.  Make sure you are fitted with retainers right after to prevent any tooth shifting.

Having your teeth moved can lessen the amount of veneer work you need after your braces.

I would go see a cosmetic dentist NOW, and let him help you plan what your final smile will look like.

In some cases, here's what I'd do:


get your gums under control right now with perfect care at home. Brush three times a day to get the inflammation down as fast as possible.

For the right case, I'd consider preparing the veneers right away. You could at least fix some of the spacing and alignment issues immediately. The down side would be, that you would need to wear those temporaries for 2-3 months to act as a retainer.


To make this work, all of the conditions have to be just right. You MUST take perfect care of your gums, your bite needs to meet well and correctly, and you have to be patient and wait out the time until you get your permanent veneers.

It CAN be done, but it has to be well planned and well coordinated with your cosmetic dentist and your orthodontist (and you have to be the perfect patient).

It is usually best for you and to get the best results a compromise could be to put temps on until the tissue shrink from the inflamation, also you may want to consider bleaching first to get the best color... your only 16 perhaps you should ask your dentist about bonding to start with less expensive more conservative and then consider the veneers down the road good luck

 

 

Kevin Coughlin DMD, MBA, MAGD    CEO Baystate Dental PC

I can understand your desire to be finished with your treatment and get your veneers to make your teeth look nicer. However, most patients underestimate the importance of the "retention phase" after active orthodontic therapy is completed. This is when your teeth and bone are still "setting" or healing and I think is is wise to wait 4-6 weeks prior to doing your veneers. Don't be disappointed- good things are always worth waiting for.

The bone around the teeth is still soft at the time of braces removal and takes time to "settle" or get more dense.  If you veneer the teeth too soon, they will move and become crooked very quickly. 

 

Even 4 weeks is pushing it.

 

Follow the advice of your dentist.