Back in Braces - EEK!

[Sobi80]

Hey everyone, 1st post from a newbie here!

I have gapped teeth with a slightly sticky out overbite. I had braces when I was 24 (from 2004 - 2006) and hated the results. Before braces when I'd smile only my upper teeth would be visable but now my smile looked super gummy and my teeth looked tiny, squashed together, slanted and almost child liked. This was far from the Hollywood smile I'd imagined! I lacked confidence at the time so didn't tell my orthodontist I wasn't happy. One of my biggest complaint was that I'd had my 1st premolar extracted and my 2nd premolars are TINY. They just looked odd next to the canines.

So long story short, unhappy with my smile I wasn't vigilant with retainer wear and my teeth started to shift pretty much straight away. Apparently I needed a Frenectomy but this was never offered. As they started to shift and become more spaced out I really started to like the way they looked. My smile became less gummy and I didn't even mind the small gaps that were starting to reappear. But they kept moving and moving and moving and before I knew it I was in a worse position than I'd been before I got braces as the gaps became even bigger (to make up for the premolars that had been removed). By 2008 my teeth were awful.

I have decided to get them fixed again at the age of 37 and started Invisalign treatment yday. I have been looking online and have noticed that a lot of people who undergo treatment for gapped teeth end up with the small/slanted/crowded/child like teeth that I ended up with the first treatment. My clincheck looks nice enough but I guess that's not an actual reflection on what my smile will look like. I'm worried that I will end up with the sand results as I had in 2006. I have tried discussing this with my dentist, who has a 'let's just see what happens' attitude.

So my question is this,

1. Can I stop treatment mid way if I'm happy with the results? I don't necessarily want the gaps completely closed if it means my teeth looking so squashed and gummy.

2. Can anything be done to help my teeth look bigger, more spaced out and less gummy?

3. How can I get my 2nd tiny premolar to resemble a 1st premolar and not look so out of place next to my canine?

I can post pics of that helps? Not sure how to though!

Thanks

[Tyrantblade]

1. Yes you could stop treatment mid way; you would just need to request treatment to stop and depending on how far you got there may be money forfeited to the ortho for their time/effort up to that point.

2. There should be; but im not an Orthodontist.

3. Im unsure.

And yes you can post pictures; you just need enough posts.

[strinder]

When you get your posts up would you mind posting a picture? I currently am 24 and have braces to resolve spacing and that is something I have been worrying about. I know my teeth are small so I can't imagine how they will look all small and together and at least seeing what yours have looked I will have an idea.

To be honest I don't know if there is anything they can do, at least no Invisalign can do. I think if you spoke with a dentist they might have procedures of adding stuff to the teeth to make the teeth appear bigger but I'm definitely no expert.

[herefor1thing]

as far as your gums, look up gingivoplasty

[assertives]

Ortho work only straightens teeth and correct bites and it basically works with what you have. It is not able to affect the size and shape of your teeth. If you want them to look bigger or even, you can try bonding or veneers. They are your best bet.