Instant Orthodontics FAQ
Smile Makeover Specialist
In Collierville and Memphis, Tennessee
If you would like to contact Dr. Ettienne van Zyl to ask a question or schedule an appointment visit our convenient contact form.
What is Instant Orthodontics?
What are veneers?
What is the Instant Orthodontic process like?
Am I a candidate for Instant Orthodontics?
What about complications?
WWhat can I expect?
What is Instant Orthodontics?
Instant Orthodontics is the use of porcelain veneers and sometimes porcelain crowns to correct gaps and overlapping teeth for a beautiful, even, white smile. Instant orthodontics works differently than traditional orthodontics, but accomplishes the same results in a fraction of the time. Instead of wearing braces for years, instant orthodontics takes as little as a month.
What are veneers?
Veneers – often called either ceramic veneers or porcelain veneers – are thin shells of ceramic material which are permanently bonded to the front surfaces of teeth. Veneers can be applied to as many or as few teeth as necessary and can be placed simultaneously on the top and the bottom teeth.
What is the Instant Orthodontic process like?
The average duration of the Instant Orthodontic process is four dental appointments over the course of about a month.
- In the first, initial appointment, your cosmetic dentist will discuss what procedures are best for your specific situation.
- In the second appointment, your teeth are prepared for the veneers. Your teeth are lightly buffed down to receive the veneers smoothly. Generally less than a half a millimeter of tooth is removed. Sometimes a local anesthetic is used during this buffing procedure, although it is generally not necessary. At this point, a mold is taken of the teeth, which is sent to the laboratory. Temporary veneers are normally placed until the final veneers are ready.
- In the third appointment, from two to three weeks after the first, the laboratory-crafted permanent veneers are permanently bonded to the teeth, after a check for fit and color. Placing veneers is a delicate procedure. Each veneer must be fitted individually. As a result, this third appointment can last several hours.
- The final appointment is a check-up, and takes places about one to two weeks after the veneers have been affixed.
Veneers must be carefully crafted and applied to give the ideal result, so it is very important to have a qualified cosmetic dentist working with a quality lab when undergoing this procedure. Inexpert instant orthodontics look too large, too small, or oddly colored. When properly crafted and placed, your veneers will be so natural looking they will be indistinguishable from your natural teeth.
Am I a candidate for Instant Orthodontics?
The main prerequisite for Instant Orthodontics is that you have a healthy bite, meaning that although your teeth may be crooked, your jaw is not out of alignment, you do not suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), and you have no gum disease. This is something which Dr. van Zyl will evaluate during your initial consultation. If your bite and/or jaw are not healthy, your dentist will discuss options for correcting these conditions.
If your bite is healthy, you are a candidate for Instant Orthodontics if:
- You feel uncomfortable about or embarrassed by the appearance of your smile.
- Your teeth are crooked, uneven, gapped, and/or crowded.
- Your teeth are discolored, cracked, or chipped.
For many people, traditional orthodontics alone does not give adequate correction of crooked teeth. If you have had braces but still do not like the appearance of your smile, Instant Orthodontics can be the answer.
What about complications?
Complications from dental procedures are very rare. Most often the complications are aesthetic defects which can be avoided if you work with a highly skilled and trained cosmetic dentist. The only other complication that occurs with any frequency is bacterial infections, which are generally minor and can easily be treated with antibiotics.
What can I expect?
Realistically, you can expect a natural-looking straighter smile in a few weeks that looks highly natural.
Dr. van Zyl has many years of experience placing veneers, and has received advanced training in bonding procedures at LVI. If you are in the Memphis area and are tired of your crooked smile, contact him today for an initial consultation, the first step on the road to a straighter smile in weeks.
