What's Next For You After Braces?

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#1 Post by **ingyandbert** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 7:33 pm

After my braces come off (in about 22 months, ugh), I've been told I'll need to have some gum grafts -- not looking forward to that, as I've heard it's pretty uncomfortable. But after that's done, my plan is to have my teeth professionally whitened and then have all my metal fillings replaced with ceramics to match my new tooth color. It will be expensive and a big PITA but when it's all over and done with I'll have an absolutely perfect-looking set of teeth!

How 'bout you? Anyone else looking at "graduate work?"

#2 Post by **jcdamon3** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 7:40 pm

gum grafts:

How do you know if you need gum grafts? I am bumming right now because I am seeing those ugly triangles on my bottom teeth. I am hoping they can shave my teeth down and make those go away. I hope I don't need gum grafts but when I look at my gums I am wondering why they are so low. The teeth there were really crowded before so does this tissue have to stretch?

Whitening:
I will probably just whiten with Crest strips when I am done. I am sooo paranoid about damaging my teeth with whitener.

Filling: I have a nice big gold crown and I kind of like it! I only have one filling that shows when I smile. It bugs me because it looks like I have something stuck between my teeth there. I might get that one fixed.

#3 Post by **Cookeez** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:20 pm

Gum grafts? Is that the same as crown lengthening? If so, yes the recovery for that was pretty uncomfortable. I had that done on about 4 teeth at ONE TIME. Anyhow, what are these triangles??

#4 Post by **jcdamon3** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:29 pm

Gosh how do I explain the triangle thing. I guess your teeth are shaped like triangles themselves so when they start lining up in a row they create a reverse triangle of space below.

If you gums recede a bit the triangle is more pronounced.

#5 Post by **butterfly** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:53 pm

Bleaching by laser, bonding of some broken edges. And I want to remove those white spots somehow.

#6 Post by **jennandtonic** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:14 pm

As of yet the ortho says I'll just need a retainer after I get the braces off. Not too bad. And as of now I plan to wear the retainer faithfully, because I didn't pay for all this treatment just to have my teeth go crooked again!

#7 Post by **ItsGavinC** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:46 pm

ingyandbert wrote: and then have all my metal fillings replaced with ceramics to match my new tooth color.

It's your decision, of course, but if those silver fillings are holding up okay (which your dentist can tell you), then I'd leave them be. That's assuming they don't really show when you smile.

You never know what can happen when you replace a filling. On occasion some decay is found and the filling turns into a crown, or the tooth gets irritated and a type of pulpitis develops. That doesn't happen all of the time, of course, but it certainly causes me to think that fillings that are fine should be left alone.

#8 Post by **ItsGavinC** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:47 pm

jennandtonic wrote:As of yet the ortho says I'll just need a retainer after I get the braces off. Not too bad. And as of now I plan to wear the retainer faithfully, because I didn't pay for all this treatment just to have my teeth go crooked again!

VERY good call. Teeth only need 5 grams of applied force to move. The lips themselves can apply 300 grams of force! The tongue nearly 500 grams!

Website · #9 Post by **Kell** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 5:06 am

I have a filling that needs to be replaced with an onlay. I'll have that done when the braces come off. I'll also have my teeth whitened because it is included in the cost of my braces. I am looking forward to that.

#10 Post by **tandi** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 6:25 am

i'll be getting veneers and a couple of implants. the cost is going to be outrageous, but i started this jouney i might as well go all the way.

#11 Post by **ingyandbert** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 6:45 am

Gum grafts: your ortho will refer you to a periodontist if he suspects any problems with your gums.

Fillings: my metal fillings are 30-something years old and they do show when I laugh. I talked to my dentist about it and he sees no problem in changing them out. He's very conservative in his approach to dentistry, so I feel good about it. He said one back molar is becoming a candidate for a crown anyway, so that one would have to be done regardless.

#12 Post by **momof2grlz** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:14 am

An implant, some bonding, maybe replace a couple silver fillings and maybe a crown. I'm not sure I'll ever be done repairing years of damage to my teeth caused by a terrible bite. Sure wish my parents had thought it was important when I was a kid.

Chris

#13 Post by **Leslie022** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:18 am

LOTS OF SMILING!

#14 Post by **ingyandbert** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:20 am

Leslie022 wrote:LOTS OF SMILING!

Excellent answer! I hope that will be the case for all of us!

#15 Post by **lilsisbet** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:30 am

I already had the silver fillings replaced (hanging head in shame - I think there were 14). Some were 25+ years old and it was time. But... as someone posted, you might end up with more than just a replaced filling. I also ended up with a root canal and crown. When the braces are off I will also need to get another molar crowned which is 90% filling at the moment.

I was going to get my teeth whitened after all the fillings were done and realized it still wouldn't make me happy about my smile. So I got braced. When the braces are off (hoping another 8-12 months) .... i'll finally do the whitening. As well, to correct a peg lateral and to reshape a canine to look like a lateral, I will also need to get at least two teeth veneered.

Then.... I can smile and save some $$$$$$.

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