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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be upset dentist said this about my teeth (pics included)

249 replies

Teethproblems · 02/11/2023 15:43

Hi,
Not even sure why I’m posting, just in case someone can help.
I have my NHS dentist (been with him for almost 10 years) who is absolutely brilliant and never had any issues with my teeth other than the odd filling, but no issues with the layout or structure of them. However I was also at a private dentist during the in between lockdowns when dentists could open but the NHS check up backlog was so long, so I went to a private dentist to get a check up. He was fab too, however he pointed out so many issues with my teeth and gave me a quotation of around 5k (bleaching, composite bonds and some kind of brace too), ever since then I’ve absolutely hated my teeth. He pointed out that I have a huge overbite or overjet (can’t remember exactly which one) and something to do with the layout of my bottom jaw being too far back and I could get surgery if I wanted to fix it. I said I’d never noticed it and he said if I take some side profile pictures I’ll see it. So I did, and ever since then, I’ve hated my face. My bottom jaw is so far behind my top jaw it looks awful. And when I smile it looks like my teeth are projecting forwards and sticking out. He said it’s a combination of 25 years worth of nail biting and just the layout of my jaw.

I had train tracks as a teen for the straightness and I’m fine with the straightness of my teeth now, but now I absolutely despise my face because of how ridiculous it looks having my jaw that far back and my teeth sticking out, it looks like I’ve got buck teeth. I don’t want to get surgery on my jaw either but ever since he said that I’ve never got it out of my head. Looking at my side profile, does it look so far from normal? Is it completely obvious that my bottom jaw is really far back and my top teeth stick out? When I went back to my NHS dentist and told him he was appalled and said it’s slightly lower back but not awfully so and he would never have flagged it as a problem, and obviously I trust him, but it’s so hard to stop feeling self conscious about it now

OP posts:
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5
PurpleBugz · 02/11/2023 16:58

You have lovely teeth.

Private dentist trying to make money out of you.

I once worked in a dental lab. We did both private and NHS. NHS did what a patient needed, some private were the same but some were doing work that would never be needed on NHS.

Snazzysausage · 02/11/2023 16:58

Your teeth are fantastic, I'd give my right arm for them! You look perfectly normal to me (but with beautiful teeth!😁) The private dentist was just trying to part you from a large wad of money imo

Lampzade · 02/11/2023 16:59

caramac04 · 02/11/2023 16:40

The private dentist is offering absolute perfection but at what price? Broken jaw etc!
You look absolutely great, lovely smile and only a tiny overbite. Part of what makes us, is, is our non-perfections.
Your teeth and jaw are better than mine and many others.

This
The quest for perfection is exactly why gorgeous looking women( including celebrities) are having work done to their faces/ teeth / bodies that they don’t need .

TurkeyTrotToXmas · 02/11/2023 17:00

My private dentist tells me my teeth are great and they don't look as good as yours! I'm sorry you've been stewing over this for so long - there's no reason to feel bad about your teeth.

FallingStar21 · 02/11/2023 17:00

DoktorPeppa · 02/11/2023 16:20

You cannot seriously think there's anything wrong with your teeth. Ffs

THIS with bells on (amd eye roll)
Seriously, find something real to worry about, not your Hollywood- star looking teeth!

Crumpleton · 02/11/2023 17:00

Bleaching?
Your teeth are lovely OP.

Cerealkiller4U · 02/11/2023 17:00

Ibravedaflood · 02/11/2023 16:06

Tell him if you wanted absolutely perfect teeth you would go to Turkey.. Yours are gorgeous..

Never turkey. My dentist has at least 4 patients a month who’ve been given an entire mouth of crowns which are just insanely bad.

MissChanandlerB0NG · 02/11/2023 17:01

Beautiful teeth! They put mine to shame!

Icefoot · 02/11/2023 17:01

You have beautiful teeth and a lovely smile. The dentist is salesman and a charlatan

OrangeKettle · 02/11/2023 17:01

Dental hygienist here. You have nicer teeth than me.

I was expecting a bad overbite. Then I saw the pics. You are perfect.

TheresaBouvey · 02/11/2023 17:02

Amazing teeth imo

he was just a salesman, not selling you double glazing, but selling you his unneeded dental servjces

lots of private dentists are massive scammers

Singinghollybob · 02/11/2023 17:02

Your teeth are really lovely OP and I'm very envious. I have a much larger and more noticeable overbiye than you and I am self conscious over it, so I do know what you mean.
However, I would love your teeth and jaw so please try to ignore it.
My teeth are straight, but I did actually have that jaw surgery when I was 16 - top jaw moved up and lower jaw brought forwards, but for whatever reason they couldn't bring the lower jaw forward enough. It really bothers me that it wasn't fixed properly and I can't afford it now.
Anyway, OP please try not to worry about yours, you look amazing and I'd have not noticed it myself.

Discointhekitchen · 02/11/2023 17:04

Your teeth look amazing- so does your smile.

I can see a very slight overbite in first picture ( only because you’ve pointed it out) but I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. It just looks like it’s your face shape. It isn’t unslightly at all! And your teeth don’t look like they’re sticking out. I can’t see your face, but looking at your snaps, it looks like you have a very attractive face.

who are you going to believe? The person you’ve known for years? Or the person who stands to gain £5k from you being unhappy about your appearance?

TheOneWhereWeDontGiveAPhuck · 02/11/2023 17:05

I pay right now for your teeth. Ignore the prick.

catscatscurrantscurrants · 02/11/2023 17:05

You have lovely teeth and you look great. I'm with others on this - the private dentist wanted to make some money from you.

Itsjustagoogleaway · 02/11/2023 17:13

Your teeth look great OP.
This private dentist is just trying to make money from you.
Personally I would warn people off using him/ her.

TheDogthatDug · 02/11/2023 17:15

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your teeth, face or anything! You do not need a thing doing. I wish my gnashers were as good as yours.

WarmWinterSun · 02/11/2023 17:17

The dentist was trying to get some money out of you. Your teeth and face are beautiful

tortiecat · 02/11/2023 17:18

What beautiful teeth.

Also a perfectly normal profile.

What a rip off merchant. As someone who was stung as a teen with braces I didn't need, which subsequently ruined my teeth, I'm afraid you can't trust them all.

novalia89 · 02/11/2023 17:21

Teethproblems · 02/11/2023 15:59

Think the pictures are working now. I’m happy with my teeth from the front- it’s just the side profile I absolutely hate now. It’s crazy because it’s not something I would have ever noticed before but now I’m paranoid about how it looks.

I knew I had a small jaw (i was told this when I got my train tracks) and I’ve got TMJ (my jaw cracks everytime it opens) but I didn’t realise quite how big the overbite/overjet is. Apparently it would need surgery and then braces afterwards to properly fix/align and I really don’t want that but I’m so paranoid of my smile and my face from the side now.

and although I’m happy with them from the front, Another thing he pointed out is that from the front my top and bottom jaw don’t seem to align or something like that because the middle of my top teeth isn’t in line with the bottom teeth, although this doesn’t bother me as much as the overbite/overjet thing

Omg they are perfect teeth. Is he for real? I'd tell him to piss off, leave a bad google review and find another dentist. Your teeth are perfectly straight AND white. I'm not sure about the actual health of them, but the cosmetic things that he mainly suggested don't need to be done! He must think that you are a mug who cares about the minute details of the cosmetic items.

Imagwine · 02/11/2023 17:22

All I noticed was what lovely teeth you have.

CantGetDecentNickname · 02/11/2023 17:22

So glad you've decided not to go ahead. Unless your jaw was causing you to have problems with eating or speech, there is no need to have such a painful and expensive surgery. Worse, it would have needed a brace afterwards which implies that the surgery could cause the teeth to require further straightening when they don't currently. You have very good teeth.

Your NHS dentist sounds like a sensible person who doesn't recommend unnecessary work. I've had this the other way round where an NHS dentist wanted to give me fillings and I sought a second opinion from a private dentist to be told that it was unnecessary.

Think of the money you have saved here. You could make a plan to spend similar on a treat for yourself which would be much more enjoyable.

GreatGardenstuff · 02/11/2023 17:23

You’ve got bloody lovely teeth. The private dentist was focusing on🤑not 😁

justasking111 · 02/11/2023 17:24

Been watching a series with Imogen Poots. @Teethproblems your teeth are much better. Look at Julia Roberts her teeth made her career

NotManyDaysTilChristmas · 02/11/2023 17:24

Please don’t buy into the latest obsession with so-called perfection. Why should everyone have the same face, same jaw, same lips, same eyebrows….? I’m not religious but God really never meant for us all to look the same. It’s wrong that someone has made you feel this way about yourself with such crass remarks when basically all he wants is to ensure his next holiday to Barbados is covered. Go back to your old dentist and move on from this.