Sanding Down and Leveling Teeth

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#1 Post by **Chris** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:11 pm

For those of you with chips and uneven teeth, did your ortho do any shaving down of your teeth just prior to debanding and did it change your bite in any way?

I noticed that some people have their canines and other pointy teeth shaved down somewhat.

#2 Post by **ingyandbert** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 5:09 pm

Personally, I would get the top corner of that tooth contoured. It's not that it sticks up that much, but because the other end slopes downward it looks more uneven. That's just my personal preference.

#3 Post by **dcw** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:26 pm

Mone were done about 6 months into treatment

Almost cried when my two front teeth were the same length

Male born in 1955

#4 Post by **Leslie022** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:09 pm

I had it done on my two front teeth at my last adjustment. At the same adjustment, they took out the globs of cement in my molars. I'm guess my ortho shaped the teeth for aesthetic reasons and to keep my teeth from hitting the brackets??? Not sure but it looks tons better!

Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:50 pm

Chris, I can't answer your question because I haven't had it done yet, but I think I will have to have some on the lower front shaped a little. I know I have to have the sides shaved off a little to try to get rid of the black triangles I've developed now that they are not overlapping anymore.

Maryaten, I did want to respond to your remark about your midline changing. My midline has moved from one side to the other about 4 times since I've gotten braces. I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure they will address that before you are finished.

#6 Post by **Shawnie** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:55 pm

Leslie022 - I just wanted to say that the shaping of your two front teeth looks really nice.

Chris - Sorry I don't have any information for you on this topic.

#7 Post by **erica** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:13 am

My ortho did some minor shaping about 12 months into my treatment to fix some very obvious chips in my two upper front teeth - it made a big difference. At my debanding, he then smoothed out all of my front upper and lower teeth (including rounding out the canines a bit), and I swear that the shaping improved my smile even more than the nearly two years in braces did! Because only my front teeth were shaped, it didn't alter my bite in any way.

#8 Post by **Chris** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 8:13 am

Thanks for all the replies. I've got to have my bottom fronts shaped and those have an impact on my bite so I just wondered if anyone else had those done too?

#9 Post by **jennandtonic** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:33 am

I haven't had shaping done yet, but they've told me they're going to do it at some point. I've got ridges on almost all of my front teeth and teeth that are misshapen from having to grow in under baby teeth. I don't know when they'll do it, but I've been assured it won't mess up my bite or chewing abilities. They said if anything, those two things will improve.

#10 Post by **fins** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:14 pm

I haven't been told I need any reshaping and I probably won't get it done, even though there is one tooth that is a bit longer on one side. I think my ortho is using bends to bring teeth down a bit and consequently it gives a bit of a level look. But my...you should see the bends in the archwire!

#11 Post by **Echo** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 1:49 pm

One of my top front teeth was just a tad bit longer than the other, so I had that filed down. I asked about having other teeth shaped a bit and I was told they would do that when I get my braces off, which will be in September!