Did anyone else have to settle for "good enough?"

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#1 Post by **farreach04** » Tue May 23, 2006 8:24 pm

I've always had bad teeth. Well, thats not true. When I was really little, my teeth were perfect; I suppose that all of those teeny baby teeth fitting together perfectly in my mouth should have been a tip off to my parents that the adult teeth sure as heck weren't all going to fit.

I had orthodontic gear (lipbumper-braces w/ headgear, pallet expander, rubber bands, powerchains, etc.) for about 6 years. When I finally got my braces off, my teeth looked pretty darn good.

I wore my retainers full time for a year, then only at night for 6 or 8 months. My ortho then told me I only needed to wear them periodically at night.

Then my dog ate my retainers. I didn't think it was a huge deal, and I waited until my teeth started moving to go get replacements (BAD MOVE!). The replacements didn't fit, and my teeth just kept moving... and moving... and moving...

Finally, last year (my sophomore year in college), I got new braces. The ortho wanted to put me on a 3 1/2 year plan... uhhh, not happening!! I really want straight teeth but not at the sacrifice of my social life for my entire undergraduate career! He wanted to pull my wisdom teeth, all 4 premolars, and 1 tooth from the front. He also wanted to do surgery to add an extension to my lower jaw (??) in order to fix my overbite.

I said "no thank you" (mostly b/c of plans to study abroad junior year), had my wisdom teeth removed, and let him go from there. I've had them on for almost a year now, and my teeth are SO MUCH straighter. Especially on the bottom.

BUT... my canines on the bottom are at *slightly* different angles, my arch on the bottom isn't perfect, and one of my teeth on the top is still sticking out a tiny bit. My ortho has me in rubber bands, which I wear 24/7. They've helped a lot.

But, I am getting the braces off in two weeks. Half of me is THRILLED b/c I will finally have straight teeth and not be the odd one out with braces! The other half of me is a bit sad, because my teeth aren't going to be dead on perfect.

Is this like plastic surgery, where the closer to perfection you get, the more you want it? I've already got plans to get my teeth bleached, and I'm hoping that will make me feel a bit better.

Anyways, the question: were your teeth perfect when the braces came off? What would you change about them?t

Here are some before pictures of my teeth (not the way way before, those pictures should be burned... these are the post-dog-eaten-retainers-pictures). I'll take "after" pictures tomorrow.

and then, please excuse my face in this one, but you can see just how crooked the lower ones were!

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#2 Post by **flowertowngal** » Wed May 24, 2006 6:28 am

I am settling for less than perfect, mainly because of time, money and age. Look, I'm 41 - my teeth are not going to look perfect unless I spend thousands of dollars (in addition to the thousands I have already spent!), have surgery and have some major cosmetic work done. I had crooked teeth - now I have straight teeth. And that's enough for me.

They're not perfect but they are so much better than they were that I am happy. I think a lot of people go into something like this because something really bothers them - a certain tooth, crowding, etc...for me, I had major crowding on the bottom and it had always bothered me. Now that is fixed and as a bonus, my top teeth look so much better too - I didn't even realize all the problems I had with the top because I was so focused on the bottom. When I look at my before pictures, I am amazed at how much better my smile looks.

I will get my braces off in a couple of months and I will be smiling. Perfect, to me, means whatever makes me happy. And I am happy.

#3 Post by **texasangel** » Wed May 24, 2006 7:14 am

I too am settling for less than perfect. I was told I needed jaw surgery, but do not have the funds for that, and didn't want it anyway.
My teeth are much, much straighter than they were, so I am happy. I
still have a slight overbite, just not as bad as before.

#4 Post by **x3trinity** » Wed May 24, 2006 8:57 am

I am officially joining the "Less than perfect club"

I originally was told that I needed jaw surgery, a chin lift and something else that I cannot spell, but since I am not a millionaire I settled for 4 extractions, anchor screws, ceramic on top and metal on bottom.

It was the second option my ortho gave me, and hey, being second is sooo close to first so I took it.

My teeth are not bad at all, the only problem I have is an overbite, and b/c of the overbite my profile is not like it should be, and this is the reason for all the above (i.e jaw surgery, chin lift, etc)

But needless to say I think I made the most affordable and best decision. I mean, we are doing this for us so as long as we are happy......well that really is all the matters!!!

#5 Post by **Chris** » Wed May 24, 2006 6:45 pm

I'm 48, and I've got to be realistic, as there's no way my teeth could ever look like a person in their teens or twenties! After way to many years grinding and not looking after them, they're worn in places and chipped in others.:

I'm 49, just slightly older than you

and I am in the same boat.

#6 Post by **jcdamon3** » Thu May 25, 2006 8:57 am

farreacho4: It will be interesting to see your after pictures. I am sure your teeth will look great.

Quote:
I'm 48, and I've got to be realistic, as there's no way my teeth could ever look like a person in their teens or twenties! After way to many years grinding and not looking after them, they're worn in places and chipped in others.:

I'm 49, just slightly older than you Wink and I am in the same boat.

I am slightly younger

47. My teeth are worn and chipped. I don't want veneers. But why would I want to look like I am in my twenties anyway? I just want to look good, not young.

#7 Post by **OnMyWay** » Thu May 25, 2006 10:41 am

Well I'm 22 and my teeth will definantly not be perfect. My front two teeth are pretty badly chipped up from an accident in my teens. It's only since my teeth have really straightened that the chipping has started to bother me. I asked the ortho's assistant what my options would be. She said that bonding really isn't an option in that area because it tends to come off. Does anyone know if this is true???? I don't think I want to go the veneers route. I guess I'll have less than perfect teeth and thats OK.

#8 Post by **Chris** » Thu May 25, 2006 6:35 pm

I currently have bonding on a lower front tooth and its worked out well.

#9 Post by **jaswi** » Fri May 26, 2006 8:44 pm

My teeth also will never be perfect. Had a bad fall on my face when I was 12 or so and broke off a pea size corner of my left front tooth and kind of cracked the teeth on either side of it(think cracked windshield), not to mention my top lateral is VERY rough ednged., having never had contact with other teeth

#10 Post by **phanta** » Fri May 26, 2006 9:09 pm

My 2 center teeth at the top and bottom are slightly chipped from contact. Since they're otherwise healthy, my dentist recommended tiny fillings at the edges. No veneers, bonding, nothing, just color-matched small fillings. Maybe bottom ones will just be evened out without any fillings at all. I wouldn't consider something as drastic as veneers for fixing a small edge issue.

Has anyone had edge fillings done?

#11 Post by **jamie26** » Fri May 26, 2006 9:53 pm

I'm 26 and have had my braces for a month. I have a slight underbite and my ortho suggested jaw surgery. I'm not going through with it though. For one, im a big chicken. And another reason is too much money. My ortho told me the braces would probably correct the bite but not to expect my teeth to turn out perfect. They werent too bad to start with but i will be happy with them just being a little better.

#12 Post by **ingyandbert** » Sat May 27, 2006 11:39 am

What I don't understand is why the ortho wanted to extract NINE teeth when your ealier treatment had managed to get such good results with keeping all your teeth? That just sounds really excessive to me. You made the right choice by saying no and and extracting only the wisdom teeth.

#13 Post by **vivi** » Tue May 30, 2006 7:14 pm

I am settling for less than perfect my ortho told me I needed jaw surgery to correct my overbite and I dont have enough money to go through with that, I've only been braced for a month so I dont know how my teeth will turn out but I know they wont be perfect... but I am 19 so maybe later If I have the money I'll have the surgery

#14 Post by **farreach04** » Wed May 31, 2006 9:23 am

ingyandbert wrote:What I don't understand is why the ortho wanted to extract NINE teeth when your ealier treatment had managed to get such good results with keeping all your teeth? That just sounds really excessive to me.

It sounded excessive to me too!! I have a vague recollection of my original orthodontist wanting to do add some sort of extension to my lower jaw, but they definitely never pulled any teeth (minus baby ones that needed to get out).

I have a "button jaw" (whatever that is! lol) and that is the problem they were trying to correct. But REALLY, I don't care at all that I still have an overbite. Its inconsequential and I am just not willing to go through the pain of major mouth surgery (that would require my jaw to be wired shut for awhile) to correct it. Just as long as my teeth are straight and white, I'm happy!!

#15 Post by **hannah164** » Wed May 31, 2006 6:47 pm

I'm definitely a member of the "less than perfect club" too!

First of all, becuase I'm missing both upper lateral incisors, my canines are now right next to my front teeth! I hate how it looks! Definteily less than perfect!

And because of my "complicated case" my bite and my smile will never be perfect! But what I keep reminding myself is how much better they will look and a great bite even if its not quite perfect!

~HAnnah

[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]

Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05