Should I get braces...

[cantheyfixmyteeth]

My teeth have always bothered me for as long as I can remember. In particular my front teeth at the top (4 of my adult teeth grew in in front of my baby teeth so they now are further forward and my front two teeth stick out the most which is really noticeable from the side). I never got braces as a teenager but now I keep thinking about my teeth and how I'd love to have a nice, straight smile.

Anyone who's had braces as an adult, would you recommend doing it? I guess I'm worried about the pain and the cost, and whether it will be worth it. I just keep thinking there are lots of other things I could spend the money on - but then my teeth are always on my mind.

Also if you did get braces did you get Invisalign or traditional braces? I've heard about 6 month smile as well but I don't know if it would work for me.

Hopeful bump for advice

I hated my teeth for years. They were ok as a teen, but as my wisdom teeth grew in, my bottom ones became increasingly crowded. It made me self conscious when I smiled and it was the first thing I saw when I looked in the mirror.

After years of thinking about it, I finally took the plunge and had Invisalign last year. They took 6 months, cost £2,350, and I finished in January this year. Over the moon with the results and would highly recommend. Catch my reflection in the mirror now and always makes me smile! Absolutely do it if you can afford it.

I didn't have braces as a teenager but did as an adult. My wisdom teeth should have been removed as there just wasn't room for them which at late 30's caused some front over lapping. I don't live in the U.K. and where we lived at the time the world and his wife had braces but it was only when we moved to Asia that the orthodontist worked really hard to correct various issues by adding and removing bits to my braces. He was incredibly thorough but it came at quite a cost.

Having now had a retainer once fixed braces were removed I know Invisalign would never be for me - the retainer took weeks to get used to and made me gag. If I was feeling even remotely out of sorts I couldn't wear it as it would make me gag or disturb sleep.

One thing I do know is I had quite a few issues with my teeth as a child and believe it was all caused by a misaligned bite. Teeth should knit together top and bottom much like building a brick wall, you don't pile bricks on top of each other. I'm hoping my overall health has improved as a result of sorting out my bite, it can affect all teeth, muscle use etc etc. Have a consultation, get X-rays and see what the situation is beyond aesthetics and then decide what to do. It is a commitment both from a time and money perspective and I wouldn't even consider trying right now, leave it 18 months for all the backlog of patients caused by Covid to die down and then investigate. Get recommendations in your area - I'm sure it can be a bit of a licence to print money if not careful.

I had them in my late 20s, best thing I ever did! I went for the metal option and took around 4-5 months. They weren't cheap, but definitely worth it in the confidence I gained, and being able to smile with my teeth in photos

When I worked as a private's orthodontic dental nurse 90% of our patients were adults and every one of them said it was the best decision they ever made.

You can get clear braces now I had them myself and it's really hard to tell that you're wearing them. It is expensive but places do payment plans- we were very relaxed and everyone just paid what they wanted per app until it was paid which was always before the braces came off.

I'd be very very wary of the 6 month smiles. They can cause a lot of damage to your roots. Slow and steady.

Invisalign is a good option esp now that you only have to wear each aligner for a week but it's not suitable for everyone and can be very very expensive. I'd look at the clear train tracks for 12/18 months- you won't regret it. If you have any questions I'm happy to answer them x

I had a removal brace at 37 it took 6 months and was £1700 at the time - was so worth it! If you can afford it go for it!

Thanks everyone. It's interesting to hear different people's experiences and definitely makes me think it's the right choice. My only concern is really how often you need to go for appointments? I'm not a big fan of the dentist (probably stemming from a couple of mean dentists I met as a child who made some comments about my teeth that I've never forgotten). Can I ask how often you have to go for check ups with traditional braces vs Invisalign?

@TheTeenageYears that worries me a little bit as my gag reflex is strong and I also hate getting the little mould of your teeth done at the dentist, so I don't know how well I would actually cope with Invisalign then! 

@LittleOverwhelmed they look amazing! I would love to get results like that!

@merlotormalbec Thank you. I'm definitely considering the traditional braces as well. As a teenager I was told that I would possibly need teeth removed - I've had one tooth at the top removed anyway due to a failed root canal, do you think I would be likely to need more extractions if this was the case when I was younger? They did also mention my lower jaw when I was younger which is one of the reasons I was put off getting treatment so I don't know whether it would still be an issue as well or whether a brace itself would be enough.

Invisalign they just give you x amount of aligners and you go back to see how you're progressing/ for more aligners. With normal braces it's about every 6 weeks. Possibly but just make sure you're fully committed before you get any teeth extracted! Also if you have any underlying gum issues you'd need to get that sorted before they'd put braces on so just something else to consider

Invisalign. Best thing ever!

With Invisalign do they tell you the cost up front or could it end up costing more if you need more aligners towards the end of the process? I've booked a consultation and I think they do a 3D image of what your teeth will look like - has anyone had this and was it quite accurate? Thanks again.

I hope you don't mind me following this thread, I want braces and need the same questions answered x

@IsAWookieABear hopefully we both get some answers! I feel excited/nervous that I've booked this consultation as it feels like a step in the right direction. Have you ever had a consultation? I did book one a few years ago but then I convinced myself my teeth were fine when really I've always been unhappy with them.

I finished invisalign in February. Best thing i've ever done. Two of my my front teeth also stuck out hideously, front and side, and now they look fantastic. Pulled right back, with the slight overlap gone too.

I was told the total cost up front. I don't think you need to pay extra if you do require any further aligners.

I had invisalign in my 60s, wish I'd done it years ago. Main problem is wearing them 22 hours a day. You can only drink still water while wearing them and take them out to eat. I now have a retainer every night. I would say there is a little bit of discomfort when each new one is put in. Top teeth only was £3000 payable in instalments.

@Arielsgift how long did it take for you? I'm glad it sounds like it's all included in the cost. I think it's the cost that's worrying me at the moment as I've heard such a big price range.

@Wilma55 I'm hoping if I get them it might help me stop my endless snacking as I feel like I really want to wear them for the correct time so that I get the best results! Maybe if I stop snacking I can lose some weight and kill two birds with one stone!

I wouldn’t go 6 month smile or by any company which are not fully trained orthodonist. I had braces as an adult and my orthodonist did so much twisting and adjustments of the front two braces, I fully believe that 6 month smile or similar wouldn’t have achieved such awesome results.
I just had top clear braces, £2300 for 15 months. I was advised to go for this option as Invisalign or similar unlikely to have achieved the perfectly straight result due to the overcrowding.

I had fixed braces top and bottom plus lower jaw surgery in my 30s. It took about 18 months in total and fixed my overcrowding and overbite. I was very fortunate in that I had all the work done on the NHS (due to the issues with my bite and jaw pain). However, they decided not to fit fixed retainers and consequently I am now having another round of brace wearing to realign the teeth that have moved!

This time I am having the work down privately and have opted (on the recommendation of the orthodontist) for fixed braces with clear brackets top and bottom. I've also got a TAD fitted which is a tiny screw in my top jaw which helps anchor everything whilst the braces do their work. I had these braces fitted in February and I'm hoping they'll come off around February next year. I'm then going to have fixed retainers at the back, top and bottom, and will have retainers to wear at night too. I'm also having regular deep cleans (with local) to keep my gums in good condition.

All the above had been pretty much pain free (even the surgery was ok!) and I'm the biggest dentist phobe/wimp going!

I went private for Invisalign, I made sure to research that the dentist there was an orthodontist (some can be Invisalign practitioner / providers)

They did an initial appointment for free and gave the cost of what they would recommend, and the options of what payment plans you were eligible for.

I had train tracks as a teen, and the Invisalign ones are so much better... mild ache on your teeth for the first day or so, and then fine after they settle. Maybe a slight lisp as you get used to them too

I can’t remember the exact figure but around £2,750 for top and bottom.

There’s also the choice of retainer for where you’re finished the main bit, or even the option to have a metal bar put in place to keep everything where it should be. I don’t really fancy that myself but it’s good knowing there’s different options!

Oh, and they also took mini pictures of all my teeth with some sort of wand like gadget rather than the gunk mould torture device. This meant they could do a preview of how it would all look over the weeks and when it was done!

[quote cantheyfixmyteeth]@Arielsgift how long did it take for you? I'm glad it sounds like it's all included in the cost. I think it's the cost that's worrying me at the moment as I've heard such a big price range.

@Wilma55 I'm hoping if I get them it might help me stop my endless snacking as I feel like I really want to wear them for the correct time so that I get the best results! Maybe if I stop snacking I can lose some weight and kill two birds with one stone! [/quote]
Mine only took 5 months!

@Loftyloft I'm definitely open to the idea of the clear braces as well. I don't know if they might be better for what I need done.

@SorrelForbes that makes me feel a bit better! I'm not great with dentists so I am worried but hopefully I'll be ok. 😳

@Badgerling I think it's the wand thing they're going to use when I go (they said something about a 3D image so I assume that's what it will be?). I didn't realise that there are providers vs orthodontists, I'll need to look into that and see! Don't want to end up choosing the wrong person the job and making things worse than they are. Eek.

@Arielsgift oh wow, that wasn't long at all! I wonder how long they'll say for me. I don't know if my teeth are as bad in reality as they are to me, if that makes sense? Family and friends always say they're fine but I think they are just being nice!