Teeth gap surgery

oldjude

I had a consultation with a dentist last week to look at a 2mm gap between my front teeth. I've had it since I was 19 or so. It doesn't bother me that much, but of course, I have days where I don't like it. He told me it was definitely too wide to fix with ceramics. He said braces were the best option. I am a 25 yo man and way too impatient to wait 18 months for braces to come off...especially when it would cost €2k-€4k (dentists estimation).

I don't have insurance or medical card or any outside assistance, but I was wondering about surgery as an alternative. If it is too much hassle I will just stop being such a baby and live with it. Can someone give me a rough outline of

1: how much it would cost for surgery to close my tooth gap?
2: preparation and recovery time?
3: cost?
4: effectiveness?
5: risks?

All contributions welcome, thank you.

Dianthus

What type of surgery??

A 2mm median diastema doesn't sound overly excessive....was composite ("bonding","white fillings","adhesive restorations") given as an option?

Photo?

Oral Surgeon

oldjude wrote: »

I had a consultation with a dentist last week to look at a 2mm gap between my front teeth. I've had it since I was 19 or so. It doesn't bother me that much, but of course, I have days where I don't like it. He told me it was definitely too wide to fix with ceramics. He said braces were the best option. I am a 25 yo man and way too impatient to wait 18 months for braces to come off...especially when it would cost €2k-€4k (dentists estimation).

I don't have insurance or medical card or any outside assistance, but I was wondering about surgery as an alternative. If it is too much hassle I will just stop being such a baby and live with it. Can someone give me a rough outline of

1: how much it would cost for surgery to close my tooth gap?
2: preparation and recovery time?
3: cost?
4: effectiveness?
5: risks?

All contributions welcome, thank you.

What surgery do you mean?? If it is a frenectomy (removal of the sort tissue between the teeth then this alone will not solve this problem.

oldjude

Dianthus wrote: »

What type of surgery??

I was hoping you could tell me what my options are regarding surgery. I sort of was wondering if there was any surgical procedure (regardless of price) that would be a once or twice only type thing to pull my two front teeth together???

Dianthus wrote: »

A 2mm median diastema doesn't sound overly excessive....was composite ("bonding","white fillings","adhesive restorations") given as an option?

Photo?

It doesn't look like a very big gap, and 2mm seems small enough to me, but the dentist I consulted seemed to disregard the possibility of proceeding with any treatment besides braces. I think it's because my teeth are very short in length. He said he could refer me to an orthodontist if I wanted, but that he (the orthodontist) would not work on me until I got the 4 fillings I ''need'', done. Screw that, imo

Photo?

I can post a photo tomorrow, not right now.

Dianthus

Orthodontists need you to have a clean bill of dental health before they can commence treatment, but you should want a clean bill of dental health regardless
With or without braces, whatever you do will be a complete waste of time and money if you have 4 other teeth rotting away,& instead of having 4 small basic fillings, instead, you face having 4 root canal treatments (400-700 a pop) or 4 extractions (leaving gaps a hell of a lot larger than 2mm).
To paraphrase...screw that, imo;)

oldjude

I'm actually using these teeth gap-bands for a little over a week now, and they seem to be working a treat, so i'll see how they go before I proceed with anything else. Thanks for your input, guys.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

oldjude wrote: »

I'm actually using these teeth gap-bands for a little over a week now, and they seem to be working a treat, so i'll see how they go before I proceed with anything else. Thanks for your input, guys.

Get your filling you need before your teeth rot away, and stop the DIY rubbish elastic band stuff, you can seriously damage your teeth putting too much force on them and any movement will relapse quickly. However I suspect you will not take any advice from here if you wouldn't from an orthodontist.

ballsymchugh

i think this OP really wants his maxilla separated from the rest of his skull, sectioned in the midline, 1mm of bone removed in the vertical plane from each section and then screwed back together so that the gap is gone. sounds like a job for Dr Nick Riviera.

Dianthus

oldjude wrote: »

I'm actually using these teeth gap-bands for a little over a week now, and they seem to be working a treat, so i'll see how they go before I proceed with anything else. Thanks for your input, guys.

€2-4k worth of orthodontic treatment solved by elastic bands costing 2-4 cent...????
OP, seriously, don't mess around with your teeth, it could have serious consequences.
Each tooth houses a thing called a pulp(nerve). If you move a tooth inappropriately, you risk pupal death(nerve dies), root resorption, periodontal ligament damage,& a myriad of other things.
These are known risks relating to orthodontic treatment, risks that you minimize by being treated by an orthodontist.
2mm, OP. Not much on a ruler, a lot on a tooth.