Porcelain veneers: adjunct or alternative to orthodontic therapy

Elective esthetic dentistry defines "art form" within the field of dentistry. Most frequently, a clinical team of skilled professionals is required to satisfy the discriminating patient who presents with an esthetic-driven agenda. This article describes a patient who has rejected orthodontic therapy but continues to seek esthetic alternatives. Porcelain laminate veneers were an appropriate alternative in this case. The second case demonstrates the synergy of combined therapies that were explained to the patient and strategized from the onset to facilitate a result not obtainable by a singular approach. One should not infer that porcelain laminate veneers are an automatic substitute for orthodontic therapy. There may be instances when this is required; however, in most instances, conservative esthetic therapies, such as porcelain laminate veneers, supplement orthodontic therapy to create a final result not possible with either singular approach.