6 Month smile - different types

[AldoF]

Hi,

I'm looking to get the 6 month braces and have a appointment booked for next week with my normal dentist to check if my teeth are suitable.

The question I'm wondering is that I've read of different types of '6 month braces'.. i'e. 6 month smile, C-fast, Inman, SafeBraces?, Invisalign... but which is better?

I can find cheaper deal via voucher type websites but should I stay clear of these when they are offering half the price of what other charge?

Thanks

[tonyk]

I would recommend you read Dr. Jorgenson's Orthodontics Blog (Google those words) before rushing into "6-month braces". His most recent post is on the topic of 6-month smiles, and why you should be cautious about something that sounds too good to be true.

Here's the Cliff Notes version, as I understand it:
1. Any type of braces can make your teeth look way better in 6 months.
2. The issues that take time are those that involve fixing your bite (how your teeth come together). If you need your bite corrected, that will likely take longer, but that is part of a complete orthodontic treatment.

Also, personally, I would not see a regular dentist to make a decision on whether a particular orthodontic appliance/treatment is right for me. I am going with a real orthodontist even though my own dentist is offering some kind of orthodontics, too. Orthodontists are really trained to do this kind of work. Maybe you're a candidate for 6-month braces, maybe you're not, but in my opinion, that call should be made by an orthodontist, not a dentist.

[EWUgal15]

A lot of the 6 month smile products that I have seen are 100% designed for cosmetic issues...crowding or gaps. I haven't seen any that fix rotation or correct bite alignment. Improper bite can lead to TMJ issues, which have a laundry list of associated problems. If you're not worried about how your jaw and teeth perform together and are simply SPAM SPAM SPAMMING for fixing crowding or closing gaps, 6 month products might be the way to go...but I would honestly just go the full treatment and get the most of it the first time rather than do something that might cause more serious problems down the road and lead to another trip to orthodontia land.

[AldoF]

Thanks

Well... I should have said it's my normal dentist practice but there is a orthodontist who works from there also. I have an appointment to see the orthodontist on Monday.

I'm looking at braces more for appearance. My bite is fine. I have slight zig zag teeth at my bottom front 4. My top front teeth are my main priority.. two front teeth and one next to them are wonky. I tend to mumble because I don't like anyone seeing the teeth.. I also smile for photos with my mouth closed. lol.

I would love to get them straightened. The thing is I know the orthodontist I'm going to see will prob charge around £1800 for an arch but I found one of these groupon type deals for a dentist nearby that will do an arch for half this price.

I'm just worried about paying for a dentist I don't know that are offering a deal that sound to good to be true. On their website they charge £1200 per arch but the deal they were doing was £700 an arch. Seem to cheap compared to others.

Are these the kind of prices I should be looking at?

[EWUgal15]

Price doesn't always determine quality. Typically speaking, a higher cost means that more things need to be corrected. I'm not super up to speed on the conversion from USD to GBP, but I will tell you this: I am in 24-36 month braces treatment coming in at $6075. My boyfriend also has a 24-36 month treatment plan that is going to cost him $5125. And we see the same orthodontist and regular dentist. The bottom line is that my mouth needs more work than his does.

Your best bet would be to have 3-4 consultations with different orthodontists and pick the treatment plan you are most comfortable with. I have heard several different things regarding this in the UK because of NHS vs private practice, so I can't speak to how easy this will be. I know price is a big deal because it is a lot of money, but don't settle for the cheapest option if it isn't going to fix your problems. I would also be wary of Groupon type deals...mainly because it sounds to me like a one size fits all deal and lets face it, when it comes to orthodontia there is no such thing as one size fits all.

[tonyk]

GBP 700 (USD 1100) for an arch would be quite cheap in the U.S. (where I live). I'm paying over $8000 for Incognito (a complete treatment lasting 18-20 months, and including both arches).

I think the first thing is to find out what kind of treatment you need and how long it's likely to take. I agree with EWUgal15 that you should get several opinions and prices. I'd also try to find out more about the outfit offering the discount rate to be sure they're do quality work. Orthodontics is a big investment and time commitment, so you want to get it done right the first time. You mentioned several options including braces and Invisalign. Traditional braces are likely to be your least expensive option. My ortho told me that he used to do a lot of Invisalign for adults, but now he prefers to use lingual braces for adults because he has much better control of tooth movements with braces. All of his school-age patients are in traditional braces. I went with linguals because of my age and my work/life. I would have considered Invisalign, but went with my ortho's preference.

Good luck!

[AldoF]

Well... had my appointment yesterday and the orthodontist recommended that I should use the 'Inman Aligner'. She explain how it works and what else they might need to do, including filing the sides of some teeth slightly to create more space.

I suppose this should be in another forum now as its similar to invisalign at I can take them out for eating ... special events etc but I need to wear them for min 20hours per day. She said they would effect my speech and create a lisp but that my teeth could be straightened in around 4months.

I watched some youtube videos online and the lisp it creates is really bad. I still think I should go for it.. it's only 4 months to sort the teeth ive hated for 15+ years!! ha.

[AldoF]

I'm researching post now but cant see pictures of results .. hope to see some soon

[AldoF]

[tonyk]

Looks like a good appliance, and on both sides of the teeth, so I suppose it's at least partially lingual!

Keep us posted. I'm sure others would like to know about your experience with this kind of appliance.