Do my teeth look good?

[ParanoidNow]

Any dentists or orthodontists around? I've been wearing fixed braces for 18 months and just had them taken off. They look way better than they did before treatment started, but I'm slightly disappointed. They still slope inwards a bit - I thought they would be brought outwards - and I can't help thinking the braces were taken off prematurely. It was a big emotional and financial investment for me and I'm keen to get the best result possible, after years of hating my smile.

But maybe my expectations were too high? Maybe this is a good result? Hoping someone can put my mind at rest before I go back in a few days to get my retainers - if it's not a great result I'll have the opportunity to discuss it then.

You have lovely straight healthy teeth. Don’t do anything else, except good diet and hygiene!!

No, it's just stuck on top. Like if you got chewing gum and moulded it into tooth shape, and then it set hard. But it's as strong as your natural teeth, which surprised me - I have my front teeth done and happily gnaw on sourdough, crackling etc. Thoroughly recommend, I'm absolutely thrilled and still grinning at myself in mirrors a year later!

@Needtosoundoffandbreathe the Princess of Wales?! I'll take that, thank you

I considered Invisalign because the thought of being a 40-year old woman with braces - something I'd considered teenagey - made me embarrassed, but for some reason I didn't trust the dentist who was trying to sell Invisalign to me. So I went to an orthodontist who said that fixed braces - train tracks - would get the best result, and I'd need a tooth out to make room. It was about £3800 for white/ceramic brackets and took 18 months.

They look great!

Please, and I cannot stress this enough, wear your retainers!!! Your teeth are in position now, but without retainers they’ll move back.

Oh I will, @YesHonestly - I've spent too much money to run the risk of them creeping back to where they want to be

They look good. Do you have to wear retainers? Don’t forget. We paid thousands for our DC’s braces and they didn’t wear retainers enough the first year of Uni because they lost them and their teeth started to move back, luckily we were in time to get another retainer and now they are fine again.

Not a dentist or orthodontist but want to say that your teeth look amazing. So good in fact that if I met you in real life I am pretty sure I would mentally note how great your teeth and smile are!