If you had very crowded teeth...

[UhKevin]

Which type of brace did you use to get them straightened and how much did it cost?

Bonus points if it looked like you’d need an extraction / did need an extraction / needed any other work like whitening or filing.

I’m doing Smile Direct. Cheap Invisalign at home Thank god because you get all the aligners in one go and don’t see a dentist. A blessing in lockdown. It’s 1.5k and takes about 6 months ( mines even less).
Have a look at Shannon Riddle in YouTube. Hers took a year but wowsers, what a change.
They 3D scan your teeth and send you a video of how your teeth will shift and the final result,If you need extractions to make it work they won’t take you on until they’ve been done.
Invisalign is better as the attachments ( bits of stuff on your teeth) can do more clever stuff but whether it’s an extra 2,5k better, who knows.
Smile also give you an LED whitening kit to take home and more in the kit with the braces.

My front two overlapped - as a kid I was told I'd need extractions for a brace so I left it. At 31 I had a removable brace called an inman aligner, which expanded my palate slightly to create more room, and then had tiny amounts filed from inbetween all my top front teeth, which gave enough room to straighten them.

It cost £2k all in, with retainer etc, and took less than 5 months. But that type of brace is only good for cosmetic fixes to the front 6, so not suitable for all issues.

Thanks both. I’ll look at Sharon’s stuff. I think an extraction might be needed on the lower arch first... all feels like a bit of a nightmare to arrange but definitely something I want to do. Also hopeful bump for the daytime crowd...

This is interesting, my crowded teeth are contributing to gingivitis. I'd be super interested to know the cost.

I had fixed braces and two extractions. Cost £1500, paid in monthly instalments. Best money I’ve spent.

I thought I'd need at least one but probably two extractions. I then got Damon 3 braces as an adult. It was expensive, but no extractions and 10 years on people still comment on my smile.

I had 4 extractions done as a teenager. But stupidly didn’t get a brace then.
I had my top arch done as a fixed brace at an orthodonist last year; £2300.
For anything other than the most mild cases; I’d definitely say orthodonist expertise is worth it.

I had 5 teeth out as a teenager. My brother had 8, plus a palate expander. We both had braces top and bottom. I don't know the cost, but a mum I know has braces at the moment with no extractions and said it's going to total her about £3k (private London orthodontist).

Currently wearing a fixed brace (clear ceramic on the top, metal on the bottom) I had 4 extractions prior to brave going on. Brace is due to be on until Christmas which will be 18 months total. They were pretty much straight after 3 months. The rest of time is closing the gaps from the extractions. All in £4.5 K

I should have had a brace at 15 but didn't get it, tried to fix it without extractions using the Invisalign in my late 20's it didn't last, made them straighter but it's not strong enough for permanent/ big structural changes to your mouth

I'm an orthodontic nurse. Fixed braces work the best and provide the most accurate finish, metal or ceramic brackets do the exact same job. Prices in West mids approx £3000 U/L metal and £4000 U/L ceramic. Make sure you're treated by a specialist orthodontist - NOT a dentist with special interest in orthodontics.

I'm a dentist. Try and stay clear of "at home" type orthodontics and Invisalign style unless it's a qualified orthodontist doing the treatment. Some of our new graduates who are still learning their very basics are doing a two day course and offering these treatments. My friend who is a hospital based orthodontic consultant is really concerned and says a lot of their hospital work is correcting bad treatment plans from dentists with an interest in orthodontics not being experienced enough to judge the cases correctly, within their scope of practice.
Some of the at home type orthodontics it's technicians doing the construction and treatment plans.
Technicians aren't qualified to judge the dental health of an individual.
A full examination and radiographs should be carried out first, to check for gum/periodontal disease ( would be a disaster to consider orthodontics if you already have mobile teeth), and to look out for decay.

You'll probably find qualified orthodontists charge a similar amount.

I used to have nice teeth, but I had crowns put on over ten years ago for enamel reasons and I hate them. They were fine when first done, but as the years have gone on, pushed my other teeth 'back' and now it looks like I have overcrowded teeth. My dentist said I need braces but they are crowns??? I would like to try Invisalign but the websites I have come across are very expensive. It may be cheaper for me just to have new crowns?

Depends what you want but I would approach invisalign with care.

I had very bad overcrowding and went to Dr. Pieter van heerden (london) he came highly recommended, was incredible throughout and worth every penny.

He managed it so i had no extractions (i declined treatmenr as a teen because they wanted to take out 4 teeth) and my teeth looked wayyyyy better than I ever imagined (using Fixed brace)

People like invisalign because it's a quick/ non invasive fix and cheaper. I think it's fine but it wouldn't be my first choice.

10 years out mine moved slightly and I went to see him again about invisalign to nudge them back slightly.
I was buying a place at the time and a bit strapped for cash. the quote was steep vs. "The internet price" for invisalign and I figured its all the same and only minor so I went with dream smiles in Lewisham.

Dream smiles was basically a fancy sausage factory. The orthodontist has a billion awards which are basically just for selling product (not actually anything to do woth being good) and was a bit creepy tbh. He just fits it and some guys in Mexico (i think?) do the actual treatment plan (Dr Pieter warned me about this 😖)
I went ahead anyway and it was "fine" but they narrowed my smile on the top left and it is no where near as good as when I had "proper" orthodontic treatment which annoys me as all I had to do was wear the sodding retainer forst time round.

I now wear the sodding retainer and my teeth are good but they are a 8 and were a 9.5.... 😑

i had 4 teeth out as a child and non-fixed braces, back in those days retainers weren't a thing, so last year I bit the bullet and paid out for fixed braces top and bottom. I set my orthodontist a challenge to get my teeth straight before i turned 50, and we'd have done it I think had this bloody lockdown not happened. I still have one tooth much further back than the others (we're using a really strong spring to create some space for it to be pulled forward).

Price was around £4k (on a monthly plan). I did ask about invisalign or similar, but he said my teeth were too bad for that (he was much more polite than that obviously )

Yes, I think mine are going to be too much of a challenge for invisible ones and home stuff.

Anyone got any tips on ‘shopping around’ with local othordontists etc? I know my current dentist offers various stuff but haven’t looked into it really with them.

I had 6 teeth taken out (4 milk teeth, 2 adult), followed by a retainer when I was about 10. then train tracks when I was 12. After all that, I‘ve still got a wonky tooth

My dentist recommended my orthodontist, who was fantastic, always enjoyed a trip to see him. Sadly he returned to New Zealand and then passed away a couple of years ago.

If I had to return to an orthodontist I'd probably start by asking my dentist who they recommended, and then start reading all the reviews available before making an appointment. From memory I saw my ortho for a consultation before any treatment was agreed, he took fancy 3D x-rays then wrote up a treatment plan with different options and rough costs and sent it to me. At no point did he try to push the more expensive option, and even when I went to America for four months he sent me the name and number of a friend over there in case anything went wrong while I was stateside. He was fab.

RIP Peter Gascoigne

I had a fixed brace as a teenager (only on my top teeth) and a retainer to wear for a year afterwards (at night). By the time I was 28 two of my top front teeth had moved a lot and were crossing over each other.
At 31 I had ceramic fixed braces on my top and bottom teeth (my bottom teeth were a complete mess but had never been dealt with when I had the brace as a teenager). I had 4 teeth extracted, 2 from top back & 2 from bottom back, and wore the braces for 18 months. Once it was removed I had a fixed retainer on my bottom teeth and wear a retained every night. It cost about 3.5k (deposit plus interest-free monthly repayments) in total and that was in 2011.
My advise would be to go to an actual Orthodontist, not your dentist. I had replacement retainers made by my dentist and had awful problems with them.
I would also visit a few different Orthodontists before deciding who to go with. Some will offer a free consultation, others will charge a consultation fee but that should be deducted from the total cost if you decide to go with them. I went to see 3 different Orthodontists and went for the one I felt most comfortable with (2 were extremely arrogant and rude but that's a whole other story ). You're going to be seeing them on quite a regular basis for many months so definitely choose carefully.
I'm happy I had mine done but my smile had definitely changed and I don't like it as much as before (although my teeth look so much better), if that makes any sense!
Good luck!!

I'd ask your dentist too.
Ask him if he was getting orthodontic treatment himself, or if it was one of his family members, who would he trust the most?

I'd also visit two or three different ones and go with your gut.

I had 6 months smiles (for 8 months). Clear braces top and bottom, no extractions. Cost £2400 including whitening.
I hated the result. I have a fixed wire behind my teeth so can't floss, so not much cleaner.
To make space, my teeth now flare out.
I recommend a proper orthodontist and extractions.

I had 4 teeth out as a kid and fixed braces for years. I still have teeth as wonky as hell. Don't know what happened, but I give up

I’d suggest you ask your dentist - there’s treatment they can do these days
If they want to refer you to an orthodontist they can You might be able to self refer

Cost can be £3-4K at least. Depends where you are and what needs doing tho

Soon as dentists are up and running get a check up. And get the ball rolling

I had fixed metal braces, one extraction and wisdom teeth extraction and double jaw surgery.

All on the NHS, I was 30

Thank you all. I’ve done some Googling of local Pra

Doh - orthodontic practices based on this info. I’ve got two or three local ones to speak to as well as my own dentist. Looking forward even more to a bit of normality resuming so I can get this underway.