Has anyone had their teeth straightened with braces or those gum shield things?

[Mrstumbletap]

I have spoken to my dentist about it and he said there are 2 options, a six month fixed brace that's £4000, or a gum shield you have to wear for 12 hours a day for a year which £1000. The gum shield one requires them to file each side of every tooth down a bit to make room the teeth to move back into line.

Has anyone had any of these options? Or are there any more options?

If you are going to spend that amount, you need to shop around for opinions.

The gum shield one is called Invisalign, although there are other similar brands. You have to have it changed every couple of weeks as your teeth move. Not all dentists are totally 'honest' about braces etc. I had an assessment by one for Invisalign and he wanted to sell me it. I paid £90 for the assessment and some impressions. He said they might need to file teeth down so there was space. My teeth are crowded.

I then went to another dentist and he said Invisalign was not suitable as my over crowding was too severe. He didn't want to destroy my teeth with filing them down and I think even if they were filed there would not be enough space for them to move. He said there has to be 2mms between teeth and mine don't have that at all. He said for me it needed 2 extractions and a fixed brace for 18-24 months. In my late 50s I don't know if I can accept that so have done nothing so far.

There are all kinds of braces- sub linguals which are at the back of the teeth, traditional braces, and everything in between. Don't just choose the first you are offered - shop around.

Yes, had mine done when I was 25. I had a fixed brace and then a fixed retainer put on the back. Had it on for 5 months. When the retainer eventually broke (after 14 years) I've hd the gumsheids and I left it too long to get fixed and my teeth moved slightly.
I'd go for the brace, it's only 6 months. I was terrible at remembering the shields and have a job when I speak i public and found the, difficult to wear.you have to take it out for eating. They are more painful as well.

Brace is really satisfying as you can see your teeth move every time they tighten it. I wouldn't mess about filing healthy teeth if there is room to get them fixed properly and you get the best and fastest result with a fixed brace. I had one with extra small tooth fixtures or you can get clear ones.

I love my orthodontist.

Should add that the reason I waited rather than have them done in my teens was that the NHS told me they only way to straighten my teeth was to break my jaw, have one of those things which goes round your head for a year then fixed braces for 2 years then a palate one for a year. This is why I love my orthodontist so much, he made them perfect in 5 months.

My teeth really weren't that bad, just the 2 next to my top front teeth slightly crossed over like Kirstin Dunst, no overcrowding.

I've just had mine done last year
I had a brace as a teen but didn't wear the retainer.
I went for 'Fastbrace' it was a fixed metal one (but I did have pink bands on it) I only had to wear it for 5 months, with visits every 3 weeks for band changes. Best thing I've ever done, I'm thrilled. I wear a bonded tiny retainer on the back of my teeth which is practically invisible.
The Invisalign is nice, but does take a lot longer, is costly, and you take it out to eat etc-I wouldn't have had the willpower to put it back in!
My cost for top and bottom was around £2K including whitening and cleaning.
If you do go for fixed-I'd advise just having the metal, the clear brackets ping off quite often and stain terribly, so you still look like you're wearing a brace-except an orange one it went very quickly and you soon get used to them.

I had an Inman aligner. Different so you need to google it and see if you are suitable. 16 weeks and it straightened my top 4 squint teeth. Cost £1k.

If a fixed brace would work in 6 months then you should go for that!
My options are much harder- 2 extractions and fixed brace for 18-24 months. My front teeth-all 6- are crowded. I'd ask if you need extractions though because filing teeth is not a great idea.

I currently have both Invisalign and a fixed brace (at the same time!)

I had general crowding, and one very out of place tooth. I've had invisalign for almost a year, along with having my teeth filed a few times. So as well as straightening out the crowding, the invisalign has widened the gap that my extreme wonky tooth can move into.

Now the gap is big enough, I have a fixed brace just on three teeth. They have cut into my invisalign, so it sits over and around the fixed brace.

I have had no problems with invisalign. The fixed brace is causing me a bit of gip; it's broken once which hurt, and it's hard to eat. I'll be glad when its gone.

All in, this is costing me £3000. My surgery were running a 50% off invisalign deal, so my invisalign cost just over £1,500. Then all the filing, plus the small fixed brace and other bits and bobs has brought it up to £3k.

Gummy is there any way you'd post your before and after / ongoing pics?
I'm a bit puzzled how 1 dentist said I could have Invisalign with some filing down and another said no way - only extractions and fixed brace. Has anyone discussed the downside of filing down with you? You will lose enamel so is this an issue long term?

How crowded were your teeth?

I'd be happy to send you a pic of mine by message if you prefer!

I don't have a photo of before treatment, but I've snapped the Invisalign diagram of what my teeth were like before treatment.

Then attached a photo I just took, which shows the severity of my rogue tooth, and the small metal brace.

And finally a snap of what my teeth are projected to look like at the end of treatment.

There's nothing wrong with having your teeth filed. You can take off 1.5mm no problem. Any more and it can be damaging, but if you're with a reputable orthodontist it will be fine. It doesn't hurt to have them filed, is just a bit weird.

You can see in the photo the little 'buttons' that are glued onto my teeth. They hold the invisilign in place. Most people need at least a few otherwise they don't stay on tight enough.

I did have an orthodontist tell me my teeth were too bad for invisalign. I shopped around, and my current ortho suggested a mix of invisalign and metal brace. Nobody had suggested it to me before, he's a bit of a maverick, maybe it'll become more popular?

I'm currently half way through having my front upper teeth straightened using an Inman Aligner. Up to now I'm really pleased as it seems to be working and it is comfortable to wear, although the lisp it causes is really bad so I can't wear it for work, but I only work part time so its not much of an issue. Taking it out to eat is a minor hassle meaning I've stopped snacking between meals so those extra ponds I've been trying to shed for ages are dropping off - a fabulous added bonus.

The inman aligner should take max 18 weeks, which is great compared with fixed braces or invisalign which would apparently take nearer 18 months (and cost a lot more). Teeth filing is minimal in my case as my teeth are crooked/ slightly rotated rather than crowded so there is only about 1 mm of filing required over the 4 teeth being moved.

The cost of the Inman is £1500 compared around £2000 for invisalign and £3000 for fixed braces behind the front teeth (London prices).

Thanks :)

Basically, one side of mine has overlapping teeth and on the other side they look set back. The front two are crossed but not hugely, but the two on either side of the front two are crossed and one protrudes quite a lot.

Does having ones teeth straightened improve ones smile, or does it have added bonus of changing face shape slightly?

I'm asking for vain and complicated reasons... I have slight overbite, but also a weak jawline (not very defined). I grind my teeth terribly, have done since childhood and now have chronic jaw pain.

Been to see 2 hospital consultants and now wear a hard mouth guard 24/7 (but not when eating, or working).

One consultant suggested surgery to break jaw into 3 pieces and reset the whole thing. Idea was to improve my jawline and to reposition teeth so they "fit" better when I bite down.

But now, the more I read about braces, the more I query if a brace would help....

Might mention it to him at next hospital appt.

Sorry for hijack but you got me pondering!!!

I'm having Invisalign at the moment - good question about the change to face shape, my dentist takes photos of both the front & sides of my face with my mouth closed, I had no idea why but maybe that explains it!

Have to say I really like Invisalign - I've worn them for 30 weeks so far & there is a big difference. I had to have a tiny bit shaved off 2 of my teeth to make room, but nothing major.

Lidika My jaw line/ face shape has changed slightly. The left side of my jaw protruded more than the right, but it has evened out. This is a very slight change, only my nearest and dearest have noticed.

There is a type or brace (I think the Inman?) that focuses more on widening the back teeth, which widens your face/jaw a bit and gives a wider smile. Don't quote me on that, tis something I vaguely remember from my consultations.

I'm 3 months in with Invisalign. The whole treatment (upper and lower) will take about 1 year.

My 3 options were fixed brace with extractions, or Invisalign with filing or the "6month" smile which is a fixed brace which just straightens the very front but doesn't affect the bite or crowding problems. My orthodontist was very reassuring about filing doing no damage, it's very little per tooth.

I'm finding Invisalign no problem. I've become used to popping them in and out for eating without bother, even in public.

I must say I'm just pleased I'm getting my teeth fixed, I've always regretted not seeing it through when I was in my teens. I'm really looking forward to the end result!

I had Invisalign for 18 months. It worked really well but it is an imposition to your daily life, and by the end I was sick to death of it. I did not have to have any teeth filing. I now have pretty straight teeth and I have wire fixed to the back of my teeth to stop my teeth from moving back, pesky things!

Lidika my son is currently wearing twin block braces which are specifically for changing the alignment of the jaw. He has an overbite which results in a receding lower jaw. The twin blocks hold his top jaw in place and encourages the bottom jaw to grow forwards. It's meant to work pretty quickly, he should only have to wear it for 6-9 months, and after only 2 weeks we can already see some change.

However, I don't think this treatment is suitable for adults. I think it only works while you are still growing. I have heard that if this treatment isn't done whilst still growing, the only way of treating a weak lower jaw is through surgery.

Why don't you make an appointment with an orthodontist to discuss your options?

Watching this as I have a tooth that's been on the move since childbirth.
I'm becoming more and more aware of it and hate smiling in photos because of it

I looked in to invasalign but my bite is all wrong so I'd need the full whack. Train tracks.

Do you know that they can put on ceramic train tracks? the bracket is clear?

Scarlett that is very interesting. I will certainly ask next time I'm at the dentist and ask for Orthodontist referral. But I'm 32 years old, so perhaps getting jaw broken and fixed via surgery is my only option. Consultant said waiting list for that is 3.5 years on NHS!

Do look at options and get 2nd opinions.I had a brace and saw 2 others to check options.A fixed brace is worthwhile and sometimes is the best route.It's surprising how quickly you get used to a brace.

Watching this thread with great interest!
I've always hated my teeth, they are very crooked!

But I'm paying for neglecting my teeth in my childhood and teens, most of my teeth have fillings and I have a couple of root canals and crowns. Although the decay is pretty stable now (as I know better)

Has Anyone had straightening work done with "bad" teeth?

My DP is a practising dentist in the process of training in orthodontic specialism and I recently asked what the difference was between a traditional fixed and 'fast' brace.

The Six-Month Smile/Invisalign type braces basically just tilt your teeth into position, but the results are unlikely to be permanent because it takes around 18 months for the bone to set in place, and obviously you only have it on for 6-12 months.

Fixed braces fully move the teeth within the jaw and, crucially, allow the bone time to heal and set into the new position. It is possible to rotate, descend and reposition the teeth in a way that isn't possible with the fast braces.

Another thing worth considering is that in order to be 'trained' in the fast brace systems, dentists only have to attend a course lasting a few days. To provide fixed braces, they need at the very least a specialist qualification such as a Masters.

Needless to say, I'm having a fixed brace at the end of the year. I had one as a teenager but I was a bad patient and didn't really comply with the treatment. Now I'm old enough to know better!

Also, anyone who wants cheaper fixed braces, it's worth getting in contact with universities that offer orthodontic courses to see if any of the students need patients for case presentations. You will likely get the work done at cost price and it will be supervised by a qualified orthodontist, as well as your student who is a registered dentist.