Snap on Smiles/cosmetic dentistry?

Flirtini_2

Hi all,

Am wondering if anyone has any experience or knowledge that might point me in the right direction.

I would like to improve the appearance of my teeth - especially with a wedding coming up in the latter part of next year! :j
My teeth aren't really bad enough to warrant any NHS intervention such as braces etc, it's purely just me being self conscious.
So, the issues I would like to fix, in an ideal world:

• Would like them to be whiter (wouldn't everyone!)
• My smile seems a bit 'lopsided', in that when I smile, you can see the gums above my top teeth on one side, but not on the other (would prefer to not see too much gum at all!)
• My teeth are a little wonky. Not massively so, but enough to be noticable. It is mainly from the side - from my left profile, they look fine, from face on, they're ok, although you can see my left incisor starts to look like it's overlapping a little, but from the right hand side, you can see where most of my top teeth seem to overlap each other slightly and they don't look straight at all.

Simple answer may be to ensure that photos of me are only taken from one side, but this seems a little unrealistic and veering into bridezilla territory!! :rotfl:

I've done a little research and found some potential options. I would like to avoid veneers etc as they are very expensive, and seem quite a drastic action for what really is a minor problem.
Invisilign braces, and the braces that wire behind your teeth sound like a great option, but ultimately, I think these may be too expensive too Anyone have any idea of approximate cost (I appreciate that may be akin to asking how long is a piece of string!)

Everything I've read about tooth whitening and whitening toothpastes seems to suggest avoiding them due to damage to teeth (with the possible exception of Crest whitening strips - do these work, and if so, any recommendations where I can try them?)

I've found the idea of Snap-on-smiles - has anyone got any experience of these? They're still not cheap, but cheaper than most dentistry and much less invasive, they seem like if they work, they might be an option?

I would just really like to look at photographs of myself in future without instantly thinking - I'd look nice if my teeth didn't look so rubbish...

Any help, suggestions, experiences would be invaluable please - the internet is chocked full of vendors flogging invisilign and veneers, and I think it might be very easy to miss an easy but less publicised solution!

Thanks in advance to anyone who may be able to help.

xxxxx

brook2jack

crest whitening strips are illegal in the UK and EU so there is no legal way of getting them other than to travel to the states , buying them on the internet means you are buying a product the vendor knows it is illegal to sell in the UK with the concerns that brings. If you are suitable dentist provided whitening is a safe option but you need to be assesed by your dentist first. it is illegal for anyone other than a dentist to provide tooth whitening.

Have you actually discussed with a dentist your concerns? What did they suggest? The internet is rubbish at dentistry, you will get a far better idea of what may be possible and a good idea of what is best for you by asking your dentist.

lingual braces and Invisalign are expensive and limited ways of providing braces , prices will normally be £3000 upwards. Fixed (train track) braces)are more adjustable and , in general, give a better result starting at around £1800.

Snap on smiles are basically rubbish. They were developed in the states as a temporary fix to allow time to save up for proper treatment. They are expensive for what they are which is , essentially, a piece of plastic that snaps over the top of your own teeth with limited lifespan and limited in what it can do..

Toothsmith

Have a word with the photographer about photoshop.

It's how the magazines do it.

Flirtini_2

Thanks Brook2Jack and Toothsmith - yes, you're probably right that photoshop is the easier way to go!

Brook2Jack -thanks for all the info, that is helpful. I haven't discussed with my dentist in detail - I have mentioned on previous visits that I'm not entirely happy with my teeth and tentatively asked about whitening/straightening etc - however, as a very busy NHS dentist he is of the opinion that if it aint broke, don't fix it, and it's not really been discussed in depth. I don't think the surgery as a whole that I go to does much in the way of cosmetic dentistry at all.

I didn't realise that there were no tooth whitening options other than via a dentist - people talk about them so much I thought they were very common! Learn something new every day!

Thanks again xx

Toothsmith

The non-dentist whitening options are becoming less commonplace as the GDC is beginning to have some success in getting unregistered, untrained individuals prosecuted for carrying it out.

brook2jack

Unfortunately there are alot of people who don't realise , until the damage is done, that it is illegal for anyone other than a dentist ,or dental hygienist/therapist working to a dentists prescription, to whiten teeth. This is a useful link about tooth whitening http://safetoothwhitening.org/

A first start may be to ask your dentist about whitening, and who they recommend for orthodontics (braces). Tooth whitening is not suitable for everyone, and results are difficult to predict but most dentists will charge around £250 to £300.

flissh

My dentist charged 500.00 for whitening treatment. More than I see quoted on these pages, but I did not want to got to another dentist, it's taken me ages to find one I like. So in the end I decided to pay up!
I had enlighten whitening treatment and I am very happy with the results. Plus I've got the trays, plenty of left over gel (and can get more from the dentist) so can top up when ever I want.

brook2jack

Enlighten is an expensive system. Part of that is the trays which have to be made by enlighten and part because surgery treatment is part of the system and that adds to cost. However it does guarantee lightening to certain colours and the back up for that.

JeffWall

So you want to whiten your teeth and make them better aligned, right. You can do both of these via cosmetic dentistry if you pocket agrees to it. Teeth whitening is a common thing these times and it gives assured results with little or no side effects. Also to align your teeth you can use braces, there are braces that can be taken off in 6 months, my sister wet to Dr. David M. Silberman in Texas. So you won't have to wear them at your wedding. I suggest you talk to your surgeon about this and get his inputs. If he isn't enthusiastic about all these find someone else who is.

paulwellerfan

texas... long way to go for a bit of tooth whitening

Toothsmith

They do good spam though!