Questions about BRACES (the kind that go on your teeth)

[Cognacad]

Hello gentlemen,

My top teeth aren't bad, and all things considered my bottom teeth aren't too bad either. That being said, one of my bottom canines protrude a bit more than I would like, and the tooth right next to it is a bit too far behind.

I am interested in maybe getting some braces. I have four variables of concern:

1. Price.
2. Discomfort
3. Visibility to others
4. Time of effect.

I'm just trying to figure out what the best option for my situation is.

I can think of three options:
1. Invisible ones that I take in and out
2. A permanent one that goes behind my bottom teeth
3. Permanent ones that are on the front of my bottom teeth and invisible (least likely option).

Does anyone have experience with this stuff? I am 23 so my teeth are pretty much in place, but I think I am still young so I might as well give it a shot. I might go for an assessment early next year. What am I looking at pricewise start to completion only for bottom? Ballpark obviously. What I don't want is to have to take something out every time I eat, especially not in front of others.

I suppose if its not much more expensive to get top ones I might do that too, depending.

Any help and personal experiences would be appreciated!

 

[BBSLM]

I had braces when I was a kid, and I stopped wearing my retainer a few years after having them removed, and my upper teeth moved slightly. Not enough that anyone would notice, but I can. I got an estimate for invisalign: $3900.

 

[Mr. Lee]

First, put all considerations/issues aside and get them, top and bottom--maximum not minimum . I got them when I was 26 (30 years ago) and didn't think I could afford them ($3,000 back then). Best investment I ever made. Then you need to stay on top of it because your wisdom teeth can come in and wreak havoc, if they are not in already. You may also need some shaping. At 57 and having regularly gone to the dentist, flossed, brushed, etc;, (as well as had them professionally whitened several times), my teeth look great. And great teeth are pretty rare at my age. So, go for it!

 

[Cognacad]

Thanks for the feedback. My wisdom teeth are out now, so hopefully that might help. My brother has invisiline or whatever its called and he said it will only take 14 months and will cost around 5000$.

Just not sure how I feel about taking this thing out when I go to a restaurant and such.

 

[ltb]

honestly, it depends on how misaligned your teeth are. if it's just minor movement necessary, then invisalign or some other similar product is likely going to be cheaper than full banding. however, those types of systems have limitations when it comes to certain conditions. in addition, some orthodontists charge more for different types of malocclusion ("overbite" vs "underbite&quot, so that's something you may need to consider if you're not a candidate for something like invisalign.

lingual braces (that go on the back of your teeth) are an option, but will be significantly more expensive than traditional full brackets. price is really going to depend on your part of the country, honestly.

 

[Cognacad]

Well I live in Canada and I think my teeth are easily "reparable' by the invisiline, will just come down to price and convenience for me. My teeth aren't really bad, I just wouldn't mind them being better in the long run while my mom's insurance covers up to 2500$ haha.

 

[Cognacad]

Apparently lingual braces are almost always more expensive than Invisiline

 

[Notreknip]

Originally Posted by Cognacad

Apparently lingual braces are almost always more expensive than Invisiline

Are you located in AB/SK by chance? Feel free to PM me regardless; I can likely help you out a bunch. I can't promise I'll get back to you immediately, but I will eventually.

Of course, the short version of the long story inevitably is:

1) go see an orthodontist for a free, or at least very cheap, exam/consult and be sure to ask ALL of the "dumb" or "awkward" questions (note that it will eventually cost you around $500 for models, x-rays, photos, etc. to formulate a full/firm/complete diagnosis and treatment plan)

2) personally decide for yourself whether it is worth it

 

[Cognacad]

I sent you a PM.

Has anyone heard of http://www.nightshiftortho.com/ ?

The claims are great, but the fact that there are no independent reviews, seems to work great, and is cheap, bothers me. Also the fact that I'm sure no one around me is trained in it. Probably a problem with not having a retainer afterwards too.

Thanks for all the help everyone. I will likely make an appointment in near future.

 

[Mr. Lee]

The taking out is no big deal-you just need to remember not to put them in a napkin and then roll it up and throw it away. I had to wear a retainer for quite a while and they can get kind of smelly, so I would take a quick trip to the can, remove it, rinse it and put it back in its plastic case in my pocket. Re-insertion can be accomplished discretely at tableside, assuming you haven't had something to eat that is making them a poor fit (i.e., peanuts), in which case, you should consider a flossing stick as standard equipment. Just get going on it and stick with it every step.

 

[tom .p.]

Is this inisalign available in the UK? Also do they do discount prices for people under 18 (I'm 17) as £5000 seems ridiculous.

I've thaught of braces for a while but really don't want the "Metal mouth" look at my age. Would veneers be another cheaper alternative?

 

[ltb]

Veneers are a much more aggressive way to treat minor crowding/spaces and are unlikely to cost less than some sort of ortho (considering you're likely going to need a minimum of 6 placed and potentially more based on your smile line and such). At that age, doing veneers over ortho is pretty dumb imo, just because you're sacrificing a decent amount of healthy tooth structure in the name of 12-18 months of vanity.

I'm not sure about Invisalign's availability in the UK, but there are other clear retainer-type companies (there's one called Red, White, and Blue I believe, but that may be US-only, and it has extremely limited capabilities). I know Align came out with Invisalign Teen a while back, but I'm not certain of the prices. I think the difference is in the number of retainers - fewer retainers = less money. The thing about these types of treatments is that I find that patients grossly overestimate the capabilities of such systems, or underestimate how bad their condition may be, and then get upset when they're told that they're not good candidates for it. The best way to find this all out if to see an orthodontist and go from there - most are not going to charge you for a consult (and if they do, like Notreknip said, it's not expensive).

 

[imschatz]

1) Invisalign can't fix everything. I am currently wearing braces, and when I had an assessment done in June 2009 I was told I'd have to wear braces on the bottom for at least 6 months before starting invisalign.

2) Don't get Veneers. You are 23 .. keep your real teeth as long as you can. And will cost as much or more then Invisalign. I know some older people (my parents age, in their 40's/50's) that had veneers done, and it was $15,000.

Today, with improved cements and bonding agents, they typically last 10-30 years

From wikipedia .. if you get veneers in your 20's .. you'll spend the rest of your life replacing them.

3) Go to an orthodontist. I had the full exam and treatment plan laid out for me for $75. That included moulds, x-ray's, and photo's .. and a 3'D computer simulation of how the teeth would move.

4) If you are in your 20's .. just get braces. The cost difference between braces and invisalign is hardly worth the discomfort of having metal braces in your mouth for a year or two.

5) Be careful about budgeting. Often insurance says "We'll cover up to $2500", but the fine print really reads "We'll cover 50% up to $2500". So if your treatment only costs $2000, they'll only give you $1000.

6) As mentioned I currently have metal braces. Just from what I think personally .. I'd stay away from having braces on the inside of the teeth. It is a pain ********** to clean your teeth with braces on the outside, it'd be virtually impossible to clean them with braces on the inside. If you don't think this is an issue, have your orthodontist show you some pictures of patients teeth who didn't care for them properly. It is gross. Not so much of an issue if all the damage is on the inside of your mouth .. but once your teeth are wrecked in one spot, there is little you can do to prevent that damage from growing.

 

[Rambo]

Have to say that I've never heard of braces being on the inside of the teeth.

 

[2 Legit 2 Quit]

1) price can range anywhere from $2000 to $10000. Personally it costed my parents about $8 grand because when you get braces there can be other operations needed to be done. For example my ortho thought i wouldnt havent enough space to move my teeth around so i had to end up getting all 4 wisdom teeth removed AND 4 regular teeth, total cost was astronomic.

2) the discomfort is not that bad. When you first get them they'll be sore for about the first 1-2 weeks. After every check up they'll retighten your braces and it'll be sore for about 2-7 days...it really depends on your pain threshold, i can take pain very well idk about you.

3) as for visibility it'll be obvious to others that you have braces on. believe it or not some ppl think others look different, but in a good way. Some girls may even think its adorable lol

4) for time, generally it'll take 1-2 years. just because your teeth are for the most part straight doesnt mean a quick treatment, i only 2 teeth that were out of place but the thing is the ortho has to fix EVERYTHING. If you're bite isnt correct, then expect to haev em for 2 years.

if you fix the bottom you will likely need to fix the top, cause fixing the bottom can change your bite