Should I get orthodontic treatment? NEED ADVICE!

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#1 Post by **mzone** » Sat Jul 03, 2010 10:58 am

After much browsing of this website, this if my first post. Here goes...

I am an 18-year old college freshman. I never have had any orthodontic treatment but I just got a new dentist in my college town and the dentist was surprised that I was never treated and strongly recommended that I see an orthodontist.

She told me that even though my teeth look pretty straight that I have a significant overbite and also some overjet, which might cause problems for me later on and wear down my teeth.

I'm posting some photos. Does anyone know how this would be treated/roughly how long it would take?

Admin: Please post photos, not links to photos. Some links have cause spam problems for people.

Thanks so much guys! I'm new and nervous to this area so any advice would be strongly appreciated.

- Miranda

#2 Post by **sadpanda** » Sat Jul 03, 2010 1:34 pm

Hi Miranda -

Although I'm not an orthodontist or dentist or anything, I feel like I have some of the same problems you do. My teeth are definitely more crooked than yours, I have some jaw alignment problems, a bigger overjet and an overbite that kind of looks like yours and my supposed treatment time in braces is 18-24 months. The ortho is straightening my teeth first and then says he's going to work on the overbite and overjet. While you probably wouldn't need too much straightening done, I think the ortho would tell you it would still take about 18-24 months because that's pretty average. But there are people all over this forum who've had braces for maybe 6 months to 5 years even if their problems were pretty minor. It just depends on how fast your teeth move. You're 18, so you might get away with not having braces on that long, but do it as soon as you can. Everyone here says they wish they got braces sooner. I just got braces recently and I'm 29. I soooo wish I had them many, many years ago when I knew I needed them, but was too busy doing other things. Good luck!

#3 Post by **almost50** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 11:07 am

I would get at least one if not more orthodontist consultations regarding the issue. Generally they are free.

Your teeth look pretty straight and your bite although not perfect doesn't look as extreme as what I dealt with and I had no visible issues when I was your age. Are you having any trouble with your bite? Does your dentist see unusual wear that is causing concern? These things can cause problems long term if not addressed early on. But best to consult a qualified professional to make an appropriate evaluation.

Most dentists don't have the expertise that an orthodontist would regarding evaluating your teeth. I experienced conflicting information and recommendations from dentists and orthodontists. Seek out as much information as is necessary and make the decision when it feels right. I

#4 Post by **sadpanda** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:42 pm

almost50 is right. Get some ortho consults. I had two dentists say I needed braces a long time ago, but the dentist I have now just said it was up to me if I didn't like my smile or something. Luckily, when I had a few ortho consults, they all said and recommended the same thing, so it wasn't too hard to choose. They saw my problems as glaringly obvious, plus I've been suffering from frequent headaches and migraines for 21 years and have tmj, and they asked why I had never gone to an ortho before. I kind of feel like my dentist wasn't really looking out for me and made me feel like if I got braces, it would only be cosmetic. Maybe your dentist is just very detail-oriented and wants to give you options. But I think lots of people have overbites that are not causing them problems.

#5 Post by **mzone** » Sat Nov 06, 2010 1:27 pm

BUMP...

Any reassurance/advice from the docs would be helpful as to whether or not orthodontic treatment can help my teeth/bite. I am especially nervous going through this process in college.

Thoughts?

Thank you!

Sat Nov 06, 2010 2:32 pm

Call an orthodontist and get a free consultation. You might be a candidate for invisalign since your teeth look like they are in good shape. My bite is very similar to yours, and they are fixing my bite with braces (18 months). I'm 29-when I was 18 my teeth looked nearly identical to yours- they were straight but I had an overbite. Over the next 10 years they started to push forward and crowd....most people's teeth will continue to move their entire life if they don't have a retainer. My point is that if you can do it now, I would. I knew a few people who had braces when I was in college, and trust me, no one cares. If you have the means to do it, do it now and get it over with- you won't regret it.

#7 Post by **mzone** » Sun Nov 07, 2010 3:14 pm

thanks. that makes sense!

any other advice from anyone?

#8 Post by **aveggiewriter** » Sun Nov 07, 2010 4:21 pm

Hi,

I would definitely have at least one more consultation with someone else and see if they recommend treatment, before you agree to anything. It's a good idea to see an orthodontist if you can, not just a dentist as they'll have more expertuse.

Your teeth look really good and although I can see an overbite, it doesn't look that bad. It would be a shame to treat a minor problem if you end up with a bigger one. If some treatment is suggested, maybe Invisalign or a less invasive option will work for you.

Alex

#9 Post by **AndrewM** » Sun Nov 07, 2010 5:07 pm

I would echo most of what's been said. Go talk to a couple of orthodontists and see what they say. While your teeth actually look quite a bit straighter than mine, it looks like you've got a deep anterior overbite that is similar to mine. When I saw the first orthodontist, I learned a great deal about my bite, and it seemed to be the root of a number of problems that I had thought were more or less unrelated. I decided to go ahead with treatment, and I'm glad I did. I hope it will solve a number of these issues.

#10 Post by **quint9** » Sun Nov 07, 2010 7:35 pm

Hi mzone. Your smile, while not "perfect" looks just fine compared to many people. However, it seems to me by your statements that you are concerned with how other people view you. First of all, your view of yourself is far more important. Love yourself first and all will follow. Second, if you get some consultations (which I also recommend), you may decide on getting braces. If or when that happens embrace that as well. I am very proud of my braces. I paid alot of money for them and I will have an awesome smile when all is done. Just remember that this time in your life is only temporary and the effects of braces is permanent (as long as you wear your retainer). Good Luck.

Jason

#11 Post by **evilnel** » Sun Nov 07, 2010 8:43 pm

Your teeth look really nice, aesthetically. If that's your concern, I wouldn't worry about it at all! But I did notice that your bite seems pretty off (your back molars are touching point-first instead of interlocking like scissors on one side). That would drive me CRAZY. My bite is slightly off and it makes my jaw hurt a lot. So it depends, if you want to head off problems with your bite, I say get some consults. If you are comfortable with your teeth, I see no need to drop $4000!

#12 Post by **VA5** » Sun Nov 07, 2010 9:57 pm

If your dentist thinks the health of your teeth could be at risk, I would definitely consider braces. Plus, fixing your ovebite/jet would make your smile even prettier than it is right now. Obviously you don't have a lot of straightening to do, but braces isn't only about that. I had almost perfectly straight teeth, but I had other issues that I wanted fixed, for both health and aesthetic reasons. But like others said, I would ask about invisalign as an option. If it isn't, I'm thinking braces can take care of your overjet/bite really quickly.