Crooked Teeth..

I had braces for 7months, visit an orthodontist or a dentist who deals with cosmetic dentistry. Cost around 3000 euro if I remember correctly, including cosmetic bonding and whitening. It completely changed my smile and bopsted my confidence. I didnt realise how much my teeth bothered me until the job was complete. Worth every cent.

My brother is 34 and works in a customer facing role, he got braces 2yrs ago after some deliberation and considers it best thing he ever did. They sorted his teeth out and to be honest, no-one he met batted an eyelid.

My dentist told me your jaw grows until you're 30 so not to get braces before then. My sister has braces as a teenager and her teeth are almost as bad now as they were then because of this.

I have one crown due to breaking a tooth in a fall and I would never ever recommend crowns over braces. People here have mentioned Invisalign, they are not the big chunky silver train tracks of old, they are so discreet. Don't be afraid of them.

MildThing84 wrote: »

They say "teeth have memory" and unless you wear a retainer or have one put in place, the ligaments will pull them back to the their previous position.

I got my braces off and a year later went away for 3 nights forgetting my retainer. When i came home and put my retainer back on, the pain was incredible as they had clearly moved a little.

That being said, i repeat; best thing i ever did.

Yeah any time anyone mentions their kids getting braces I give them the "wear your retainer" speech, because I learned that lesson the hard way. Had braces for two years, was a stupid teenager and stopped wearing the retainer... my teeth have moved back a lot. Not to the same extent, but they are not as straight as they were. And people always say I have great teeth but I am very self conscious because they used to be a lot better. I enquired about getting a new retainer to at least prevent any more movement but nowhere got back to me, I might try again when restrictions are lifted.

Teenagers dont understand the long term ramifications and sometimes need a few lectures about it so I am forever giving the wear your retainer lecture to whoever will listen whenever it comes up!

I wouldn't wait until 30 before getting them sorted. I got my crooked teeth sorted as a teenager, wore a retainer for quite a while after that and my teeth stayed in place.

Felt I should reply to this.

I've had bad teeth all through my teenage years and into my 20's, and like you, it seriously affected my confidence. More than I ever realised to be honest.

Because of the shape of my mouth, I thought it would be a big deal and may not achieve the right result, and for 5 years after starting work, I found other things to spend my money on and repeatedly put it off. At 29, I finally said it was now or never and went to an orthodontist.

As I expected, the advice was from her that I did indeed need surgery (SARPE) on my upper jaw and for a palate expander to be fitted for about 4 months in order to expand my jaw to make space. I'll be honest, the surgery took me a week to recover from, I was not a pretty sight and I couldn't speak properly at all while I had the expander in, but this was only due to the severity of my case and likely will not be a problem for you.

Like you too, I have daily meetings, conference calls with customers, visits to suppliers, etc. and to be honest I did run into difficulties pronouncing some words, but I have to say that absolutely everyone was understanding, empathetic and encouraging about it, with no exceptions. A few months later and the worst was over, the expander was removed and I'm now onto ceramic braces, which were only a €200 premium over traditional train tracks. People honestly don't even notice I'm wearing them, even with the metal archwire.

I've had friends with Invisalign, and while they are very discreet, have their own problems in that you have to take them out at every meal and are limited in the amount of force, and the direction in which they can apply it, so may be slower to correct problems.

Just this morning I had a new wire and elastics fitted, and the little pressure I can feel today reminds me of progress being made.

In terms of cost, the surgery was covered by my VHI (but I would have taken a loan had I needed to) and again isn't necessary for most people. After that, the total cost to me is about €4k. I think I paid €1000 up front, and paying in installments whenever I visit was normal for the orthodontist with no extra charge. Also getting 20% of this back on my tax return, so not too bad overall.

I would really advise against veneers as a quick fix for crooked teeth. As far as possible, any dentist or orthodontist will advise you to retain your natural teeth. The veneers you see celebrities with can cost tens of thousands, and even then many don't look natural at all. You also tend to be better off going to a local, well regarded orthodontist rather than a large chain, since they can afford to give you more time than some of the higher turnover places.

I'd reccomend posting on the Dental Issues forum for more advice if you'd like some more detail on peoples experiences.

Despite the expense, and time consuming process, and even though I've a way to go yet, it has been by far the best decision I have ever made. I genuinely encourage you to to the same - it will absolutely change your life. Please feel free to send me PM with any questions, however small you may have, about the process. Best of luck.

crookedhelp wrote: »

Hi Folks,

Thanks for the advice.

I have my first consultation with the Orthodontist tomorrow morning. I'm hoping to get the Invisalign but I'll have to see what he recommends.

Excited and nervous as it's something I've wanted to do for years now.

Best of luck with it all, you won't regret it!

I had some teeth removed when I got my teeth straightened as a teenager - I can't remember how many for sure at this stage but I think it was two at the top and one in the bottom. You definitely wouldn't notice if you saw my teeth now. I usually only get reminded of it when I'm at the dentist and I hear the word "missing" when they go through the list. I know that the thoughts of having teeth removed is terrifying but please don't let it put you off. Modern dental techniques are so good, it's not that bad. If it terrifies you beyond belief, some dentists now do these procedures under sedation. It's more expensive and you'll need someone to bring you home afterwards. It's commonly used for removing wisdom teeth. If you feel you can't face undergoing the extractions under local anaesthetic, it's an option.

As for the missing teeth, you'll be having braces fitted on your other teeth not long after this anyway. If anyone notices the gaps, they'll also see the braces and know the teeth aren't gone through neglect. It won't be too long before your other teeth start to straighten and those gaps start to fill in. Imagine how good they'll be starting to look in 6 months time? If you do nothing, your teeth will still be in a mess in 6 months time. If your teeth need 18 months of work and some extractions they must be in a right mess. So what do you have to lose by taking steps to make them right? Please don't let your self-consciousness about this ruin this great opportunity to sort your teeth out. As you can see from this thread, you're getting nothing but encouragement from everybody. It is a good thing to do for yourself and a short space of time in the grand scale of things.

I know lots of people who got braces as adults it wasn't even expensive.

HildaOgdenx wrote: »

OP, as others have said, it is often the case that some teeth have to be extracted, due to overcrowding and so that the braces can do the needful. It's probably just that you were not expecting that, but it is quite usual.

Maybe you should break things down a bit and have a think about what it is that's stopping you from taking the next step. You got a bit of a shock, didn't you? Losing teeth is an emotive thing and even if there is no room for them, the thoughts of them not being there is a wrench.

As I said before, having them removed isn't as horrible an experience as it would've been years ago. Dentists these days aren't the butchers our parents encountered and most of them are very good with nervous patients. Sedation is a costly option but if you think you'll have some sort of nervous breakdown in the dentist's chair, it might be worth looking into. Talk to your dentist and see what they have to advise.

Recovering from having teeth removed is pretty straightforward if you follow the dentist's instructions. I had my wisdom teeth removed as an adult and was fine afterwards. I didn't feel any pain at all because of the painkillers I was told to take and things healed up quickly.

Your biggest obstacle is you. You're terrified of what people will think of you. So what if you won't have as many teeth in your mouth while you're getting them straighened? It's all temporary and will be worth it in the end. If you think about how teeth go about being straightened, it doesn't happen overnight. You're not going to be going around with a mouth of mad crooked teeth for 17 months, before them becoming gloriously straight weeks before the braces come off. No, by the time you get down to the last few months before those braces come off, your teeth will be starting to look pretty fine. Please don't let your fear stop you.

Hi Op

Think about why you are here considering your options.

you were not happy with the situation as it stands. Now you have found out exactly what it will take to get the mouth sorted. So its a case of weighing up your options. Deciding if the short term pain, and expense is worth the long term benefits. Many other posters here have shared their experiences and it should not cause many eyebrows to be raised at work, and indeed people who take positive actions are usually viewed more favourably in my experience.

How many posters here have said they regret getting their teeth done? So as for downsides - there are very few -apart from the expense.
And if you re-read your original post, you will see you mentioned that your mental health is being affected by your self image.

IMO yu just need to gird your courage, and sort out finance/loan options you can afford, and get this done! You will consder this one of the wiser choices you have ever made, within a year.

crookedhelp wrote: »

Hey all,

I'm quite determined to get the work done at this stage. I have a follow-up appointment on the 28th. The Orthodontist will confirm the official work that's required and a plan.

I'm not a candidate for Invisalign but I'd be happy with the clear braces, they seem nice and discreet for me.

I have been planning for my dental work. I was smart enough to start saving early in the year so money is not an issue. I was expecting a 5,000 bill at the very least so I've saved a little over which should cover me.

He quoted me over 3,000 and 20% tax reimbursement so it's not as expensive as I thought tbh.

Ask for a discount if you pay it all upfront rather than monthly, given you have it saved. While my son got his done through the HSE, we paid for our daughters. They were the metal train tracks and the price was €3000 to do both top and bottom teeth. They gave a discount of 5% for paying upfront and then we claimed the 20% tax back so it worked out at €2660.

Well done, it will definitely be worth it.