advice needed on needing work done on my teeth to help with facial paralysis

[gingernutlover]

i would be really grateful if someone could tell me their experience about having work done on teeth

background to this is that i am having private treatment for facial paralysis, using a trophic stimulator. I was born with damaged facial nerves and the specialist I saw at the weekend has advised me that all the nerves are present but that the ones controlling my forehead and cheek movement need some work - fine that is being sorted.

She also mentioned that I should consider having some work done on my teeth to enable my upper lip to move more freely - at the my front teeth at the top impeded the movement of my upper lip and as my nerve treament progresses the position of my two front teeth may affect the overal effectiveness of the treament.

So she has suggested that i see my dentists and may need either a brace/aligner or some crowns - obviously these are 2 different types of treatment.

I phoned my NHS dentist this morning and came up against a total brick wall - they wouldnt even let me make an appointment when I said it was for advice about where to go next.

I realise I may have to cover some or all of the cost of whatever treatment is needed, but was surprised that I couldnt speak to my own dentist for their advice. Is this right?

Has anyone else had treament on their front teeth? The specialist I saw said I have a significant overbite or "a pronounced occlusion" and that there may be a choice of what to do about it.

Anyway, if you've got to this point thankyou, and would welcome any advice from anyone who has had work done on a similar problem.

Bumping for you. I am surprised you could not get an appointment with your usual dentist as this would be my starting point to. Perhaps the reception staff misunderstood. Can you make an appointment with your own dentist for a 'routine' appointment and ask his advise whilst there.
DH has a significant overbite which was causing problems with his lips. His dentist referred him for a private opinion - I think the suggested treatment was a brace for a year or two. Dh decided against it for now so his usual (NHS) dentist tried a novel treatment of adding ?filler to his teeth to persuade them to realign a little. It seems to have reduced the problem somewhat.

thats very inetresting thankyou

i will try again to get a normal appointment with my dentist - trouble is my check up isnt til august and i really want an opinion before then

i think my mistake was revealing that i may want him to refer me to an orthodonotist - they immediatly said that i didnt need a referral because i would have to pay privately and could just refer myself therefore I apparently dont need an appointment.

will phone again and ask for a normal appointment, for an opinion and consultation rather than for a referral. For all I know, he may not even recommend the orthodontist. They said that an initial appointment for an orthodontist was £100 ish and it seems utterly pointless to pay this and then be told I am not suitable for treatment. Surely my dentist is the first stop?

aha! result - dh was at dentists today and mentioned the "resistance" I had encountered to the actual dentist - who immediatly agreed to see me next tuesday for a discussion about my options - yay!

Well done!