Soon done, not happy

[Heartofdarkness]

Hi!

My ortho told me no more than 1,5 years in braces, it's soon been 2 years but it doesn't look like I would like it to. My ortho does the best she can (I hope) but I start to wonder what another one would think about my teeth.

My last visit she asked me what I'm not happy about and I pointed the most important thing out to her and she has done what is possible to fix it. Still I think my teeth looks like some people's teeth look like BEFORE they get braces. She says it's because the shape of my teeth, that's why there are gaps, and I know that. My bite is good, though.

As you can see from my before photo, my main issue was the crooked one, sticking out. I still feel this one is not straight but I understand it's because it has a bent shape, making the tip pointing inwards. So it's like a bulge on the middle. Ortho made a dent to push it inwards even more, even though it is in line but the curve gives it an optical illusion of not being in line. I also don't like that deep bite, even though it was much worse before.

I guess this is the best that can be done with my teeth. Can you give me an opinion? Is this just the way my teeth will look, being the way they are with odd, pointy shapes, or should I get a second opinion from another ortho? I have already paid the cost of the treatment, so seeing another one would be a costly thing.

Before: http://oi68.tinypic.com/345k600.jpg and http://oi67.tinypic.com/atok5k.jpg
Today: http://oi65.tinypic.com/2ntbh3t.jpg and http://oi63.tinypic.com/357ozu8.jpg

[wendydong]

I think you had some improvement, but one big problem i see in your after is your smile is slanted.

Your teeth on the right, the top and bottom overlaps more than your teeth on the right.

And you could use some widening of your arch.

Raise your issues with your ortho and see if he can fix it. You can't find a transfer with your braces in. If you wamt to find another, debrace and go see others

you can get second opinions from other orthos for a small fee or for free. With your braces in.

but if you want a new ortho to treat you with your current braces in, very small.chance

[AndAndAnd]

Hi - In no way do your teeth look like other people’s teeth before they get braces. I can’t see any issues, no visible overbite, and unlike the other comment I don’t think your teeth are either slanted or that you need a widening of the arch. Has your orthodontist ever said as much? Your teeth look good to me.

[Heartofdarkness]

I think you had some improvement, but one big problem i see in your after is your smile is slanted.

Your teeth on the right, the top and bottom overlaps more than your teeth on the right.

And you could use some widening of your arch.

Raise your issues with your ortho and see if he can fix it. You can't find a transfer with your braces in. If you wamt to find another, debrace and go see others

you can get second opinions from other orthos for a small fee or for free. With your braces in.

but if you want a new ortho to treat you with your current braces in, very small.chance

Thanks for your input. It is slanted, but I don't think there is anything more to do about it. My arch looks good in proportion to my face. Oh I see, well in that case I definitely won't be able to afford switching!

[Heartofdarkness]

Hi - In no way do your teeth look like other people’s teeth before they get braces. I can’t see any issues, no visible overbite, and unlike the other comment I don’t think your teeth are either slanted or that you need a widening of the arch. Has your orthodontist ever said as much? Your teeth look good to me.

Thank you! That felt good reading. I mean like those people you sometimes read about that just want to fix minor things, I feel my teeth could be such a case. It is a bit slanted, but I think my ortho has done the best she can and it's not affecting my bite so I don't care about that. I feel the same about the arch, it is in proportion to my face and I do have a small mouth.

[kplatt2010]

Hi There - I think your teeth look really good! I'm wondering if they could tweak just a tiny little bit by pulling the lower jaw just a tiny little bit more forward with elastics. I say this because the bite looks just slightly off. Did they have you wear elastics previously?

Personally I think a few weeks in elastics and you'll be ready to de-band. Keep in mind though; I'm not an orthodontist.

Karla

[Heartofdarkness]

Hi There - I think your teeth look really good! I'm wondering if they could tweak just a tiny little bit by pulling the lower jaw just a tiny little bit more forward with elastics. I say this because the bite looks just slightly off. Did they have you wear elastics previously?

Personally I think a few weeks in elastics and you'll be ready to de-band. Keep in mind though; I'm not an orthodontist.

Karla

I haven't been in elastics at all, and I'm very happy about that haha! I have a very social job, I work in a craft shop and I need to talk to people all the time and I feel really tired of the braces. I wear them proudly, never been ashamed or anything (I'm soon 33) but I just don't think I can stand having elastics at work... I know people will stare. Can't take that. Oh, and thank you!!

[kplatt2010]

You know the rubber bands become white noise after awhile kind of like the braces. I wore them for 8 months and felt naked when I've been given reprieves. The elastics appear to be the new neck gears and headgears which I had to do and you never got use to those. Especially if you were a teen.

Again I'm not an orthodontist and perhaps kindly voice your concerns and find out if there is any small adjustments that can be made before de-banding. In my opinion; ortho care is similar to an assembly line type work. Sometimes there needs to be a quality check to ensure that you're getting the best product. Think of yourself as that quality check as you are the one who bought the product right??
Karla

[AndAndAnd]

I second kplatt2010... having elastics is all part-and-parcel of having braces. I didn’t want them at first either, but they make drastic changes in only a few months. I personally have reduced my protrusion by 4mm in only four months. My orthodontist was talking about removing them after Christmas, and even though I never wanted them on in the first place, I now want to keep them on as long as possible so that I can squeeze as much out of them as possible.

[Heartofdarkness]

You know the rubber bands become white noise after awhile kind of like the braces. I wore them for 8 months and felt naked when I've been given reprieves. The elastics appear to be the new neck gears and headgears which I had to do and you never got use to those. Especially if you were a teen.

Again I'm not an orthodontist and perhaps kindly voice your concerns and find out if there is any small adjustments that can be made before de-banding. In my opinion; ortho care is similar to an assembly line type work. Sometimes there needs to be a quality check to ensure that you're getting the best product. Think of yourself as that quality check as you are the one who bought the product right??
Karla

You're right, they will become white noise but not for everyone else, can't stand the thought of kids and rude people staring. I just hate being in braces. You know the first weeks when you were so not used to them and everytime you smiled or laughed you had to force your upper lip over the hooks and brackets to close your mouth again? I thought that would disappear but I still have that problem after 2 years (or maybe everyone do?). It affects my life right now, I don't feel comfortable and I don't feel like myself. I just don't know if it's worth the trouble.

[Heartofdarkness]

I second kplatt2010... having elastics is all part-and-parcel of having braces. I didn’t want them at first either, but they make drastic changes in only a few months. I personally have reduced my protrusion by 4mm in only four months. My orthodontist was talking about removing them after Christmas, and even though I never wanted them on in the first place, I now want to keep them on as long as possible so that I can squeeze as much out of them as possible.

I'll just stop smiling at work. I just can't stand the thought that instead of 1,5 years, it will be 2,5 (perhaps more who knows). But still. I really don't want to experience having them taken off and not feel happy about them.

[assertives]

Your teeth do not look like other people's before pictures. You've definitely had a lot of improvements with your treatment. The sharp canine can probably be reshaped a little to not look as sharp if it really bothers you, but the lateral incisor on your left is probably as good as it can get with it's natural curved shape. But frankly, I am also not really seeing the issues that are bothering you.

As others have pointed out, I can see the slant and your bite being a little off on the right which is probably fixable with elastics. Personally, the time when I noticed the most amount of changes and improvement to my bite is when I had to wear elastics. So it may be worthwhile discussing this with your ortho.

I personally haven't had people staring or even noticing I had braces and I'm pretty sure no one would notice too when I get my braces off. What bothers me more is not rude people or kids staring, but the things that I don't like about my teeth that stares back at me in the mirror for the rest of my life. So I would fix what I can now because a couple more months in discomfort is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

But hey, at the end of the day, it's your teeth, and if your bite doesn't bother you and feels comfortable to you, then that's all that matters.

[Heartofdarkness]

Your teeth do not look like other people's before pictures. You've definitely had a lot of improvements with your treatment. The sharp canine can probably be reshaped a little to not look as sharp if it really bothers you, but the lateral incisor on your left is probably as good as it can get with it's natural curved shape. But frankly, I am also not really seeing the issues that are bothering you.

As others have pointed out, I can see the slant and your bite being a little off on the right which is probably fixable with elastics. Personally, the time when I noticed the most amount of changes and improvement to my bite is when I had to wear elastics. So it may be worthwhile discussing this with your ortho.

I personally haven't had people staring or even noticing I had braces and I'm pretty sure no one would notice too when I get my braces off. What bothers me more is not rude people or kids staring, but the things that I don't like about my teeth that stares back at me in the mirror for the rest of my life. So I would fix what I can now because a couple more months in discomfort is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

But hey, at the end of the day, it's your teeth, and if your bite doesn't bother you and feels comfortable to you, then that's all that matters.

Thank you so much for your feedback. I think I will for ever see that crooked tooth before me, so it could be my mind playing tricks on me. Yes, my ortho said we could try elastics, but I was just happy to get off the hook (heh). You're right, it's better to get everything right and not regretting later.