No-Prep Veneers for a Peg Lateral: Completing the Smile After Invisalign

Hello. I'm Park Jonguk, director of Apgujeong Dream Dental Clinic.

Today we introduce a case of no-prep veneers for a peg lateral.

This patient came to us after finishing Invisalign treatment.

Presented after finishing Invisalign

In Photo 1, you can see she came in for diagnosis while the Invisalign attachments were still on her teeth.

State after finishing orthodontic treatment

She had completed Invisalign treatment at another clinic.

Her dental alignment had been straightened out considerably.

But esthetically, a problem still remained.

The peg-lateral problem

Her lateral incisor was a peg lateral.

It's naturally a small, pointed tooth.

This isn't something orthodontics can fix.

Veneers for the peg lateral were needed.

A truly regrettable orthodontic plan

There's a real point of regret here.

The space had been completely closed

Even though the lateral incisor was a peg lateral, the space had been completely closed, leaving no room to give it a proper shape and size.

A peg lateral is a small tooth.

To enlarge it with no-prep veneers, space is needed.

But no space had been left during orthodontic treatment.

The central incisors also differ in size

The two central incisors also differ in size.

They're asymmetrical from side to side.

This, too, should have been adjusted during orthodontic treatment, but it wasn't.

The real reason this is a shame

If a case is going to need veneers, orthodontic treatment should have been planned accordingly — which is a real shame here.

If a peg lateral is present, it needs to be considered at the orthodontic planning stage.

Enough space needs to be secured for the lateral incisor.

Orthodontics and veneers need to be planned together.

After removing the attachments

Photo 2 shows the teeth after the attachments were removed.

The problems become clearer

With the Invisalign attachments off, the problems are even clearer.

Peg lateral: small and pointed.

Lack of space: not enough room to enlarge the lateral incisor.

Central incisor asymmetry: the size differs from side to side.

Even without enough space, no-prep veneers are still possible for a peg lateral.

It just has to be made a bit smaller than the ideal size.

No-prep veneer try-in

Photo 3 shows the try-in process.

No-prep veneer on the peg lateral

We place a no-prep veneer on the lateral incisor to try it in.

The small peg lateral grew to a normal size.

Almost no tooth structure was reduced.

We enlarged it just by bonding ceramic onto the front surface.

Confirming with the patient

We show her the mirror.

"This is how it will look."

She's satisfied.

We proceed with the final bonding.

Completion: natural and beautiful

Photo 4 shows the final result after seating.

It's truly beautiful.

The peg-lateral problem resolved

The small, pointed peg lateral is now a normal size.

The shape is natural.

No-prep veneers solved it without damaging the tooth.

Perfect harmony with the central incisor

We applied all the same details from the central incisor to the lateral incisor, so it blends in remarkably naturally.

The central incisor's line angles, developmental lobes, and incisal-edge shape.

We applied every one of these details to the lateral incisor as well.

So they now look harmonious, like one team.

Naturalness

No one can tell it's a veneer over a peg lateral.

It simply looks like a beautiful set of front teeth.

Because they're no-prep veneers, the translucency is alive as well.

It really is natural.

A peg lateral and orthodontics need to be planned together

If you have a peg lateral,

consult with your dentist before starting orthodontic treatment.

A peg lateral cannot be solved by orthodontics alone.

Veneers for the peg lateral are needed.

The orthodontic plan matters

If you're planning to get veneers for a peg lateral:

Enough space needs to be secured for the lateral incisor.

The central incisors' sizes need to be matched.

A plan to finish with no-prep veneers after orthodontics.

This needs to be planned from the very start.

In a regrettable case like this one

What if you've already finished orthodontics and there isn't enough space?

It can still be resolved.

It won't be the ideal size, but it can still be made to look as natural as possible.

Don't give up.

The advantages of no-prep veneers

Almost no tooth reduction

A peg lateral is already a small tooth.

Reducing it further would make it truly tiny.

No-prep veneers preserve the tooth.

Only ceramic is bonded onto the front surface.

Natural translucency

Because the enamel is preserved, the translucency stays alive.

Light passes through just as it does with a natural tooth.

The incisal edge looks beautiful.

Healthy for a lifetime

Because tooth structure is preserved, it can be used healthily for a lifetime.

There's no damage to the tooth.

It's a minimally invasive treatment.

For a peg lateral, no-prep veneers are the answer

Treatment in the past

Peg laterals used to often be treated with crowns.

The small tooth was reduced even further and capped.

The damage to the tooth was significant.

Today's standard treatment

No-prep veneers for a peg lateral are the standard today.

Almost no tooth reduction.

Natural and beautiful.

Used healthily for a long time.

How Dream Dental Clinic treats a peg lateral

Apgujeong Dream Dental Clinic has treated many peg laterals with veneers.

With 20 years of experience, we create natural results.

No-prep veneers preserve the tooth.

We bring it into perfect harmony with the central incisor.

Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q1. After finishing Invisalign, do I really need veneers for a peg lateral?

A. A peg lateral (a small, pointed tooth) cannot be resolved by orthodontics alone. Orthodontics moves the position of a tooth; it doesn't change the tooth's size or shape. So if a peg lateral is present, improving its size and shape with no-prep veneers after orthodontics is essential. Only then does a natural, beautiful set of front teeth come together.

Q2. To get no-prep veneers for a peg lateral, does space really need to be left during orthodontic treatment?

A. Ideally, enough space for the lateral incisor should be secured at the orthodontic stage. That makes it possible to create a natural, normal-sized lateral incisor. But as in this case, even if there isn't enough space, no-prep veneers for a peg lateral are still possible. It just needs to be made a bit smaller than the ideal size — but it can still be made to look as natural and harmonious as possible.

Q3. Are no-prep veneers really the best treatment for a peg lateral?

A. Yes, that's correct. Since a peg lateral is already a small tooth, no-prep veneers are the most ideal treatment. In the past, crowns were commonly used, but that meant reducing the small tooth even further, causing significant damage to the tooth structure. No-prep veneers barely reduce the tooth at all — they enlarge it just by bonding ceramic onto the front surface — so they excel in every respect: preserving tooth structure, natural translucency, and lifelong health. At Apgujeong Dream Dental Clinic, no-prep veneers for a peg lateral are our standard treatment.

This article is based on the actual clinical experience of Dr. Park Jonguk, director of Apgujeong Dream Dental Clinic. He has practiced esthetic dentistry for 20 years and has treated many cases of no-prep veneers for a peg lateral. He published Korea's first veneer clinical textbook.