POLL: Should I get braces?

[thirtythree]

My teeth have straightened out on their own over the past few years but the bottom four in the front still overlap quite a bit. So the question is .. should I get braces? If you answer yes, do you have any idea how long I would have to have them in? Thanks for voting

my teeth
another pic

Sorry, the pictures aren't that great.

 

[thirtythree]

Anyone care to explain their vote or take a guess at my second question? My sister told me I would probably only need them on for a year which would be good since I'd like them off by the time I start college. Of course, I don't know how she came up with that so any other ideas would be appreciated. Start flaming each other or something so I can keep this thread at the top. Just kidding of course

 

[NutBucket]

I had somewhat crooked teeth and it was because there physically wasn't enough room for them all in my mouth. My aunt, being a dentist in another country before immigrating here, just pulled one of my teeth to make room for them all. Sure enough, I have ultra straight teeth now and dentists/hygienists always comment on how nice my teeth are.

 

[ElFenix]

you could get the invisible ones. they're not really invisible but they are less noticeable than the metal ones

 

[thirtythree]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
you could get the invisible ones. they're not really invisible but they are less noticeable than the metal ones

Ehh .. I don't really care. I never smile with my teeth anyway.

 

[FoBoT]

no way, too much $$

 

[Pepsi90919]

no, they are hell.

 

[thirtythree]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
I had somewhat crooked teeth and it was because there physically wasn't enough room for them all in my mouth. My aunt, being a dentist in another country before immigrating here, just pulled one of my teeth to make room for them all. Sure enough, I have ultra straight teeth now and dentists/hygienists always comment on how nice my teeth are.

Interesting but I'm not sure that would work for me. It would definnitely look strange for a while...

 

[brunswickite]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
you could get the invisible ones. they're not really invisible but they are less noticeable than the metal ones

yup and they periodically release the scent of calvin klein's Obsession

 

[thirtythree]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
no way, too much $$

My parents already volunteered to pay (they've been trying to get me to get braces for a while) and insurance would be paying for most of it I think. Either way, none of the money is coming from my pocket so cost doesn't really matter.

 

[fatbaby]

I don't think insurance will cover it. Braces are under the cosmetics category...otherwise insurance would pay for breast implants, enlargements, etc.

How old are you anyways? Have you consulted an orthodontist?

 

[Descartes]

Your teeth look pretty damn good to me. I'm not a fan of absolutely perfect teeth, anyway.

 

[thirtythree]

Originally posted by: fatbaby
I don't think insurance will cover it. Braces are under the cosmetics category...otherwise insurance would pay for breast implants, enlargements, etc.

How old are you anyways? Have you consulted an orthodontist?

I'm 17 and my dentists have been trying to get me to get braces along with my parents. I'm going in for my yearly checkup tomorrow morning so I'll probably ask about seeing an orthodontist. I'm not sure about insurance .. I'll have to ask.

 

[ViRGE]

Fatbaby, insurance covered a dang good chunk of my braces costs when I got them, but then again I was a kid, so the situation could have escliated to a more major problem(something it wouldn't do for an adult). I would imagine that insurance would base it off of nessisity(overbites, jaw alignment, tooth/jaw crowding, etc), and if you don't have any situation other than some slightly crooked teeth, then they wouldn't cover it.

 

[thirtythree]

Originally posted by: Descartes
Your teeth look pretty damn good to me. I'm not a fan of absolutely perfect teeth, anyway.

Well apparently 9/14 people are. I don't particularly care myself but I figure I may want to do it at some point in my life so I might as well do it now. I don't know...

 

[fatbaby]

Well in the long run, theres no harm in getting braces.

However, it is a PITA. No more oreos, popcorn, and nuts. You will spend an extra 3 minutes each night cleaning your teeth using the stupid tooth brush with taht pointy thing on the end.

You will get stuff stuck in there...especially anything made from flour.

You will also have to go back monthly to apply new bands.

And if you have to wear rubberbands, that makes it all worthwhile..

Its generally about $2000-2500 for the whole package deal. Invisaline is about $1000 more. Have fun.

 

[thirtythree]

Thanks for the comforting words fatbaby

ViRGE: All of my bottom teeth are a bit crowded so I might qualify. I'd imagine an orthodontist could tell me .. I'm just wondering if I should bother to see an orthodontist at all.

 

[PliotronX]

They aren't terribly crooked, but I voted yes because you could use the Visalign system. My teeth were horribly crooked, top and bottom, and I got braces when I was 13. They are horrible. Flossing takes forever because you have to slip a little loop carrying the floss through each tooth gap. They broke constantly on mine because I have an unfixable (by anything short of jaw cracking surgery which I am not willing to undergo) overbite. After 1.5 years, the top ones straightened up nicely, but the bottom ones weren't doing as well because they were the ones constantly breaking through regularly eating. So I just gave up and had them off after almost 3.5 years and wore the retainers for about two years. Now my teeth look similar to your's, but I am happy because it is much better than before the braces. I can now get the Visalign ones whereas before it was hopeless. I just need moola Good luck.

If you're a closet masochist, go for the conventional braces

edit- oops, it's Invisalign rather... hehe.

 

[GigaCluster]

Your teeth are very good Deslocke. My friend also thinks so:
(21:48:27) Me: What do you think of these teeth?
(21:48:51) Keith: They're very nice teeth.
(21:48:54) Keith: Laf, why do you ask?

 

[upsciLLion]

I'm in a similar situation. The two teeth next to my front two are turned in a bit which make my front teeth look like they stick out a bit (or maybe they really do hehe). I'm going to ask my dentist next time I go in if I should get braces on the top, or if I should just skip the braces and get them capped. I dunno.

ups

 

[Sid59]

i hope those pictures used flash and washed out your skin tone. if not ... get a tan.

 

[thirtythree]

PliotronX: Nope, I'm not a masochist.

GigaCluster: I'm glad you and your friend like them

upsciLLion: Can you just get braces on the top (or bottom in my case)? I've never seen anyone with only one side but I don't see any reason why it would be a problem. Caps are pretty expensive aren't they?

 

[jonmullen]

They are not that big of a deal and worth it in the long run.

 

[psianime]

You should fix the bottom row.

 

[ViRGE]

Deslocke, at least around here, an Orthodontist is always the person that puts in the final reccomendation, and does all the work. Considering that your dentist wants you to get braces, I would think that it's a given that you should see an Orthodontist.