Metal Mouth Message Board

...and you got braces anyway?

I was absolutely convinced this summer that I was ready to get braces. I kept putting off a consultation though, and by now I've pretty much talked myself out of it. The only person who has really agreed with me that braces are a good idea is my husband. I've only told 3 other people, but they all (including my dentist) seemed indifferent about it.

I will say my teeth are not terrible. My front two teeth overlap a smidge, I have a wayward canine that has been disguised with clever bonding, and one bottom tooth is rotated. I also have an overbite. I've only become self-conscious about my teeth recently, and even then it's not something I think about a whole lot. But every now and then I see a picture that has been taken at the wrong angle, and I cringe a little.

But then I think about the money and pain that would go into fixing them and wonder how important it really is if nobody else cares! Anyone else have a similar situation?

A few. Most people seem to think that the only thing braces do is straighten crooked teeth and my problem wasn't crooked teeth. I just point out that they do more than that and I needed braces if I wanted to keep my front teeth.

Most people haven't noticed though. I don't mind as I'm not doing it for them. I'm doing it for me.

Ha, no chance!

My upper front teeth look a bit like this (need upload some photos sometime): \V/, and is very obvious. My lower teeth are also very crooked, but my lip covers them most of the time, so not very visible.

No one ever really questioned what I've done (apart from my mother who said about cost and my teeth add character *cringe*).

I had quite a larger upper midline diastema. I smile horribly closed mouth anyway and if I'm unaware of a photo being taken and I see my teeth in it the picture has to go.

Feel free to check out my story, you'll see what I mean

Most of my friends said that my teeth looked fine. They were either trying to be nice or they are quite blind. Even when I just got my braces put on, they asked me why I have braces. But when I was a kid, my dentist asked me to go to an orthodontist but I was too afraid.

My top teeth were protruding and my lateral incisor was behind my central incisor. My midline were way off to the right. It was until one honest friend told me that I need braces and told me to get them soon as I was growing older. His logic was that, the earlier I get my straight teeth, the earlier I can enjoy them.

Yes, friends and family. But they're friends and family. I felt they had to be nice about it to give me that confidence. But they're all accepting about my decision to get them.

well, my teeth were pretty straight... and most thought I had braces previously. It was a bite issue, if it was cosmetic, I would have skipped it.

You should make a couple of appointments for free consultations. Sometimes the situation is worse than you might think, and getting treatment now could avoid future hardship. Or you might find that treatment is strictly a cosmetic choice.

My issue was a bite issue, not a cosmetic one, and the four orthos I saw for consults all let me know that orthodontic treatment for me was a choice, not a necessity.

As far as dentists, I find that many don't give much thought to orthodontics unless things are really bad. It actually does make me wonder about them sometimes.

For me it is about how i feel.i havent asked anyones opinion or told anyone i was getting them except my husband, mum and sister. If i thought my teeth looked okay i wouldnt bother with braces.

Yea..i have an open bite but non of of teeth are crowded. So when i talk to someone i often get "oh your teeth are so pretty" but in my head im thinking my teeth are a train wreck. I guess ppl dont notice the open bite or overjet unless they see me from the side. Even recently after getting braces put on I've had some ppl look at me like I'm crazy b/c my teeth are 'fine'. Its weird

Some did, some didn't. For me, function is primary and cosmetics are secondary. My bite was uncomfortable, my front teeth were starting to chip a little, and I got frequent dental headaches. My teeth were mildly crooked too, but I wouldn't have gone this route solely for that.

You know what, at the end of the day you have to do what is right for you. All I ever hear from people is how nice my smile is, etc. etc. But I am not happy with the large gap in the middle of my teeth. I literally *cringe* when I see myself in pictures! And I have a feeling that some others are afraid of what I might look like with normal teeth :/ Although I think most people mean well, and most of the time we are our own worst critics (others may not even be noticing our imperfections) at the end of the day if you are not happy with your smile then you should do what makes you comfortable.

[quote="Angel269"]No one ever really questioned what I've done (apart from my mother who said about cost and my teeth add character *cringe*).

I had quite a larger upper midline diastema. I smile horribly closed mouth anyway and if I'm unaware of a photo being taken and I see my teeth in it the picture has to go.

Feel free to check out my story, you'll see what I mean :-([/quote]


My gap is slightly bigger than yours, I feel your pain on the smiling closed mouth, but I bet you don't have that problem anymore :)

A lot of people said they didn't know why I bothered, but I've always been self conscious about them. The overjet, the gappy top teeth especially. Now if they say they don't get it, I show my "before" shot compared to now and then they leave me alone. The differences are pretty apparent.

I have to say, my reasons were primarily cosmetic though. I just really wanted pretty teeth,

Yep. Most of my family members said I was wasting my money and that my teeth look fine as they are (except my husband who told me they looked fine as they were but encouraged me to get checked out). Part of it for me is cosmetic, I hate seeing the gaps at the front and the twisted front tooth in photo's or the mirror, but part of it was to prevent future problems as well with the back teeth. I also avoid needing 2 implants and will hopefully only need to fill one gap.