To teeth or not to teeth, that is my question

[BarnabyJude]

Hi! I’ve not started a thread before so this is new territory.
I have been contemplating getting my teeth sorted out - I have gaps/ broken teeth at the back but my front ones are ok. it’s started to really affect my confidence now and I know something has to be done 😞.
Has anyone got any wisdom (no pun intended!) they could share please? It’s a complete minefield online - Turkey teeth, smile in a day, bridge implants - and I don’t know where to start!
Has anyone had implants here in the UK? Turkey? Expensive? Painful? Confidence boosting or a nightmare from start to finish?

Any advice/info would be most welcome 😊

Ooh I keep thinking about Invisalign. But it looks so expensive and quite a faff, so can I join your thread?

If your front ones are OK and you have some money I'd go down the implant route. I have one and it was very straightforward. No pain at all.

Definitely come join me! Hopefully some Invisalign advice will be given for you 😊

I had a consultation and a treatment plan with a private dentist for veneers on a few teeth, a bridge or implants and teeth whitening. It showed before and after pictures so I could see the results. It was expensive at about £250 (the plan, the actual work is thousands 😐) but it helped me understand what was involved and achievable. Still putting it off though!

I looked into Invisalign a few years ago. I did think it sounded v faffyas well as ££££. I was told I'd need to wear them for 22-23 hours a day, which sounded horrible. You also cannot eat while wearing them, so I had visions of nights out where I'd have to bring my little Invisalign thingy holder and a toothbrush in my handbag. I think it would have been worth it if it would have been a quick fix, but I don't think it really would have been. They said 18 months! My problem teeth are my bottom row, so people don't really see them and they aren't that bad. So I just didn't do it. I don't think my teeth have gotten any worse either despite the Invisalign dentist telling me they would! They aren't perfect though, so I may do it in the future.

I don't like the big, white veneers people used to get. Looked mad! I don't see them any more though, so maybe they've improved.

I also am scared of any unnecessary dentistry tbh as I don't want chronic pain etc. But I'm a bit of a scaredy cat around that sort of thing!

@Trieditall that sounds really useful and what I need to do. Do you mind saying where abouts your dentist is?

I have 3 back molars on 2 implants. My dentist is a specialist in implantology, so he did it. At the same time, I had Enlighten Whitening and 2 front veneers to replace the old, opaque ones from 20 years ago. Veneers are now miles better than they used to be.

It cost a LOT. But it was worth every penny. I now have what appear to be perfect teeth and I get loads of compliments on them.

It’s in South Wales.

Brace or Invisalign and get them whitened. Dont get veneers unless your teeth are really bad. They don’t look great in reality.

Can I join and ask for anyone’s experience with whitening please? I’d go to a dentist rather than buy kits off the internet but I’m worried about sensitivity and pain - my teeth are sensitive anyway and I’m a wuss…

It’s such a massive investment isn’t it? My worry is it could cost thousands and I could end up looking like Rylan - and while that works for him, it definitely wouldn’t be a good look for me!

I had an implant after I lost a front tooth. I’m not sure I would’ve bothered with a back tooth, but this was so important to my appearance. It cost £3000 (this was about ten years ago) and took about six months in stages. It wasn’t painful, and I would do it again like a shot if I needed it.

I’ve had a lot of dental problems earlier in life, I’m just grateful that my teeth now seem to be healthy and I’m not bothered that they are a little bit irregular. But given that your teeth are something you “wear“ every day of your life, they are worth investing in! I think you probably need to find a good cosmetic dentist near you and get a consultation to see what’s possible.

If anyone has had Invisalign, did it make you lisp? I work in schools so could do without any comments!

A work colleague went to Turkey researched throughly and went to get vaneers but what they actually did was caps (I think they're called), filed her teeth down to pegs and stuck them on. She's in pain and NHS dentists won't/can't do any remedial work, have said only option is to remove the teeth. If you consider turkey you'll have to do extensive research.

I had a couple of teeth removed, kind of not back and not front, just the ones past the edge of your mouth. Was very self conscious because you can see if you look so has implants done, I think it was 3.5k in total. Mentioned having them to friends and they said they'd never noticed the gaps. No pain but I'm not sure I'd have bothered if I didn't think you could see.

I had Enlighten whitening. The dentist makes the moulds and you get several syringes full of gel to wear overnight (I can’t remember how many days) and then you have a session at the dentist’s with a stronger gel. I had no sensitivity whatsoever but the kit comes with something you can apply if needed.

I now buy gel from the internet about once a year to top up. I buy the really strong stuff so only need to do 2x 30 min treatments.

I know several people. You lisp (and dribble!) until you get used to them, just a day or 2.

It did work but you have to use the nighttime retainer for life and wear for many hours. Only 2 people have kept it up, the others say their teeth moved so much in a few days they can't get it in. Some people are suitable for behind the teeth wires instead of the retainer, that woukd be a better idea.

Twinklinglights - Sorry to hear that it went so badly for your colleague, there are many horror stories!
I have gaps where you had yours and I’m so self conscious about them

I did Invisalign a few years ago. It cost about 3k in total but was 100% worth it. I now smile with an open mouth when people take photos. I also now have much better dental health due to my teeth being less crowded (easier dental flossing etc.). In my opinion, it’s the best money you can spend in terms of cosmetic treatments.

In my consultation re implants for gaps at the back, I was told I would need a bone graft which sounded horrendous plus it would cost about £12,000 so I was seriously put off. The dentist even said he didn’t think I needed them as the gaps were not in the smile line.

personally I wouldn’t go anywhere NEAR turkey.

you might get someone good but you might not.

its low/medium risk but with VERY high impact.

my cousin goes on holiday to goa every year and has quite a “famous” dentist who does a lot of Bollywood actors…!

i think you need to decide what you want out of it…

i wanted a low maintenance functional smile that aesthetically looks good /natural.
i didn’t want the Hollywood/bollywoods! Smile or the unnatural look or cost and maintenance of veneers.

are you anywhere near London? I spent a decade trying to find my dental team and they are THE business and based centrally.
If you are, PM me and I will share the details.

My dentist offered a free consultation for two implants, this was triggered by a back tooth breaking vertically and so being unrepairable. I had already had the adjacent tooth extracted after it was damaged in a fall. The consulation included xrays and CT scans to check bone density etc and a written report incuding the scan images giving the options and costs. No hard sell, was advised to think about it and they would contact me again in 3 - 4 weeks to discuss if I wanted to go ahead. Also allowed time to shop around if I wanted to.
I needed a sinus lift due to bone loss (mid 60's) and am over half way through the whole treatment now - implants fitted into my jaw and crowns to be fitted in February once everything has healed. I did begin with a course of whitening too - fitted trays and gel came to just over £200. Used daily for 2 weeks and was really pleased how much brighter my teeth look - still natural and not 'ultra white' - my crowns will be matched to this. I now use the whitening treatment every 4 - 6 weeks to maintain the results.
The treatment so far has been fine - a lot of time in the dentists chairs and a bit uncomfortable but absolutley no pain for any of the procedures and minimal pain and swelling afterwards.

Personally I would focus on restoration of teeth and function over invisalign/braces.

I’m just coming to the end of an extensive treatment plan. I’ve had several deep cleans, two fillings, a crown that ultimately failed and needed to be extracted, two extractions that have implants fitted and teeth whitening. I’m just waiting on the implants to be installed now.

In total it’s cost nearly £8k, paid in instalments over a year. I feel like it’s definitely worth it. The majority of pain was after the extractions rather than anything else. Before this I had a huge fear of the dentist which is why I ended up needing so much work doing.

my missing teeth are on the edge of my mouth, so you can only just see them but I still decided to have them done. The failed crown is right at the back so I ultimately decided against having an implant there.

I got a kit from my dentist, I think it was about £500 but can’t remember. It hurt. Quite a lot and I’m left with really sensitive bottom teeth. So personally I wouldn’t recommend.

You also have to consider what caused the discolouration in the first place - I drink a lot tea and wasn’t prepared to cut back on that after the whitening treatment!

I had 9 months of Invisalign. No lisp (and also no dribble 🫤).

Definitely worth the money, I was really self conscious when smiling in photos before but my teeth are perfect now.

@flapjackfun @NowItsSpring @Trieditall thank you for your detailed responses 😊 You have inspired me to take the plunge and book an appointment (in the UK!).

I'm wondering if anyone has gone down the ‘all on 4 / smile in a day’ route? Is that for people who need to replace dentures? Thanks