If your teeth are slightly misaligned, you may feel that the only way to achieve a perfect smile includes metal braces. However, there are many different cosmetic dentistry applications that can be used to make the teeth appear straighter. Here are two of them that did not include metal brackets:

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers do not actually straighten the teeth. However, they can be used to conceal minor misalignments.

Each porcelain veneer is actually a thin porcelain shell that is shaped like a tooth. The color of the porcelain can be altered to match the color of the other teeth in your mouth, or they can be fashioned in the desired shade of whiteness.

Before veneers can be applied to your teeth, your dentist will need to make an impression of your mouth. The impression is used by dental lab technicians to create veneers that will match the contours and size of your oral cavity.

Once the veneers have been created, the dentist will prepare your teeth for the installation of the veneers. A small portion of each tooth that will be covered by a veneer must be shaved away to allow the veneer to fit evenly against the teeth. Porcelain veneers are bonded to the front surface of the teeth, and once they are in place, they tend to look completely natural.

In some cases, such as that of prepless veneers, tooth preparation is not necessary for the placement of porcelain veneers. A prepless veneer can be applied to the front of a tooth without altering the tooth surface. This type of veneer can be removed at any point without any damage to the underlying tooth structure.

Clear Plastic Aligners

Clear plastic aligners do straighten the teeth, but they do not employ metal brackets. Once the dentist or orthodontist has taken an impression of your mouth, clear plastic aligners can be fashioned to help move your teeth into proper position.

Multiple sets of aligners are created to progressively align the teeth. Each set is worn for about half a month before it is replaced by the next set to progressively shift the teeth into alignment. Like a mouth guard, each aligner can be removed and placed back into the mouth by the patient.

Clear plastic aligners can only be prescribed if your palate is fully developed. Thus, they may only be suitable for adults and teenagers.

To learn additional ways to conceal dental imperfections, visit a cosmetic dentist in your area.