Dental Veneers for Tilted or Crooked Teeth


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Teeth can be crooked for a number of reasons. It is likely that if your teeth are crooked it is a problem you have had for most of your life (as opposed to chipping or staining) and this can seriously affect your confidence. Ways in which your teeth can become crooked from a young age include losing baby teeth early; a jaw that is too small for the amount of teeth in it; a genetic trait – just as your eyes or hair may be a certain colour you can inherit crooked teeth, or, very frequently, from repeated pressure to the teeth. This can be caused by thumb sucking or using a dummy or bottle for a long time, and also by tongue thrusting. These acts repeatedly push on the teeth and eventually can move them out of their prime position. Teeth can also become crooked in later life from tumours or cists in the mouth and gums; gum disease; facial trauma (for example an injury that breaks or moves your jaw) or badly applied dental solutions such as dental crowns or fillings.

Options for Tilted or Crooked Teeth

If your teeth are crooked for any of these reasons you have many options. The first, more necessary for severely crooked teeth, is orthodontic treatment or braces. This process involves application of metal brackets to the teeth and the threading of wire through these. Over a gradual period the wire is tightened, pulling the teeth into alignment. This can be a lengthy procedure and often relies on the patient to maintain the shape of the teeth by wearing a retainer once the teeth are in their desired position. For adults, wearing braces can be an embarrassing time, and if the problem is not too severe you may choose a less visible procedure such as dental veneers. Other options include Invisalign – a process in which invisible, removable ‘aligners’ are fitted between the teeth, squeezing them into a straighter position. This is much less noticeable than wearing braces and takes on average 6-8 months where braces can take 2-3 years in bad cases. It is also costly though, with prices starting at around £1500 and increasing up to £5000 for more complicated cases. You could also choose to have your teeth shaped and contoured by a dentist. This is a fairly simple procedure where the dentist will shave or drill off part of the tooth (similar to the way in which teeth are prepared for veneers) and apply bonding or sometimes a veneer.


You may choose to have dental veneers fitted for crooked teeth because they can kill two birds with one stone and whiten your teeth while straightening them. They do not change the actual structure of the mouth – instead the teeth are filed down so that they veneers can be fitted to correct the appearance of any slanting or tilting. It also allows you to choose the length, shape, size and colour of your teeth. However, veneers are not always an option for tilited teeth and only a dentist can let you know which options you have.

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