Very slight teeth straightening... what possibilities?

hieveryone

Hoping for some advice from dentists/orthodontists or others' experiences.

I had a fixed metal brace on top and bottom teeth years and years ago. Being a young, impressionable teenager I couldn't wait to get them off, and wearing the retainer?? After a few years of the metal I was having nothing else in my mouth!

My top teeth have remained relatively straight - when I smile and in photos they look perfect to others. To me, I see a slight squint in one of the front teeth - the rest are fine.

My bottom teeth are definitely squint - one of the front ones bends in at an angle slightly behind the other front one. My wisdom teeth came in impacted and pushed the teeth along, making them move.

I have recently had my wisdom teeth out - what options do I have for making my teeth totally straight again? I have researched Invisalign but it seems very expensive.

I can see for myself that my teeth aren't actually a big problem - it's me just being pernickity. :rotfl:

What's the cheapest way of getting teeth straightened?

Toothsmith

The thing I generally tell my patients is that orthodontics is brilliant at taking teeth that are a long way out, and getting them nearly perfect.

It's not very good at taking teeth that are nearly perfect and making them better than that.

Whenever you finish orthodontics, unless you have a wire bonded to the back of your teeth for the rest of your life, there will be a little bit of relapse. Teeth will move out of line a little tiny bit, because a perfect straight line is very rarely a stable situation.

If you're really bothered by it, then ask your dentist to refer you to an orthodontist for an opinion. I would be very surprised if there was a quick or easy (or cheap) option though.

Also bear in mind that your lower teeth are much less visible to other people than the top ones in usual social situations.

I think I would learn to live with it if I were you.

roadiegirl

I had this, had metal braces aged 13-15, then a wire retainer for my top teeth, and a plastic 'gumshield' for my bottom for while I was sleeping. The top retainer I didn't mind, I could get on with normal life and only had to take it out for eating, whereas the bottom brace lasted a full 3 days before t started hurting and feeling uncomfortable. My orthodontist said I was to keep wearing it, but being 15 I didn't! Last year I contacted a different orthodontist to talk about getting them realigned slightly, but they said it was near on impossible and would cost too much. I've had to learn to deal with it, but most of all, at least they don't look like they used to! Serious kudos to the person who invented orthodontics!

Toothsmith

roadiegirl wrote: »

Serious kudos to the person who invented orthodontics!

Generally credited to the American dentist Edward Angle, 1855 - 1930

Nicoll

I have a Inman Aligner to straighten my front top teeth. Only cost £1300 through my dentist, don't know if they do bottom teeth too.

kerrydrobertson

i too have a front tooth that is very slightly squint because of other teeth pushing. I cant see it from straight on only when i look sideways in the mirror so i asked my dentist if there was any way to straighten it, he also agreed that it was only slightly squint and wasnt worth doing. the only thing he suggested was taking one of my teeth out (the one pushing the other teeth) which is going in towards the roof of my mouth as it would stop any further pushing. Declined his kind offer, lol, as i have no pain or any problems from the tooth so wil leave it be i think.

Toothsmith

It would be quite unlikely that that one tooth was pushing all the rest anyway.

A gradual drift of your teeth towards the midline of your mouth is a process that goes on anyway. It won't stop, but we're only tlking about a couple of mm movement in your whole life.

hieveryone

Thanks all - seems not much can be done..will need to learn to live with it I guess.

brook2jack

In general people need to be less critical of themselves. Once you start correcting every minor imperfection it never ends and the end result is some of those plastic surgery nightmares.

Personally i dislike a set of perfect gleaming ultrawhite California teeth and much prefer "pleasing imperfections". Indeed when I was taught to make dentures we were taught to make them slightly "squint" so they looked natural.

Toothsmith

Plus - most of the magazine cover smiles you see have been Photoshopped anyway!

Which is a much cheaper option if graduation/wedding photos are your primary concern for wanting your teeth perfect in the first place!

darbydoo

This may be of use to anyone who is looking for minor (or indeed major) changes in the alignment of the teeth.

I have been undergoing clearstep treatment now (the British version of "Invisalign") for 3 years and I have to say that the results are absolutely fantastic. The cost was £1400 for the top only, but my case was labelled as "severe".

May be worth a look
:j