HELP - opinions before they debrace me!

[t1ckalish]

FINALLY!! They're off, 3 years and 1 month later

The de-banding was pretty horrible. Actually, buffing off the glue was the worst part for me. Really glad I didnt just get them taken off at the last appointment. The front uppers look so much better now. The ortho even filed the fronts a little as on of them was chipped.

I'm wearing Essix Retainers full time for a fortnight and then every night for life. They're a bit of a faff if i'm honest. I'm also needing a couple of fillings and one filling taken out and replaced with white and they tell that the retainers might not fit after the 'normal' dental work. £50 to replace the retainers

Have to admit I wasnt all that happy with how my new teeth look .. BUT I guess that's because I've not seen them properly for such a long time. I'm getting used to them and am happier now with how they look.

I've attached a couple of before and after pics. The ortho was really nice and printed the before pics for me

Good Luck to everyone still going through treatment xx

[mapleleafman888]

Good for you for not settling a few months ago and sticking it out. Glad that you came back to update us and show us you results! Your teeth improved so much even from when you posted that off midline picture.

Thanks for the well wish, tomorrow is my 1 year with braces for me, only 3-6 months to go!

Good luck with your other dental work and retainer saga.

[Ambrosia80]

Wow!! Your teeth look wonderful!! *jealous!*

[anitahansen]

Now that you are spending so much money and time on getting your teeth perfectly straight. I would make sure that the dental work you get done, is what will give you healthy teeth in the long run. I would stock with silver fillings for sure. Much better for your teeth in the long run. Don't let the dentist replace that silver filling with a white one, get silver, and make sure they do silver for your cavities as well. I work in restorative dentistry, so I know alot, and I get a chance to see how both kinds of fillings work.

[Snowglobe32]

I would stock with silver fillings for sure. Much better for your teeth in the long run. Don't let the dentist replace that silver filling with a white one, get silver, and make sure they do silver for your cavities as well. I work in restorative dentistry, so I know alot, and I get a chance to see how both kinds of fillings work.

Really? My dentist wants to change my silver to white...why is this bad?

Thanks!

[Lorianne]

i had my silver fillings changed to white 20 years ago and they have held up fine. Better than the silver ever did in fact. The silver metal (mercury-based) leeches into the system anyway, so better to replace them.

[t1ckalish]

Having spent all that money on having my teeth straightened, the last thing I want is to smile and show a mouth full of ugly silver fillings. I have one in particular on my right side which is on the outer surface of my tooth and it looks horrible. I actually asked the dentist if they would remove it and replace with white so that it's more aesthetically pleasing.

I have ken other outer surface filling to get and this too will be white so that it's less noticeable. The others will all be silver.

I took advice from my dentist and SIL who is a dental nurse and both agreed the best thing for me would be to have the two most visible fillings in white.

[anitahansen]

Removing a filling to replace it will only damage your tooth, you have to remove healthy tooth structure to do that. Furthermore, white fillings doesn't last anywhere near as long as silver in average, and teeth that has them tend up need root canals and crowns. White fillings shrink after being placed, and this in combination with low resistance to chewing forces leads to white fillings easily getting new cavities around them. The shrinking also tends to make them sensitive. Unike silver fillings, this sensitivity will not go away, but can stay for as long as you have the filling.