Metal Mouth Message Board

I think my smile still looks incredibly awkward from the sides, but my orthodontist says there's no more space to move anything.

sides:
http://i54.tinypic. com/2rpr6u9.jpg
http://i53.tinypic. com/2ed12qe.jpg

front:
http://i51.tinypic. com/s4mams.jpg

My smile is kinda narrow and unlike most people with broad smiles, my front 6 teeth do not go straight across and then curve back. They start curving back into the rest of my smile at the second tooth.

My smile still looks so awkward, especially from the sides, and it makes my face look fat (I'm not). Has anyone ever had to deal with this or have any tips as to what I should ask my orthodontist or what can be done?

The pics aren't extremely clear, and I'm not seeing all of your teeth that I'd want to in order to really critique the result, but from what I've seen, I think your teeth look ok. That being said, I'm not taking MY braces off until I'm good and ready, and the work has been done to MY satisfaction, NOT my orthodontist's. If she doesn't like it, then I'll take my business elsewhere where they are willing to address MY concerns. You need to stand up for yourself in this case. Your ortho is probably making at least a quarter million dollars this year, and they're going to spend as little time and effort on you as possible. They seem VERY good at deflecting responsibilities. I don't care - I'll make a huge scene if I have to. I'M the one in control, because I'M the one who's paying. The only way you'll be able to get a lazy orthodontist to acknowledge your concerns is to affect their money intake. If your ortho's excuse is that there isn't enough room, then your next question should be "how do we make more room (without extractions)?" They know how. They're just being lazy. The 5 minutes a month they've spent with you over the last 2 years should more than justify the 3-10 thousand dollars you've spent on them (in their mind, anyway). They have a procedure to accomplish exactly what you want done, I guarantee it. Don't back down. You're steering this ship!

Hey robot teeth, what if they pick u up from that dental chair and throw u out?... What then?

I've got to admit, that would be a curveball, lol.

My computer says the links in your post aren't valid so I can't see your pics thus cannot comment on your smile. (I wish I could see them. Can you try reposting the links differently?)

I will however tell you that my smile is the same way--my teeth start angling back right at the laterals. This doesn't really bother me and in my case, neither screaming at my ortho nor withholding payment would change that. That's just the way I was made. I have a very narrow upper pallet--10mm narrower on top than average. I didn't want to go thru surgery to crack my jaw open so expansion could be done. I have the smile I have b/c that's the limit of what braces could give me. I think my ortho did a great job considering what she had to work with. I think that most orthodontists do what they can to give you the best results possible without compromising the health of your teeth and bone.

That all being said, if you are convinced that more can be done and that your current ortho is not willing to do what you wish, there is no harm in getting a second (or third) opinion from another ortho.

Tumble, you need to delete a space within the link in order to view the pics. I'm not sure why it's like that.

(Robot--Ah yes! I see that now. Thanks.)

Now that I can see the pics--yep. Your teeth look very much like mine. (But I like my teeth therefore I like yours too!)

I agree with the previous posters, looks like you have a small mouth and narrow arches. I don't think there's much they can do to fix that? To me, looks like you were a class II, is this right?
I see your point, I think you would like your front teeth to be more pushed to the front and not be so straight, is this right? If so, I would imagine this is doable... Unless you are really out of space of course.

Thank you guys for the responses. Yes, I was a class II. I had braces when I was 12 (and got them again at 20) by the same orthodontist, and it makes me angry looking back now -- I realize he could've and probably should've used a palatal expander back then.

As far as making more space: he wanted to extract my top and bottom bicuspids, but I was reluctant, so he ended up shaving the sides of them to make space.
I feel like completely removing my bicuspids will make my mouth look small :/ and like my teeth will begin too far back, if that makes sense.

I really just want the *illusion* of a broader smile without moving my teeth back anymore. Does anyone know if it's possible to just curve my teeth to *angle* more towards the front?

Thank you guys for the help and support.

spritzzz wrote:I really just want the *illusion* of a broader smile without moving my teeth back anymore. Does anyone know if it's possible to just curve my teeth to *angle* more towards the front?

I'm not an expert by any stretch, but I know there is a limit to how far you can push teeth outward. As you know, the teeth are attached to roots and those roots are in the bone which supports them. Push the roots too far out and thus to the edge of the bone and they are now in a precarious position. I suppose you might be able to tip the crowns of the teeth outward leaving the roots where they are, but I imagine that would give you an overjet and a noticeable "flaring" of the teeth--something that orthos try to correct, not implement--so I don't know if that would be something any ortho would be willing to do.
I really think your best bet is to obtain a second opinion from another ortho.

I may look into getting another opinion.

Just to clarify: I didn't mean push them outward; I meant curve them, as in rotate my canines to face more towards the front rather than my sides. It would fill up some space on the sides of my smile giving the illusion of a wider jaw. I just don't know if it can be done or if it would be ridiculous to ask my ortho.