how far would you go for perfect teeth?

obolton756

i'm 19 years old, had braces when i was younger! today i have just been fitted with the inman aligner to correct overlapping in my front teeth.. although its removable and i only have to wear it 19 hours a day its also quite bulky, makes me look about 5 and is sore!!

so my question is... how many of you out there would get braces just to get nice teeth? would it worry you if your teeth were crooked, or would the whole wearing the brace and the look of it bother you more?

lythiam

Eh, I had a slight gap, and my lower teeth were crowded. My mom slapped braces on me (well, she paid an ortho to do this, ha), and everyone thought it was ridiculous that I had braces because my teeth weren't that bad. Now, I have perfect teeth, and I love my smile, so I think it's very worth it.

lafl3ur

i'm 19 years old, had braces when i was younger! today i have just been fitted with the inman aligner to correct overlapping in my front teeth.. although its removable and i only have to wear it 19 hours a day its also quite bulky, makes me look about 5 and is sore!!

so my question is... how many of you out there would get braces just to get nice teeth? would it worry you if your teeth were crooked, or would the whole wearing the brace and the look of it bother you more?

I think it would depend on how crooked my teeth were. I had braces and never wore my retainer afterwards. My teeth have become slightly crooked as a result, and my dentist wanted me to have braces for a second time to correct that, but my teeth look perfectly straight, function fine, and line up normally afaik, so I didn't elect to have braces to correct the slight crookedness (I also had a complication in my mouth that didn't allow me to get braces a second time anyway). I don't need perfect teeth as long as they look pretty straight (they were really crooked before I had braces).

I have a friend who has a permanent retainer in her mouth to prevent her teeth from moving. Personally, I think that's kind of weird. I wouldn't want something like that in my mouth permanently.

RebelliousRibbons

I just got braces in November to correct a snaggletooth and had four premolars pulled as a result of severe crowding (I have a very small jaw and huge teeth).

Honestly, if my bottom teeth hadn't been rising to fill the snaggle gap (or the second front tooth at the top hadn't been going behind the snaggle), I wouldn't have bothered. I liked my snaggletooth and thought it was cute, but I couldn't handle the way it was screwing up the rest of my teeth year after year.

Braces don't bother me, but I didn't really want *perfect* teeth, either. Now that I've put out $5k, however... of course I want them perfect. That was a lot of money. I'm just going to do my best with my retainers when I get there.

I just hope, in the future, I don't regret having four perfectly healthy teeth pulled out. =/

mtaylor33557

I have a little gap between my two front teeth and my bottom teeth are a little crowded me, but its not enough to make me get braces.. they function just fine.

focus4fitness

I do not have perfect teeth. I don't even want perfect teeth (and I can afford perfect teeth). But then again I live an area where everyone seems to have perfect chicklet teeth.

twistofcain

I have one tooth that overlaps the other on the bottom and a few that are out of alignment as well on the bottom. They do not cause me any discomfort, so I really do not care. My dentist has never suggested correcting them, so until he brings it up, I have no problem with it.

myfitnessnmhoy

I resisted braces when I was younger (through the incredibly clever technique of being born to parents who, though loving and supportive, lacked the funds for them!). My teeth don't all meet nicely when I grit them, and the point at which most of them do puts my jaw about 1/4" out of alignment. They don't line up perfectly though the gaps and the couple of "bent-back" teeth are pretty subtle so there's not a lot to notice.

I'm 43 now. Honestly, no one has ever noticed or if they have they have not commented on it. I have been successfully able to feed myself sustenance since the diagnosis of crooked teeth 30+ years ago, and I anticipate continuing said capability for many years hence. Despite the fillings that a misspent flossless youth garnered me, all of my teeth are "original equipment" and have given me no significant problems.

I'd say it's FAR more important to keep up with brushing and flossing than focusing on the perfect alignment, but that's just me.

MelMoly

I think my dentist is gonna be in heaven when I finish up all my trips there

10acity

I've already spent what some would consider a ridiculous amount of money on my teeth. I'm kind of a freak about it. I tell people that if I ever won the lottery-- forget plastic surgery, I'm getting all my teeth pulled and my head filled with gorgeous, impenetrable implants!

But... it's never been because they're crooked (I'm actually the fortunate only 1 of my siblings to have naturally very straight teeth). But while their teeth are pretty healthy, mine are prone to all kinds of issues. I've had oral surgery for periodontitis, two root canals and crowns, and an implant. I've lost count of the number of fillings. I brush and floss religiously. My dentist cites "hereditary susceptibility". I bet my hereditary susceptibility has by now exceeded the cost of both my sisters' orthodontia.

Il_DaniD_lI

I love my imperfect teeth.

ArtGeek22

GET IT DONE! Cautionary tale of my father. He didn't wear his retainer and his teeth got out of aliment and didn't do anything about it. He chipped 3 teeth and had to have braces on at age 50. While he was head of his company......

But as long as it doesn't hurt your teeth and it doesn't bother you (key words!), you don't have to dish out the money to get it fixed. Personally, it would bother me a lot and I would get it fixed. But I don't plan on losing my smile that my parent's payed a lot of money for when I was 13. Also, I wear my retainer like religion since my father's ordeal :laugh:

Natashaa1991

PLEASE wear braces, i used to wear them when i was a kid, and now everybody's saying i have the most perfect teeth! I'm also blessed because i have the whitest natural teeth color, but it didn't matter when they were crooked! you won't regret it and also i must say i find braces very cute

xHelloQuincyx

my teeth are pretty messed up right now. i grew up dirt poor, and now im paying for it myself. its gonna put me back pretty dang far im guessing. going to the dentist for the first time in about 8 years next month. then getting braces before i start my 2nd year of college next fall. didnt get aproved for invisaline, so its traditional braces for me. doing it because it hurts, not really because it will look great. when you factor in the time its gonna look weirdo having braces, i hope it will be worth it

schume89

Starting in 2nd grade, I have had expanders, retainers 3 times, and braces 2 times. I got my braces off in time for high school, and since then I have used whitening products: the strips, toothpaste, and mouthwash, and trust me, it was worth it! I can't even tell you how many times I have received compliments on my teeth, and it makes me really proud haha but also, I realize how lucky I am that I was able to get all the work done

TadaGanIarracht

I have HORRIBLE teeth. Bad genetics but I know I will be getting braces probably in my 30s. I have so much work that needs to be done. Blech.

JennieAL

If I could go back to my early 20's in college when I thought I was "too old" and "mature" to be wearing a retainer at night... I would in a heartbeat! I had perfect teeth... perfectly aligned. After having crowded teeth and an overbite as a child, I was very happy & proud of my teeth. The ortho warned me that they would definitely shift once I quit wearing it... I tried it out, and sure enough over the years, they've shifted. They are nothing like they were before braces & having 4 teeth pulled, but one in front in particular bugs me... it's shifted so that it does stand out more than the other. And I really don't like it at all. I'm thinking of getting braces all over again (in my 30's) to correct that.

That said, you're gorgeous and your teeth look fine from here But... it's all about what makes YOU happy and what you're willing to live with.

BeautyFromPain

My teeth are crooked.

"Flaws" make everyone so much more unique and interesting, imho.

juliecat1

I smile all the time and am grateful to have nearly perfect teeth. I do get them professionally whitened every 6months which some people find extreme. It goes a long way with making me feel more confident. I wanted braces soooooo bad as a kid. I used to unfold a paper clip and try and wear it across my teeth.

mdelcott

I was blessed with perfect teeth, thank you mom and dad, however I would do whatever I had to to have these teeth too. So I would get the braces of wear the mouth guard

Chameleone

I never liked my teeth but I dealt with it, because I couldn't afford braces. But apparently my dentist felt bad for me and said he'd give my parents a 2 for one deal with me and my sister. I have braces now and when I see the pics of my mouth before I'm like daaaaaaaaammmnn that was BAAAAD! I just didn't look at it too much and didn't smile too big in pictures (you couldn't tell from just talking) so I always thought it was no big deal but my dentist had seen my mouth WIDE open, lips spread and everything so he knew what was up...

I haven't gotten them off yet, maybe another 6 months, but at this point I think it's worth it for teeth that were as bad as mine. One less this to feel self conscious about

PunkyRachel

I have a gap, on the side, not front. It's because I have an adult tooth that never came in, it's tuck at a diagonal in my gums still today. So I need wire braces to put that tooth into place. I don't see it ever happening, I'm poor with no dental or health insurance. I don't think I can afford it.

Alex_is_Hawks

I've already spent what some would consider a ridiculous amount of money on my teeth. I'm kind of a freak about it. I tell people that if I ever won the lottery-- forget plastic surgery, I'm getting all my teeth pulled and my head filled with gorgeous, impenetrable implants!

But... it's never been because they're crooked (I'm actually the fortunate only 1 of my siblings to have naturally very straight teeth). But while their teeth are pretty healthy, mine are prone to all kinds of issues. I've had oral surgery for periodontitis, two root canals and crowns, and an implant. I've lost count of the number of fillings. I brush and floss religiously. My dentist cites "hereditary susceptibility". I bet my hereditary susceptibility has by now exceeded the cost of both my sisters' orthodontia.

I have hereditary susceptibility also...it doesn't matter what I do, they just want to go bad....

My father had that exact same problem, and I know he's paid well over 10,000 dollars to correct his teeth...and i'm getting to the point of having to do the exact same thing...

I live with a flosser pick in my mouth and brush religiously and they still give me problems...UGH

Will_Lift_4_Shoes

I think its worth it. I am in my 30's and I just had braces put on in January. My teeth shifted cuz I didn't wear a retainer when I was a kid so now I get to pay for it. I already feel a lot more confident in my smile I can't wait to see what the next year will bring when my braces come off.

Robin_Bin

Depends on the problem. Perfect... naw, that's boring.

But a bad bite (occlusion) can cause snoring and sleeping issues, mess with your jaw, cause damage to your teeth (requiring caps, bridges,or implants when the teeth are lost), Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ) can cause soreness and pain, really bad alignment can affect the way you hold your head and your posture. Even minor problems can affect other parts of your life if they make you too self conscious.

I'd do lots of dental work to avoid losing teeth or some of the other problems mentioned above. But for cosmetic things like lightening, I wouldn't be willing to spend nearly as much time or money. In fact, unless it's extreme I probably wouldn't do anything that's solely cosmetic for my teeth.

Lady_Bane

I have had braces headgear and retainers, it took about 7 years to complete, and multiple high school beatings....but.....now all those as*holes are sad bc they look like *kitten*. Do what you gotta do, when its done....you wont regret it!

smartandtrim

I've had 5 years of braces, two surgeries, whitening and enamel implants on what were considered already very near perfect teeth. Your smile is how you present yourself to the world- it needs to be perfect.

MeliJean78

Teeth just get in the way.

Sissy4EverX3

If I want to have perfect teeth, all I have to do is remember to put mine in. :bigsmile:

Seriously, though, I'm only 33 and having to wear dentures is quite embarassing -- especially since they don't fit right and I don't wear them half the time because of that anyhow. (I can't afford the $$$ to have them refitted.) My parents spend over $10k on my teeth growing up and I was the idiot who let it all go to waste. I brushed them, but apparently not well enough. One by one, they all came out. I really kick myself most days for that.

Kell_Smurthwaite

When I was 15 (I'm 35 now) I demanded a brace because one of my top teeth (my left canine) was slightly out of alignment. I wore that brace for a year and was left with perfectly straight teeth. I'm fortunate that my teeth are particularly white and I don't get much of a tartar build up (I only need yearly checkups and my dentist says he sees about 5 times as much build up on other people's teeth after 6 months than he sees on mine after a year!). I'm particularly lucky and never need anything more than a scale and polish (I have one tiny white filling I had done when I was nearly 22). My hubby is the other end of the scale - he's only 2 years older than me and is missing almost all his back teeth already. He always dreads a visit to the dentist because he knows he'll need more work done every time, whether it's a filling or another tooth pulled. I really hope our son takes after me in the teeth department! He's 3-y-o and his teeth are beautifully straight and white. I hope they stay that way!

My only regret is that I didn't ask for a lower brace too, as I have slight spaces between my bottom teeth. They're not large spaces, but I wish they looked "neater". My dentist, on the other hand, LOVES those small gaps because he can get in about my teeth to make sure they're sparkling - LOL!

I'm lucky I grew up in the UK - dental treatment is free for under 18s, so my braces didn't cost my parents anything. I also see an NHS dentist now, so I don't have to pay through the nose for a scale and polish, and my hubby cuts his costs on his required dental work too - he couldn't possibly afford it privately as he always need s so much done.

nerdyandilikeit

I smile all the time and am grateful to have nearly perfect teeth. I do get them professionally whitened every 6months which some people find extreme. It goes a long way with making me feel more confident. I wanted braces soooooo bad as a kid. I used to unfold a paper clip and try and wear it across my teeth.

I wanted braces too! I had giant gaps between my top front teeth (they're genetic, but while my sister got braces too, my brother's fixed themselves) and an overbite.

I got braces at 8 because I'd already lost all my baby teeth, and I had them til I was nearly twelve. Then my top front teeth started moving apart again, so I got a smaller set of braces two years later, then veneers on my teeth beside my front two teeth to hold them together.

It didn't work. My dog chewed up my retainer twice so I had to deal with it. I don't really mind the gap now, it gives character. I absolutely HATE my overbite, purely for comfort. The gap and overbite keep getting worse over time and I feel like my teeth are running away from me.

One of my rewards is to save up to get braces and new veneers again.