Invisalign vs. Veneers

If you feel self-conscious about your smile, there are ways to fix it. Both Invisalign and veneers can help you correct and improve the appearance of your teeth, but each does so in a different way. The question of Invisalign vs. veneers is a common one asked by our patients. Deciding which option is right for you depends on the current state of your teeth and your goals for your smile.

Learn more to decide between Invisalign or veneers — including how they’re alike and different — so you can make the right choice for your smile.

Invisalign vs. Veneers in NYC

Over 14 million people have used Invisalign to straighten their teeth and enhance the appearance of their smile. An alternative to traditional bracket braces, Invisalign uses clear trays to help rectify the teeth. The treatment can help to correct a range of concerns in the mouth, including:

• An overbite is when the upper teeth significantly protrude
• An underbite is when the lower arch protrudes beyond the upper arch
• Gaps or spaces between teeth
• Crowded or overlapped teeth
• An open bite is when the teeth don’t meet when the mouth is closed

The transparent trays you wear during Invisalign are custom-made for your mouth and teeth. So, they will apply pressure and force to the teeth just the right way, whether your teeth need to be rotated, pushed, or shifted horizontally. Most patients switch to a new set of aligners every week, allowing their teeth to move into a new, more aligned position slowly.

The length of Invisalign treatment largely depends on you, the patient. The average treatment duration is between six and twelve months. Still, various factors can affect the duration, including the initial positioning of your teeth and your adherence to instructions.

But let’s dive deeper into Invisalign vs. veneers, including maintenance, aesthetics, lifestyle, and investment—so you can make a fully informed decision.

When comparing Invisalign to veneers, the former offers several benefits to individuals seeking to straighten their teeth or enhance the appearance of their smile. Those benefits include:

• Nearly invisible treatment: Whether you choose Invisalign or veneers, you might not want people to know you’re getting treatment to correct your teeth. The transparent trays used with Invisalign mean no one has to know you’re wearing them unless you decide to reveal that information.
• Removable trays: With traditional metal braces, there is no way to take them off until the end of treatment. This can create challenges regarding oral hygiene, as food can easily get trapped in your braces. Choosing Invisalign over veneers means you can remove your trays when eating, brushing your teeth, and flossing, making it easier to maintain good oral hygiene.
• No food restrictions: People who wear traditional braces are often given a long list of foods to avoid, as they can get stuck in the braces. That is not the case with Invisalign. There are no restrictions on what you can eat and when you want to eat, giving it a significant advantage when comparing veneers vs. braces.
• Improved comfort: Metal braces can poke the insides of your cheeks or cause irritation to the gums. Invisalign aligners are made from a smooth plastic that doesn’t poke or irritate the skin.
• Safe materials: The material used to make Invisalign trays is BPA-free medical-grade plastic that does not contain other harmful toxins, so you can feel confident about putting the trays in your mouth.
• Faster than traditional braces: Treatment periods are a crucial factor to consider when choosing between veneers and braces. The average treatment period for Invisalign is about 12 months, which is half the time required for traditional braces (24 months).

A bonus advantage when comparing Invisalign vs. veneers? Patients can track progress via apps and periodic scans, giving them more control and motivation. Also, aligners are typically easier to replace than veneers.

Cons of Invisalign

Although Invisalign has many benefits, it is not without its drawbacks. When you are considering Invisalign or veneers, it is essential to understand what the disadvantages of the treatment are or can be, including:

• Getting used to the aligners: Although the clear plastic aligners are usually comfortable, there can be a period of adjustment, especially when you first start wearing them. It may take a few days for the aligners to feel natural in your mouth. Sometimes, wearing the aligners over the teeth can cause people to develop a slight lisp.
• Wearing the aligners as directed: When choosing between Invisalign vs. veneers, following post-procedure care instructions is vital. Ultimately, the success of your Invisalign treatment depends mainly on you. You will need to wear the aligners for 22 hours every day. Some people forget to wear their aligners for the recommended amount of time and do not see the progress they had anticipated. Not wearing the aligners as directed can interfere with your treatment in a few ways. If you do not wear them enough, your teeth might not fit into the aligners during treatment. Treatment time may need to be extended when people do not follow the instructions given to them.
• Cleaning your teeth more frequently: Maintaining your teeth’s cleanliness is crucial when undergoing Invisalign treatment. It’s recommended that you brush your teeth after each meal or after consuming anything other than water. While keeping a toothbrush and toothpaste handy can be an added burden, it can also improve your oral health and the appearance of your smile.
• Dealing with loose aligners: Since the aligners are not attached to your teeth — and you’re meant to remove them when eating or drinking — there is the chance that you will misplace them.
• Paying for the cost: Cost is a factor in any dental comparison, including one between Invisalign vs. veneers. The average cost of Invisalign is $5,000 nationwide, which is comparable to the cost of traditional orthodontic treatment. In New York, the average cost is $6,500. It is possible to find prices that are lower than average, though. For example, we offer Invisalign for $6,395. Check out our exclusive Invisalign Discounts for more details.

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The Ideal Candidate for Invisalign

Whether looking into Invisalign or veneers, there’s an ideal candidate for either option. Invisalign is not the proper treatment for everyone. This treatment is best suited for adult patients rather than children. Children who do not have all of their permanent teeth yet are not ideal candidates for the treatment.

People who are suitable candidates for Invisalign should be fully committed to the treatment and able to follow the dentist’s recommended instructions. That includes changing the aligners as advised and seeing a dentist for check-ups every six weeks or so. A patient should understand what to expect during treatment, including the number of in-office visits required to initiate Invisalign and the duration of aligner wear.

Additionally, it’s essential to note that Invisalign cannot address every dental issue. The aligners can help straighten teeth and close gaps between them, as well as correct crowding. The treatment can also correct certain types of bites, such as overbite and underbite. But people with severe cases of malocclusion or with severely misaligned teeth might not be candidates.

Veneers in NYC

Veneers are thin sheets of porcelain that adhere to the front of the teeth. The goal of veneers is to improve the appearance of the teeth. They can do so by changing the color of the teeth, covering up cracks or chips, or smoothing a tooth’s surface. Veneers can also help close spaces or gaps between teeth and adjust their size.

When choosing between Invisalign and veneers, the amount of time you’ll spend in a dentist’s chair can be a concern. The process of receiving veneers requires a few trips to the dentist’s office. Since veneers occupy space on the teeth, the first step is to file down the front of the treated teeth to create room for the veneer. Then, the dentist will take an impression of the teeth using either a traditional mold and putty or 3-D imaging. In cases of mild cosmetic concerns, such as slight discoloration, small chips, or gaps, no-prep veneers can be used.

A lab uses the impression to create veneers, which are custom-fitted for every patient. While a patient waits for the permanent veneers to be made, the dentist will give them a temporary cover to wear.

Pros of Veneers

When comparing veneers vs. Invisalign, both options offer several benefits to patients who decide to receive them. The benefits of porcelain veneers include:

• Solving multiple dental issues: As a cosmetic treatment, veneers can treat a variety of concerns. For example, they can whiten your teeth, cover up a gap or space, or cover up a cracked or chipped tooth.
• Offering a long lifespan: Veneers aren’t necessarily permanent, but with proper care and treatment, you can expect them to last for a considerable time. The average porcelain veneer can last for up to 15 years.
• Protecting eroded teeth: The enamel that covers your teeth helps protect them, but enamel can erode for various reasons. A veneer can help to restore eroded teeth and protect others from further erosion.
• Improving your confidence: Whether by whitening your teeth or correcting a chip, crack, or other issue, veneers and braces can improve the appearance of your smile, giving you a boost of confidence.

Cons of Veneers

When you compare veneers vs. Invisalign, you’ll quickly learn that both offer many benefits, but they are not perfect. A few drawbacks to veneers include:

• They’re only a cosmetic treatment: Porcelain veneers are meant to improve the appearance of your teeth. They will not correct any underlying issues with the teeth, such as an overbite, an underbite, or cavities.
• Their color remains the same: Your teeth naturally change color over time due to factors such as your diet and other causes. Porcelain veneers stay the same, though. That can be fine if you have veneers over most of your teeth. However, you only have one or a few veneers. In that case, the difference in color between them and your natural teeth can become very noticeable, particularly if you drink black coffee and red wine regularly.
• They do not last forever: Although veneers and Invisalign aligners do have a long life with proper care, they are not meant to last for the rest of your life. You will need to pay for replacement veneers at some point.
• They can chip or crack: Porcelain is both a complex and breakable material. There’s a risk that your veneers will chip or crack, especially if you bite your nails, grind your teeth, chew ice, or eat other hard foods.
• They are irreversible: Since getting veneers involves filing down the tooth surface, once you get them, the procedure cannot be reversed unless you agree to get the tooth replaced.
• Cost: Damaging your veneer often requires a complete replacement. That means paying the full cost of veneers in NYC.

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The Ideal Candidate for Veneers

The ideal candidate for veneers is a person with healthy or minimally compromised teeth who wants to enhance the appearance of their smile. Veneers are recommended for adults. Because the veneer attaches to the front of the tooth, the tooth must be full-sized before the veneer can be placed.

Invisalign vs. Veneers: The Big Differences

When deciding between veneers or Invisalign, it is critical to remember your primary goal. Both treatments can improve the appearance of your smile, but Invisalign focuses on correcting your bite and aligning your teeth. Meanwhile, veneers correct cosmetic issues, such as the color, shape, texture, and size of your teeth.

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Let’s take a closer look at five significant differences between veneers vs. Invisalign.

1. Cost

At first glance, it can seem that veneers are the winner when it comes to the cost — the starting cost of Invisalign treatment is $5,000. Meanwhile, the cost of veneers in NYC is typically between $1,200 and $3,500 per tooth. If you are having only one tooth corrected with a veneer, it can be the less expensive option, at least initially.

However, many people require more than one veneer, which significantly increases the cost. It’s also worth remembering that you will likely need to replace your veneers at some point in the future, which can add to the overall cost.

When calculating the cost of veneers in NYC, also factor in follow-up appointments, replacements (typically every 10-15 years), as well as lab and dental fees. 209 NYC Dental offers attractive financing options and accepts a wide range of dental insurance providers.

2. Treatment Length

Another thing to consider when weighing the differences between veneers vs.Invisalign is how long the treatment takes. Invisalign typically requires a greater time commitment, as you must see the dentist for the initial consultation, then return for a second treatment, during which the dentist takes a before picture of your mouth, does initial scans — or takes impressions if they don’t have an iTero 3D scanner — and puts together a treatment plan. After that, you will most likely return to see your dentist for regular check-ups.

If you follow the plan and instructions provided, the entire treatment process typically takes 12 months.

The process of receiving veneers typically requires only two visits to the dentist, plus an initial consultation. During the first operative visit, the dentist will prepare your teeth, take the impression, and fabricate beautiful temporary veneers. Once the veneers are created and ready, you will schedule another appointment.

During the second visit, the dentist will remove the temporary veneers, adhere the permanent ones to your teeth, and check your bite to ensure a comfortable fit. Whether you choose between Invisalign and veneers, both options should involve regular visits to your dentist for routine exams and cleanings, as well as monitoring of your dental health.

3. Current Dental Health

The current state of your oral health can influence whether veneers or Invisalign is the right choice for you. Both treatments require you to be in good health, both in terms of your teeth and gums, since neither treatment will correct issues such as gum disease or cavities. If you have cavities or another dental health issue, your dentist will likely recommend addressing it before considering veneers versus Invisalign.

4. Treatment Goals

Veneers are good for

• The most significant difference between veneers and Invisalign is the goal of the treatment. Veneers is a good choice for:   Covering stains that cannot be removed with professional teeth whitening 
• Correcting a chip or crack.
• Restoring teeth due to severe wear caused by grinding
• Covering teeth that are too small 

Invisalign is good for

Invisalign is the most appropriate choice if you wish to close gaps, correct an overbite, rotate crooked teeth.

Invisalign + Veneers good for

In some instances paring these treatments together is necessary to achieve best outcomes for your oral health and aesthetics:

• If you have tooth misalignment paired with tooth decay and stains
• If you have severe underbite

Before Invisalign and Veneers for Underbite correction

After

Invisalign or Veneers 

There is some overlap between veneers and braces. For example, if you have a gap between two teeth, Invisalign can help to close it, or veneers can help to conceal the gap. If proper bite alignment is critical, Invisalign wins this round. However, if your top priority is to shade or shape your teeth quickly, veneers vs. Invisalign isn’t a fair comparison: veneers deliver cosmetic perfection much faster.

To find most appropriate solution for your concerns,schedule a free consultation with our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Ben Ifraimov

Get a Consultation for New Veneers or Invisalign

We offer both veneers and braces with Invisalign aligners, in our NYC dental office, 209 NYC Dental. Learn what your options are and how much they cost during your,  free consultation with our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Ben Ifraimov. Contact us today or call us at 212-355-2290 to schedule your appointment.

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