Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi I got my braces off today and I know I am probably too annal about this, but there are a few things I noticed right away as I compare to others' completed treatments (and yes I know I shouldn't be comparing because everyone's different my bad! ) :1. my midline is not aligned (I don't terribly concern since my bites are good); 2. there is some space btween my left upper and lower teeth; 3. there seem that they are teeth not completely straight.

I am happy that the braces are off but just wonder, in general, what would you consider as a good ortho end result? Thanks in advance for sharing.

We are always our own worst critic. If you look at things long enough, it's is easy to find flaws. One thing that you need to keep in mind is that, as adults, we often cannot have 100% of our orthodontic issues corrected.

1. Midlines are often off a bit. Orthos need to give you a functional bite first (i.e. line up molars). Then everything else is put into place. Midlines are sometimes is the loser in this equasion.
2. You don't say which teeth don't touch, but after braces are removed, teeth often need time to settle into their final bite. Give it some time.
3. Retainers are sometimes used to make final tweeks.

But I urge you to bring these issues up with your orthodontist.
Congrats on getting your braces off!

11lp wrote:Hi I got my braces off today and I know I am probably too annal about this, but there are a few things I noticed right away as I compare to others' completed treatments (and yes I know I shouldn't be comparing because everyone's different my bad! ) :1. my midline is not aligned (I don't terribly concern since my bites are good); 2. there is some space btween my left upper and lower teeth; 3. there seem that they are teeth not completely straight.

I am happy that the braces are off but just wonder, in general, what would you consider as a good ortho end result? Thanks in advance for sharing.

I consider a good ortho result when my teeth look better than before.

I was looking for answers to what the perfect teeth shape should be (in anticipation of getting my teeth shaved for aesthetics, near the end of my treatment which is basically now), and I found an interesting site:

http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Perfect-Smi ... your-teeth

It talks about all the different aspects that a dentist will consider when you want your teeth perfected... hope this helps.

VA5 - that was a ver interesting article. Fess up... Did you immediately grab a tape measure and measure your front teeth? I did, and mine come out to 80%.

Cathy

Interesting...mine are the same width as height. So, I guess a little IPR won't do my looks any harm:)

Thanks guys for the post. To facilitate the discussion, I am posting my debraced pictures below. They are B&W because I haven't gotten my teeth cleaned and fixed the cavities. But you will probably understand my concerns after viewing them. They are not in the best condition that I anticipated. However, I am getting used to them and am just glad that the braces are off.

I think your teeth look great, both before and after (but obviously better after). I do see what you are talking about though, particularly with your left side. It looks class II while the right side is class I. It's something I would bring up, maybe there is a reason he left it like that.

I am curious how long you were braced? The midline should ideally be lined up but I think what is more important is that it look fairly center on your face... so if your bottom is a little left or right, it is okay. Also, what is more important IMO is your bite relation. Honestly, I can see a discrepancy between your right and left. Not sure if it's a bite situation, but I can see a lot more space between your bite on one side than the other. That would probably bother me more than anything. Which is why, I'm curious how long you were braced b/c it seems you probably should have been in them a little bit longer.

VA5, I had my braces for a year and seven months. Peaches, I am having an appointment on Monday so will definitely speak to my orthodontist about this. I may also talk to my general dentist about this to get another opinion. But I dont think my orthodontist will be able to do anything at this point because braces are already off...=(

Hi,

I'm so glad you posted this. At my appointment today my ortho said we're concentrating on straightening up the pre-molars, then onto my lteral incisors and then try to pull my front teeth backward a bit as an overjet has developed on my right side. He said they might not pull right back in line though which has made me worried.

My husband thought they were fine to begin with so when he says they look great as they are I'm not sure how much I believe him. I am so critical of my teeth after hiding them for so long and as each tooth aligns I notice how misshapen they are on the bottom. If my ortho won't, I might need to visit a cosmetic dentist to have them shaped.

ST