Some pictures and some questions

Message

#1 Post by **maddiesmom** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:10 pm

Please check out the pictures below. I'm 15 months into an estimated 18-24 month treatment time and I still have concerns about my four front teeth. When I look at my teeth I see that my front two big teeth are not symmetrical. One is larger than the other and they also have different shapes (probably as a result of bonding and shaping I had done years ago to help remedy a twisted tooth and a gap between my front two teeth). Also, the teeth on either side of my two front teeth are not symmetrical. Not only are they too short but their roots are completely different: one is rounded and the other's roots come to a point.

I've discussed these things with my ortho and he says we're not done yet but then gave me this speech on how symmetry really isn't beautiful, etc. etc. etc. Well, I've lived with asymmetry for 33 years and I didn't go through the hassle of getting braces to NOT be symmetrical.

Am I being too critical? Do you see the things I'm pointing out? Is it normal for someone who is almost at the end of treatment to NOT be happy with results? I still think my smile is lopsided and I still think things need to be changed. He's a great ortho and is very highly recommended. I have to think he has a good eye for things but when he started saying symmetry wasn't so important I have to wonder if 1) he really doesn't see the things I pointed out or 2) he's unable to fix them.

Are these things I'm mentioning fixable? He did mention I will likely need some bonding when all is said and done to make my two teeth (one on either side of my two front teeth) bigger so I know that will change things too.

I am just disappointed. I feel like these braces are going to come off and I'm NOT going to have the smile I always wanted.

Any thoughts on my teeth after viewing the pictures would be appreciated. Thanks for your time and your honesty.

http://i9.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/d6/e5/ac_1.JPG
http://i3.ebayimg.com/04/i/06/eb/14/c6_1.JPG
_________________
Emily
Mom of 2 girls!
Braced since 1/19/05
[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]

#2 Post by **weird_wired** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:01 am

I looked at your pictures and honestly: they look fine. You have really nice looking teeth. They look even, straight and white. Unless you specifically ask someone to do a "spot the difference" they are not going to notice any asymmetry. My teeth aren't perfectly symmetrical either, I doubt anyone's are.

There are some things that I suppose could increase symmetry in a person's teeth: eg the bottoms can be straightened off if one is rounder than its counterpart, or a tooth could be moved down or up a fraction compared to its counterpart.

The problem is that it's only when one gets braced and becomes tooth-obsessed, endlessly looking for fractional differences in position to monitor movement progress, that one notices all these other things. I never even knew about midlines before I started treatment. Now I not only know about them, but I know that mine is off!

So whether you get them fixed/adjusted or whatever, do try to see your teeth through a "normal" person's eyes - ie not us braced people's over particular, over critical, obsessive eyes!

#3 Post by **maddiesmom** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:54 am

Thank you for your replies. I guess I really need to just chill out and let the ortho do his job. I think I'm way too critical, especially of myself. Thank you for the reality check!

#4 Post by **Flora2006** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:08 pm

I agree, your teeth are looking really nice!