What do you look like?

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by LikeAWillow

I'm fairly good about keeping up with my retainers now, to be honest, I'm too vain not to and like RagandBone said, it's an investment. I've also had microdermabrasion done on my front two teeth because of hyper calcification and I had some sort of procedure where they cut one of the tendons holding my front tooth while I still had my braces on so that it would grow back in the correct position.

I had that done a couple of years ago- I think it's called a frenectomy. It was insanely painful and didn't work.

[bretonbanquet]

Reading this makes me so glad all my teeth grew in the right direction They're not perfect I guess, but they're the only part of me that isn't

[michelle2677]

Originally Posted by jannieC

I had that done a couple of years ago- I think it's called a frenectomy. It was insanely painful and didn't work.

you are correct. If the frenum is too short (or tight) when you talk, eat etc. It constantly pulls and causes your front teeth to separate. I'm surprised it didn't work for you its usually pretty successful

[LikeAWillow]

Originally Posted by michelle2677

you are correct. If the frenum is too short (or tight) when you talk, eat etc. It constantly pulls and causes your front teeth to separate. I'm surprised it didn't work for you its usually pretty successful

It definitely worked for me

[michelle2677]

Originally Posted by ragandbone

I agree with you. For instance, I have always liked Patricia Arquette's crooked smile, although my mother's teeth were like that, and then her dentist told her that the facets on her teeth were too advanced, and she got braces. One thing I regret in my orthodonture is the repair of my overbite I had. There are so many singers pronounced overbites:
Anita O'Day, Diana Ross, Dinah Shore, Freddie Mercury, Dionne Warwick (had it fixed, I think), and scores more.

I know! I have always liked laterals (the ones that are next to your two front teeth) to protrude out just a little. I can't really think of anyone off of the top of my head who has that, but I think it is so cute...OH!! i just remembered-Katherine Heigl has them. They are slightly rotated (hers are almost a little much though)


Sometimes orthodontics is necessary for reasons other than cosmetic, so that may have been why your mother needed them. And I had a terrible overbite (that's when the top teeth cover the bottom teeth..or overlap them) but not so much an overJET (when they protrude out like freddy and diana ross, etc )

Originally Posted by jannieC

I'm 38 and dying to get braces to fix the gap between my front teeth. Can you get them now and only have to wear them for nine months?

You can get them at any age!!! I have an 80 year old who went through ortho recently!! There are definitely other alternatives to braces, and pm me if you want to talk more about it I was only in them for 9 months because I was getting married and there was no way I was going to be in braces on my wedding day I wish I had waited though, to get them altogether. Moving your teeth that fast will allow them to move back to their original position more rapidly. Bone moves with the teeth-the slower you move the teeth, the more time the bone has to fill around the spaces where the teeth moved. If you move them quickly, it doesn't do that, and you don't really have anything keeping them from going back. Unless you wear your retainer. Problem is-if you miss one or two days (after you've moved them in a short amount of time) you're screwed I would recommend having your dentist refer you to a good orthodontist and have an evaluation. They will be able to tell approximately how long you should expect to be in them, and I would follow their advice. Not only do your teeth move back faster, you have to go more often to have your wire changed/tightened and more PAIN!! I would think with just correcting a diastema (space) you shouldn't be in them that long though

[michelle2677]

Can everyone tell i'm REALLY enjoying this thread??

Originally Posted by bretonbanquet

Reading this makes me so glad all my teeth grew in the right direction They're not perfect I guess, but they're the only part of me that isn't

god, you're getting as bad as me..

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

I got braces to fix a gap between my front teeth - it didn't work.

My teeth were straight, but still gapped And I've got spaces in my bottom teeth because I'm missing two (like I was born without them - they never grew in at all).

But I hated the gap so much that I had my teeth bonded. Luckily I had a nice dentist who claimed the bonding was to fix a chip...therefore insurance covered it - it wasn't a complete lie, I did have a chip in one tooth..but it was no pronounced.

I've never been happy with my teeth - but I'm also too cheap to consider cosmetic dentistry

Did you wear your retainer?? I didn't. I couldn't. That thing GAGGED me Don't hold me to this, but you may see the gaps start to get less noticable as time goes on. There is a thing called "mesial migration" it's basically, as you get older, your teeth tend to migrate toward the midline (forward). This bothers most people because that causes crowding, but if you have diastemas, that shouldn't be a problem. Of course what to do about now...Other than ortho again (and wearing your retainer), the only other option would be the bonding (which you did) or veneers would be a really nice option. But you said you're too cheap, so I personally wouldn't get veneers, just because I'm pretty happy with the SHAPE of my teeth, I just wasn't happy with their postioning. That's why I went went braces. I know I won't have to worry about replacing them every 7-10 years

[LikeAWillow]

Originally Posted by michelle2677

Can everyone tell i'm REALLY enjoying this thread??

I was just going to say that this is your dream thread, Chelle Belle. lol. I think a few thanks are in order considering I was the one who brought up orthodontics

[danax6]

Originally Posted by michelle2677

I know! I have always liked laterals (the ones that are next to your two front teeth) to protrude out just a little.

Hm, my teeth are like that. Both teeth right next to my two front teeth protrude a little. Well, the one on the right side a little more than the one on the left side. I always hated it.

Here are my teeth...

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally Posted by danax6

Hm, my teeth are like that. Both teeth right next to my two front teeth protrude a little. Well, the one on the right side a little more than the one on the left side. I always hated it.

Here are my teeth...

You have very lovely teeth!

I forgot to mention - I may actually lose my two front teeth in a matter or years anyway - so at that point my dentist says implants are a nice way to go.

Backstory: I was six or sevenish and my adult front teeth had just grown in - and then at tee-ball practice one day they were knocked loose by a ball that someone threw at me...all I remember was lots of blood (all over my coaches shoes) and me screaming.

The dentist basically shoved the teeth back into place and stitched them in - saying I was young enough that either they'd re-root or something - OR the teeth would eventually fuse to the bone...

Neither happened apparently, and recent x-rays show that the roots are lessening....

This scares the **** out of me - I've always been über sensetive about my front teeth, and afraid of losing them - but at least I know now that there are some good dental alternatives out there....

[michelle2677]

Originally Posted by danax6

Hm, my teeth are like that. Both teeth right next to my two front teeth protrude a little. Well, the one on the right side a little more than the one on the left side. I always hated it.

Here are my teeth...

yesss!!! I love them!!! I always wanted them, A friend of mine's mother has them and I think they are soooo cute!!! leave them!! great pic btw

Originally Posted by LikeAWillow

I was just going to say that this is your dream thread, Chelle Belle. lol. I think a few thanks are in order considering I was the one who brought up orthodontics

thank you darlin'!! You know I love a good dental thread. I think i may start one of course I would be the only one replying in it...hahah

[michelle2677]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

You have very lovely teeth!

I forgot to mention - I may actually lose my two front teeth in a matter or years anyway - so at that point my dentist says implants are a nice way to go.

Backstory: I was six or sevenish and my adult front teeth had just grown in - and then at tee-ball practice one day they were knocked loose by a ball that someone threw at me...all I remember was lots of blood (all over my coaches shoes) and me screaming.

The dentist basically shoved the teeth back into place and stitched them in - saying I was young enough that either they'd re-root or something - OR the teeth would eventually fuse to the bone...

Neither happened apparently, and recent x-rays show that the roots are lessening....

This scares the **** out of me - I've always been über sensetive about my front teeth, and afraid of losing them - but at least I know now that there are some good dental alternatives out there....

honey you just typed up my worst nightmare. I have jumped out of bed in the middle of the night. Most the times it involves my boss being out of town and no way to fix them I guess when I'm sleeping, i don't take into consideration that I could fix them myself (temporarily at least) so your roots are resorbing?? that is tragic, but it happens. Implants are a wonderful option!! They are pricey in the beginning, but ****, you never have to have them replaced, you can't get a cavity, and they will never give you any pain!! good luck-and if you have any questions-you know I love this ****...ahhaha

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

You have very lovely teeth!

I forgot to mention - I may actually lose my two front teeth in a matter or years anyway - so at that point my dentist says implants are a nice way to go.

Backstory: I was six or sevenish and my adult front teeth had just grown in - and then at tee-ball practice one day they were knocked loose by a ball that someone threw at me...all I remember was lots of blood (all over my coaches shoes) and me screaming.

The dentist basically shoved the teeth back into place and stitched them in - saying I was young enough that either they'd re-root or something - OR the teeth would eventually fuse to the bone...

Neither happened apparently, and recent x-rays show that the roots are lessening....

This scares the **** out of me - I've always been über sensetive about my front teeth, and afraid of losing them - but at least I know now that there are some good dental alternatives out there....

They ARE expensive. I had to have a tooth pulled, about a year ago(root canal gone bad....the tooth broke while he was drilling, so he couldn't save it). Anyway, I got a price of $2800, for one. That was 2K for the implant, and $800 for the crown that goes on the implant. But, Cash's vet bills were such that I couldn't really afford it, so I didn't have it done(you're supposed to do it within a year, because your other teeth start growing together). At least it's towards the back, so you can't see that it's gone....

[Rickypt]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

They ARE expensive. I had to have a tooth pulled, about a year ago(root canal gone bad....the tooth broke while he was drilling, so he couldn't save it). Anyway, I got a price of $2800, for one. That was 2K for the implant, and $800 for the crown that goes on the implant. But, Cash's vet bills were such that I couldn't really afford it, so I didn't have it done(you're supposed to do it within a year, because your other teeth start growing together). At least it's towards the back, so you can't see that it's gone....

I'm in the middle of the implant process for a back tooth. Mine will be well over $3K when it's all done and none covered by insurance except pulling the bad tooth.

So far it's been a relatively painless process and I hear the actual implant procedure isn't too bad.

[DrummerDeanna]

^^

HOLY ****! I didn't realize implants were THAT expensive. These damn teeth better stay put for a while then

[michelle2677]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

^^

HOLY ****! I didn't realize implants were THAT expensive. These damn teeth better stay put for a while then

they are expensive. But like I said-Well worth it. you never have to do anything to it. Where a bridge or a partial, you have to replace every so often. It's a lot of money up front, but in the long run-the cheapest and best treatment.