Crooked Teeth..

Would braces be an option for you?

crookedhelp wrote: »

Hi All,

I was hoping to get advice for the above issue.

I have what I would describe as extremely crooked teeth, lower and especially my two front teeth.

I'm now 28 and fear I have or am developing a mental health issue because of it.

I think about my crooked teeth all the time, avoid smiling when people are looking at me and constantly pull, mess and examine my teeth in the mirror, screens, phone etc..

Whenever I see others with good teeth it embarrasses me and makes me think of how bad mine are.

Would anyone have advice on how to get over this? It seems to make me more paranoid about myself as time goes on.

Why don’t you go to a good Orthodontist when they reopen post Covid19 restrictions.

Make an appointment with your Dentist. He will complete all necessary fillings etc and afterwards he can refer you to a good Orthodontist.

He will most likely suggest train track braces if your teeth are that crooked. It will probably take two years. Cost about €5k. But the aftermath will be great and it should provide you with a good confidence boost.

If you are an PAYE employee, you can claim 20% back in tax relief. Many Orthodontists have payment plans. Consider it an investment in yourself !

Good luck

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.

OP - nobody will be judging you wearing braces as an adult. In fact the opposite! Many adults are conscious about their teeth in general and may be envious of your decision to get braces because they will know how great your teeth will look in 12- 18 months!

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!