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

[Teethproblems]

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

Dentist here. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your teeth. The very very slight imperfections just tell me they are 100% natural.
Please ignore the private dentist, he has just used marketing techniques to see if he can extract money from you.
I now work mainly privately and only give advice when asked. Suggesting that someone’s naturally beautiful teeth need improving is unethical.
You do have a Class 2 div 1 skeletal relationship which is not fixable with comp veneers or bleaching. Orthodontics is also not really suitable on its own.
If you have been happy with your teeth then ignore him. Dentists are bothered by the minute detail, they are naturally drawn to slight imperfections that the rest of the population wouldn’t even notice. We are a bunch of tooth geeks who spend our lives thinking everything should be perfect. Very few dentists I know would subject themselves to the treatments they often suggest. Very, very few have perfect teeth.

Similar happened to me when I was in my teens. I had been a 'pretty girl' all through primary school. At secondary school, I made the mistake of standing up to the school bully* and she and her pals latched onto my profile as a way of mocking me. I'd never noticed anything wrong with my looks prior to that.

I'd gone home in tears and my mother had spoken to our GP about it. I was referred to a consultant, who said that my lower jaw was a bit on the small side.

Luckily, they told me I'd have to wait 2 yrs to let my bones stop growing. (I was 18 at the time.) Initially they were talking about breaking the jaw; then they said that it wasn't bad enough to need that and they'd do a silicone chin implant... They were going to cut between my gums and the inside of my mouth and slide it in there. I kept wondering whether it might push its way back out.

I was being shuttled between the dental hospital and the maxillofacial dept of a city hospital. While I was at the latter, I saw folk who had much more severe problems.

2 yrs later, I'd grown in confidence and told them 'No thanks.' One of the consultants told me he agreed with my decision.

I remember going to a disco with my best friend (on a weekend back home, away from uni). I saw the bullies' friends there and felt momentarily terrified. They were actually all really nice to me.

At one point, the DJ asked me up for a dance. Apparently, this was quite an honour, so I couldn't have been that ugly after all!

BTW, OP, your profile is better than mine. Wish I had your teeth too!

*The bully died of a drug overdose in her 50s. I feel a bit sorry for her. I now realise that part of her problem was that she fancied me and she didn't know how to come to terms with being a lesbian. She finally came out when she was about 40, but by then she was already an addict.

Also you have beautifully shaped lips so don’t let anyone talk you into lip fillers!

Oh come on, of course NHS dentist wouldn’t say anything because NHS pays for cheapest fillings and never suggests any improvements

its well known that Brits have generally bad /wonky teeth because they rarely bother with braces etc

there is a happy medium between snow white overdone American teeth and British crooked ones… but yes it will need to be done privately

Another lady with great teeth and a beautiful smile! Why do everyone have to conform to the ‘same’ looks? It’s like Turkey teeth- everyone looks the same with big teeth in their mouth. I haven’t seen a beautiful one that looks natural yet (based on people I know that have had them done)

I had exactly the same thing on my last visit to the (private) dentist, OP. I go to the dentist to make sure my teeth and gums are healthy, not to get cosmetic work done. I felt like shit after the dentist had pointed out all the things I should consider having done. The best part was that I'd told her that I was about to have major surgery with a lengthy recovery period (for something that was seriously affecting my ability to work or do anything much), so why she thought this was the moment to suggest cosmetic work, I don't know. It's put me off going back.

Your teeth are amazing!! Assuming this is a joke post

You have beautiful teeth and a beautiful smile, OP, from both angles, I would completely ignore the other dentist, it sounds like he's out for your money.

Did you mention being unhappy about your smile in any way? Personally I only bring up cosmetic treatments if the patient mentions it first! Exceptions would be obvious aesthetic issues like missing teeth, very discoloured fillings or black lines from crowns. Otherwise it’s just rude really.

Bloody hell, I’ve just spent about 5k straightening my wonky teeth and composite bonding on four plus whitening and they aren’t a patch on yours OP, or the lady with the so-called gappy smile.

Both your smiles are beautiful x

Your teeth are lovely, as is your smile. I have an overbite and it's much more obvious than your photos!

I can’t believe he suggested braces/cosmetic bonding - you’re teeth are practically perfect IMO, and surgery to correct that slight underbite would be madness.

Your teeth and smile are pretty and totally don’t need ‘work’. The private dentist was rubbing his hands together and thinking how much money he could get but honestly, your own NHS dentist is right.

Please don’t think your teeth and jaw don’t look right - your overbite (to me) looks very minimal so unless your jaw causes you pain or difficulty then I would be happy as you are. 😊

Oh gosh, this is bringing back awful memories as a dentist suggested the same to me when I was in my teens, for cosmetic reasons. He also suggested a chin implant 🙄. It really got to me at a very vulnerable age and I was convinced I was a hideous monster for years and years.

As an adult I can now see that we are not meant to be “perfect” and most people have some flaws, and I’m much more accepting of the way I look. I’m still angry about that man though (who was balding, overweight and about 5 foot nothing, so not exactly a perfect specimen himself).

I read all about the surgery (as I was obsessing about it for years) and it sounds brutal. Honestly, your smile is beautiful and you are clearly very attractive. To go through that kind of surgery to “fix” your overbite is utter madness in my opinion. You already look lovely.

Your teeth are lovely, I'd recommend anyone seeing a private dentist to just say I'd like to know if there are any health issues rather than cosmetic if they don't want to know all of the work that they could have should they be seeking an improved smile. NHS dentistry is the bare minimum to be honest, the balance is between the two I expect!

Oh, that brings back memories. That's what they showed me!

Did they also do a plastercast of your face? Yeuch! Horrible experience.

No, I didn't take the surgery.

Ps. I had braces/composite/whitening etc at a private dentist and when I sat in the chair she examined them then said “so why have you come to me?” She wanted me to tell her what I disliked and I’m pretty sure wouldn’t have made any suggestions herself - she also played down the full cosmetic bonding I thought I’d need and just fixed a couple of minor things. That’s how it should be and I think she is an excellent dentist, a good dentist wouldn’t be reeling off a long list of imperfections to try and get you to spend money - especially with teeth as nice as yours op. I’m really happy with the result of mine and realise full veneers/bonding really wasn’t necessary.

Your teeth look lovely.

I'm sorry you went through this. It was much the same with me - an implant was suggested. They were going to remove my impacted wisdom teeth 'as an encore'.

I refused the implant. I still have two of the wisdom teeth in there somewhere. (Now in my 60s.)

BTW, after I married I told my husband about the suggested surgery and wondered whether I should reconsider. DH was horrified: "You're not ruining that bonny face!" (Aye, he was biased...but I still appreciate it.)

It sounds very similar! Sorry you went through it as well. It really does affect your self esteem doesn’t it.

I went to see a counsellor in the end as I couldn’t stop obsessing about it, and the counsellor actually said to me “I’m so sorry, I probably shouldn’t say this but I honestly am struggling to understand what you mean? What is it that he thought was wrong with your face? It looks completely normal to me”. I think he was worried he was overstepping the mark by offering an opinion rather than just listening to me but he helped me more then he’ll ever know!

Well I've got total teeth envy here

Id never take advice from someone who was going to make a fuck-ton if I acted upon that advice - at least not without a second (and third!) opinion. Your smile, your teeth...both beautiful op. Your profile is fine too but even if it wasn't, so fuck? You can't see you from the side - why would you want to spend thousands and go through a whole heap of pain for something you can't even see and causes you no issues? 🤷🏻‍♀️

You really don't have a problem. You have lovely teeth. I go to a dentist who is both nhs and private and they're always going on about teeth whitening so I'm paranoid I have yellow teeth

I’m a dentist and I think it’s really crappy when dentists do that! But not unethical or against any regulations so there’s not much you can do about it. I never made comments about the appearance of a patient’s teeth unless they asked about cosmetic treatments for exactly this reason, I didn’t want to make anyone feel like they needed their teeth to be whiter or straighter or whatever. But then I was always poor, maybe I wouldn’t have minded so much about offending people if I was driving around in my Porsche…

Your teeth and jaw are very similar to mine! I totally understand how you feel because I kind of hate what my chin looks like. A while ago I tried Botox on it and it relaxed the muscles and made it look a bit nicer but the doctor at the clinic I went to kept on pushing me to get fillers to make my jaw look bigger and I got so annoyed at that that I decided to just let things be. Honestly, people would kill to have your teeth, just ignore that dentist.

Quite. I couldn't have put it better myself😎