Combining Invisalign with dental veneers for a brand new smile

How Stuart is smiling a lot more with a little help

For the team at Wickham Terrace Dental, “the science of smiles” is more than just a slogan – it’s the way we use the latest tech to give our patients the outcomes they hope for.

Take for example our patient Stuart, who came to us looking for the right combination of treatments that would improve the appearance and health of his smile.

“Ever since I’d got my adult teeth, I’d been unhappy with the way my smile looked,” says Stuart. “In fact I’d say I hated my teeth.”

“It was always in the back of my mind when I met new people – what would they think of my teeth?”

As a teenager, Stuart’s parents couldn’t afford for him to have (then common) metal braces to correct his crooked teeth. “It meant I was always conscious of my smile. I wouldn’t show my teeth in photos, and I always had a lot of envy looking at other people’s teeth.”

“It did cause a lack of confidence for me.”

When a workmate had Invisalign treatment, Stuart was struck by the impressive results. It was a sign that he should investigate the same treatment. “Even then, it probably took another three or four years of thinking and wondering about the cost before I took action,” Stuart laughs.

“As a long term patient, I had enquired about Invisalign a few times but never went ahead,” says Stuart. “What was great though was that I never felt pressured and the Wickham Terrace Dental team waited until I was ready”.

What’s it like having Invisalign treatment?

In spite of what he’d heard, Stuart says that he never had any pain from the Invisalign aligners. “A couple of times I’d put the aligners in and my teeth would feel a bit ‘tight’, but that just means they’re working,” he smiles.

Because he was so determined to achieve his goal of a straighter smile, Stuart says he was committed to using the aligners in the right way. “I stuck to my program religiously – for example, if I was going away, I’d be careful to take the next set of aligners with me so that I could change over while I was away,” he said.

Stuart says that it wasn’t too difficult adapting to wearing the invisible aligners. “You just have to adjust your lifestyle a little to get the results. For example, if I was eating out at a restaurant, it just took a quick trip to the bathroom to take the aligners out. You then just eat and drink as normal.”

Teeth whitening vs dental veneers for a brighter smile

With his teeth straighter thanks to the Invisalign treatment plan, Stuart then wanted to address some staining of his teeth.

“My whole plan once I’d finished Invisalign was to whiten my teeth and improve some of the discolouration. One tooth at the front was especially dark, I think because of a rugby knock back in the day.”

Stuart asked our principal dentist Andrew Teakle about having teeth whitening. In that conversation, Andrew suggested dental veneers as the perfect solution for Stuart’s needs – particularly with Wickham Terrace Dental’s new in-house dental lab offering a seamless service.

“To begin with I was a little nervous about the thought of having veneers, because I didn’t want an unnatural looking smile,” Stuart says. “I had a mental picture of straight, even teeth without discolouration – but I didn’t want to look like a rabbit with big front teeth sticking out!”

To calm Stuart’s nervousness, Andrew took him through the veneers process, explaining how we first scan the teeth, prepare them for veneers, place interim restorations, and then prepare the final veneers.

“Andrew tells you it how it is in a very gentle way,” says Stuart. “As we went through the process I became comfortable with the idea of veneers.”

With his dental veneers now complete and in place, Stuart says they have given him the natural looking smile he was after.

“The whole veneers process under Andrew’s care was always gentle,” Stuart says. “They talk you through the whole process, both before and after, and if you’re not happy with the result after a week, you can always adjust.”

“I’m now smiling much more than I was”

“I’ve had a lot of feedback now that I’ve had my treatment – it’s usually something like, ‘Wow geez you look so different because I’ve known you for so many years!’ and that has given me a lot more self-confidence,” says Stuart.

“I’ve realised that on video calls, or when I met new people, I’d never really smiled properly before. I hated photos. I instantly thought people were thinking, ‘Oh boy look at his teeth’”, Stuart says.

That’s all changed now that Stuart’s treatment is complete. “I didn’t go out and shout about it, but my wife has told me I’m smiling much more than I was,” says Stuart. “Before, my smile was a different smile – I’d developed a habit of a making the best of a bad situation. It just looked awkward.”

“I’ve definitely got a more natural smile now.”

Talk to us about whether Invisalign and dental veneers could help you

For Stuart, it’s no exaggeration to say that the combination of dental veneers with Invisalign has given him a whole new lease on life.

“Even without veneers, I was happier with my smile just from Invisalign. I’m definitely more relaxed when I meet new people,” he says. “It’s never too late. I started last year but never been happier.

If you’d like to find out if Invisalign or dental veneers are the right option for you, get in touch with our Brisbane dentists on (07) 3831 3031 or contact us online.