could I benefit from braces?

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#1 Post by **mara0167** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:08 pm

Hello Everyone-

New user here. I'm 20 years old and a college sophomore. I have always been self-conscious of my smile... my bottom teeth are slightly crooked and my upper teeth are also not very straight. My biggest problem though I think is my overbite. When I bite down you can barely see my bottom teeth. This has also led to some clicking in my jaw.

Do you think i could benefit from braces? Would I need appliances other than braces? How long would it take at my age?

I don't know how I feel about having braces in college but I guess better late than never. Should I go for it?

Here are some pics of my teeth/bite:

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/2774 ... at2033.jpg

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/3900/p ... at2034.jpg

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/3276/p ... at2035.jpg

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/8158/p ... at2101.jpg

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/9286 ... at2105.jpg

Thanks,
Mara

#2 Post by **starzz** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:43 pm

Welcome! You have a nice smile and lovely teeth but you definitely have an overbite. The clicking might be a sign of TMJ and it might get worse with age. Also when you have an overbite, your front teeth will wear down faster over time. So if I were you, I would definitely want to get braces now if possible. Most people have to wear elastics (rubber bands) and I guess you'd have those for a quite while to correct the bite.

If you're in the US, you can usually get free consultations from orthodontists. My advice is ask for a referral from your dentist and also ask friends for recommendations. Visit at least 2 and see what they say. They average time is around 1.5 years, but some people's teeth move slower (like mine) and some faster. Good luck!

20 is not very old if you're planning to live to 80 or 100!

#3 Post by **pigonthego** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:55 pm

I say go for it.

#4 Post by **Aia** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:44 pm

Oh my goodness. There is NOTHING wrong with your teeth. Don't waste your time and money. Your teeth are not even crooked. That's about the straightness of my teeth and I'm about to get my braces off, meaning yours are NOT crooked.

I don't really know much about overbites but I guess if you say you have one then I guess you do. If that's bothering you so much then I guess have it fixed, although I don't how. Just make sure you really want to go through the pain of it all.

My teeth were so much more crooked than yours and I wish I would have never gotten braces but looking at your teeth I think I made the right decision. lol

If I were you I would not get anything done. Can you tell that you have an overbite when you look at your profile or your face in general? Because if you can only tell when you open your mouth then it's not even worth it to get it fixed.

#5 Post by **starzz** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 1:44 am

Braces are not just for cosmetic purposes. The most important functional issue is correcting the bite. The common bite problems are overbite, underbite, crossbite and open bite. An overbite is when the top teeth cover much, most, or all of the lower teeth when the bite is closed. I know something about overbites because I am being treated for that myself.

If anyone has questions about their personal situation or needs a diagnosis, they are advised to consult with a professional (or 2 or 3!). The vast majority of people posting on this board are just people with braces or people looking into getting them.

However, if someone has a functional problem, it typically gets worse with age so it's best to treat it as soon as one can afford to do so!

#6 Post by **drrick** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:13 am

I see a deep bite, lower crowding,and a gummy smile.

Braces can help with all of those things. You may want to add in a 'gum lift' as your teeth are a bit short. That could be the icing on the cake to give you a great smile.

#7 Post by **mara0167** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 12:35 pm

Is it possible for me to get the invisible or behind the teeth braces or should I stick with the metal/ceramic? Also, am I likely looking at just braces or other appliances as well?

Mara

#8 Post by **drrick** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 1:27 pm

Lingual braces or even invisalign should work very well for your case.

#9 Post by **DrJasonKTam** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 9:09 pm

Looks like retroclined incisors and also a slight class 2 malocclusion in addition to the deep bite. Aligners, lingual, ceramic, or metal braces would do well as long as you have an experienced doctor.

The question you ask about benefiting from braces is the right way to think about it. Very few people "need" braces, but nearly everyone can benefit from them. My personal opinion is that you'll find a new beautiful smile after treatment despite the current position of your teeth!

#10 Post by **mara0167** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:39 pm

How do braces fix my deep bite/class 2? Or would I need additional appliances (like elastics, headgear, springs, etc.)?

#11 Post by **drrick** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:48 pm

The deep bite should be corrected by proper bracket placement and archwire usage. If you choose to correct the slight class 2 that usually can be accomplished with elastics.

#12 Post by **mara0167** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:11 pm

How long does it usually take to correct a deep bite/class 2 malocclusion in adults?

#13 Post by **drrick** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:58 pm

You will have to get a consult to get a definitive answer for your particular situation as one can only tell so much from a few pics.

having said that I think you can get what you are looking for fairly rapidly.