Getting braces as an adult

[thelongwayhome]

Posting here for traffic.
Has anyone had braces/teeth straightening as adults? Had braces as a teen, didn't wear my retainer, one tooth on my bottom row has noticeably moved so just want braces on the bottom row as the top set are still perfect.
Did you have bracket braces or invisalign type braces? How much did it cost? Is it worth it? Has anyone just got braces for one row of teeth?

Don’t do it OP!

In my 30s I went to a dentist who said they do “orthopaedic orthodontics.” They made lots of promises and were charismatic. I believe things when professionals tell me them. I was wrong.

I was told it would cost approx £2500, but that they charged monthly depending on when exactly treatment finishes. I was charged £4k before I stopped going.

They said train tracks would be on for 6 months. They were on for 2 years.

I was told I needed upper jaw expansion. I said ‘won’t that mean the upper jaw doesn’t fit the lower jaw?’ They laughed this off as a stupid question. Now I have an overbite and my upper teeth make my lips sore and none of the teeth fit together, speech is slightly affected and I struggle to whistle. One cheekbone is slightly different to other. I’ve since seen an orthodontist who confirmed that the work done by the dentist was not ok.

If your teeth eat ok now and don’t cause any discomfort, I strongly recommend you don’t move them.

I used straight teeth direct clear aligners. £1300 and took 15 months. Over the moon with the results.

Be were that braces can cause receding gums. Especially if they move your teeth quickly I understand. Worth looking into. Not sure if anything else can mitigate the risks.

Worked in dentistry for quite some time. Invisalign is good, not like the old braces, and prices will vary from practice to practice. I think some of the benefits are time it takes and that you can take them out.

Invisalign- top and bottom. Paid 4K completed in 6 months. Finished off with bleaching, and bonding on four front teeth.

Opted to have top and bottom front 6 teeth with a permanent wire cemented in behind to prevent movement plus retainers I wear every other night.

Sounds like a faff - and it was - but my teeth are healthier and obviously straighter than they've ever been (40's) after a life long aversion to the dentist.

Found the Invisalign process hard work - I couldn't snack and stopped drinking much tea/coffee and had attachments (little buttons temporarily attached to teeth) which caused discomfort and made taking the trays on and off more difficult. But I stuck with it and it worked.
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Also changed my bite, so now have more even wear, less jaw tension and nighttime retainers frustrate jaw clenching/ teeth grinding. Dentist fab. If your NW based I can recommend.

Marking my place

I had Invisalign, top and bottom, 10 years ago, aged 35. Treatment was over 2 years, I paid £6k on interest-free finance over the 2 years and that included three sets of retainers. I wear a retainer three nights a week still and am about a year into using the second one of the three I was given in 2012 (mainly because I stopped being so picky about cleaning the first one and it's gone a bit manky, it's still perfectly usable!)

I've just had consultation and quote for invisalign and seem to be a fair bit more than you have all been ! I have one squint tooth on bottom that is causing problem, with only mild movement needed on top, and I've been quoted £4800 without whitening and no option to pay up, they looking for the full amount paid up front. Does that seem excessive?? They are a diamond provider

@prettygreeneyes12

I’m 18 months in to having Damon braces which have white brackets are a bit less noticeable. If lockdown hadn’t happened they’d have been off by now. I’m so pleased I did it, I had braces twice as a teenager and the technology has come on loads and they are really straight this time. £4800 so not cheap but I paid in monthly instalments to my orthodontist. Well worth it in my view.

I have the same and they were supposed to be off in April.

They are barely noticeable although I did experience some pain the day after having the wire changed.

Never had them as a teen, got them in early 30's. They were tracks and cost €4K and I had them on for 2 years. Now I love my teeth so for me ,yes, it was worth it,

My DD had Invisalign. She paid about £2k in interest free instalments. If you shop around you may get them cheaper. She was in a lot of pain for the first few weeks, and also every time she changed her retainer.
She finished 2 years ago. She still wears her retainer every night.

I had train tracks at 17, so not an adult but old enough that most of my friends advised me not to bother at that age for social reasons.

The orthodontist's preferred approach was an operation to break my jaw to correct that way, to be done over the summer between the lower and upper sixth, which my parents refused to countenance. So I had braces instead.

I'm so glad I did, I was too self conscious to smile before (teeth were awful and I had an overbite). I had to have an adult tooth removed to accommodate my other teeth due to my small jaw and the last of my baby teeth had to be removed too.

Train tracks were off after 11 months and I've had no issues since. I love my straight teeth. So much easier to clean now too. They cost my parents about £2k and I'm now in my 30s.

I had tracks for what was meant to be six months treatment but some teeth were being a bit stubborn and not moving where or when he wanted to. He got a retainer made to give the the teeth a final nudge around the 12 month mark. I paid around £1300 all in and didn't get charged more for the delay/treatment. Had a wire placed on lower teeth but it kept snapping off so I have retainers.

I didn't have braces as a kid though, overcrowding small mouth meant I needed braces for health reasons but not enough to get it on nhs. Teeth also look great and I don't regret it.

I want Invisalign when (😂) we win the lottery.
I had lovely straight teeth until early fifties. Few years on, they’re all over the place. White, no fillings but really crooked. Don’t care a joy about grey hair coming or wrinkles but don’t like the teeth at all.

I’m getting Invisalign soon. Just waiting for them to be made. I’ve wanted straight teeth for so long, I’ll be 50 next year so it was a present to myself.
I’m really experiencing ‘buyer regret’ at the moment though. I have never spent this much money on myself before and it feels really extravagant

I had Invisalign a couple of years ago. It cost £3k, including whitening at the end, and took about a year. I wear removable retainers at night.

It's the best £3k I've ever spent.

I've had an initial consultation with an orthodontist and my treatment will start next month.

I'm in my 30s and was 'borderline' as to needing a brace as a teenager. I chose not to bother and have regretted it ever since! However as they are only mildly crowded I've only just decided I could justify the cost.

My bottom teeth are actually worse than the top but I'm only getting the top ones straightened as they show much more when talking or smiling. The bottom was going to be more complicated and cost more and take longer.

I'm getting a fixed clear brace on the top for about 9 months. Cost £1500 in interest free credit.

@NewSpark

I've just had consultation and quote for invisalign and seem to be a fair bit more than you have all been ! I have one squint tooth on bottom that is causing problem, with only mild movement needed on top, and I've been quoted £4800 without whitening and no option to pay up, they looking for the full amount paid up front. Does that seem excessive?? They are a diamond provider

@NewSpark Unless you’re really keen on your current orthodontist I’d definitely switch as you are being ripped off! Having to pay fully up front is ridiculous - we were able to pay DDs off in whatever amounts and whenever we wanted. Hers were £4000 for top + bottom including 3 sets of retainers. We were also with a diamond provider. I’d query where the extra £800 your ortho wants is going to as £4K is pretty much the standard price for full Invisalign.

@ZigZagIntoTheBlue

I didn't get braces as a teen, and my teeth are horrendous, I'm very self conscious of them but just can't justify so much money. Anyone know of any cheaper alternatives?

Hey @ZigZagIntoTheBlue. If your teeth are as bad as you say, get some work done. I have recently and its the Best thing ever. You can get cheaper deals, look on Instagram for some dentists in your area. Look on Groupon for cheap deals.

I'm in the midst of treatment to correct my extensively wonky teeth. 5750 for 2 years active treatment, fixed retainers and 2 years follow up. Paid interest free over 12 months.
I won't lie. The treatment so far has been painful and difficult and I literally cannot wait ( a year to go) to have the fixed braces off. The difference is already utterly amazing.
I am early 50s and no one had batted an eyelid and I have done job interviews/started a new job during this time.

Invisalign. Paid £2700 (I got 10% off - it should have been £3000) for Lite (up to 42 trays) which is brilliant. Went with the top provider in London and am extremely pleased with the results. It only took 5 months - I was extremely lucky and my teeth moved to plan with no need for refinements or tweaking.

@ZigZagIntoTheBlue

Invisalign compensate providers by charging them less as they climb the ladder. They do not have to extend this discount to clients though. So your diamond provider wants to charge you £4800, vs my platinum provider charging £3000. It makes sense in that respect that they are more expensive but I do think it’s a bit steep and they could probably offer you a slightly cheaper price.

It means that most expensive isn’t always best, as the more successful cases an orthodontist treats the better the discount they can offer, as they need less help and direction from Invisalign themselves. I’d personally only consider diamond and platinum if you know you have a complex case.

Oh and that’s another thing - please go to an orthodontist and not your local dentist (unless they are qualified too). An orthodontist has studied teeth and jaw movement for years. And dentist offering teeth straightening has likely done a 1 week course in addition to dentistry from what I’ve heard.

I went to 8 consultations and did LOADS of research and am really passionate about this.

How are people getting consultations done? My local recommended orthodontist is only doing emergency work. Scotland here.

@MorrisZapp

How are people getting consultations done? My local recommended orthodontist is only doing emergency work. Scotland here.

I filled in an online enquiry during lockdown and they got back to me as soon as they reopened.

It's strictly by appointment, temperatures checked, risk assessment done and masks worn.

@MorrisZapp

How are people getting consultations done? My local recommended orthodontist is only doing emergency work. Scotland here.

I filled in an online enquiry during lockdown and they got back to me as soon as they reopened.

It's strictly by appointment, temperatures checked, risk assessment done and masks worn.