i am thinking about getting invisalign..

[holly smokes]

although i have had braces, my teeth are not that great looking. i have an overbite that is bigger than before (its about 5mm) which make my teeth horsey looking as it narrow in on the sides + my teeth are not very symmetrical. here is a drawing of what the sides look like, it's really bad drawing so i hope you can tell what i am trying to present. lol


one side comes in nicely and the other side when i rub it i feel bone, which i assume is my jaw.

if i had to compare, my teeth would look something similar to miley cyrus NEW teeth

Do you think Invisalign will help? i want a wider fuller looking smile.

[Stephanie]

I see what you are saying... Invisalign may be an option for you... but severe overbites are usually better treated with traditional braces.....the braces would also help to give you a better "C" shaped smile as opposed to a "U" shape...

I'm not saying Invisalign can't do it, but for the money and the results you are seeking I would go with metal braces.

Get about 3 to 5 ortho opinions and report back to us.

[holly smokes]

is 5mm severe?
if i do get invisaligne which i would prefer over traditional braces, even if id doesnt get rid of my overbite i would still prefer a 'c' shape smile than 'u'.

So it is possible to go from U shape to C?

As much as i would love to go to an orthodontist for a quote, i dont want to be spending $80 for each visit.

[Zoso]

Where are you based, holly? Many orthodontists in the USA, and a lot of them in Canada will offer a basic consultation free of charge.

I'll also say this: there are limits to what braces - any braces, fixed or removable - can do. The teeth can be moved a certain amount, but they can't be moved beyond where there is bone to support them. And if you push them too far towards the boundaries of the supporting bone/gums, you can end up with teeth whose roots are covered with only a thin and fragile layer of gum tissue - or worse, you can end up with exposed roots. Obviously not good. Just thought I'd mention it so you are prepared in case the answer should happen to be that a wider smile is not possible.

[holly smokes]

yeah my name isnt holly? i accidentally misspelled my username lol.

I am based in NZ and their is only one orthodontist who specializes in invisalign in my area.
Straight Teeth - Non-specialist Orthodontics by Dr Roger Tiang

i also thought about getting my teeth capped, but i dont want to be making appointment's every decade.

and could someone tell me what this means "Non-specialist orthodontic treatment"?

i do think my teeth can be made wider, even if its just a little bit (which would be better than this 'U' shape)
but i am not sure as well, cause my bottom teeth are straight, and also a 'U' shape, this wasnt the case before i got my bottom ones on. They were very straight to began with, but then my orthodontist got me to pull out 2 teeth and now they kinda go inwards.

Also anyone know how long it takes for wisdom teeth to completely come up?
mine have been growing for the past 2 years. Around the time i got my braces on.

[Sunny]

I suspect this is because Dr Tiang is a cosmetic dentist, not a specialist orthodontist, but his web site says he will refer patients above his level of expertise to ortohdontists.

If you click on the contact part of his website, you can email questions.

Good luck!

[Zoso]

I'l call you Fred then, OK? Just kidding. I was just too lazy to type "holly smokes" in my earlier post, so abbreviated your username.

I am not certain what "Non-specialist orthodontic treatment" but I can make a pretty good guess. In some countries, any licensed dentist is allowed to perform orthodontic treatment, but there are varying rules about what title they can give themseves. In the UK, you can call yourself an orthodontist if your main business is orthodontia, but by law you can only call yourself a "Specialist Orthodontist" if you have gone through extra formal training and have qualified for Membership in Orthodontics of one of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (MOrth). My supposition would be that there is something of a similar situation in New Zealand, and that this Dr. Tiang has not taken the extra formal qualifications to be a Specialist Orthodontist.

That fits in with his web site too - he appears to be a cosmetic dentist really. This makes sense too, since Invisalign seems to tend to be more popular with general/cosmetic dentists than specialist orthodontists.

I think you are smart not to favour the quick fix of caps/crowns. Though they will give the illusion of straight teeth, the underlying teeth and the roots will be unchanged, and depending what is going on, this may put unfavourable stresses and strains on those tooth roots. And of course, as you say, you'd need to have those caps replaced periodically through your life.

I honestly still think it's worth shelling out for a consultation with a specialist orthodontist. Some dentists do a great job with orthodontic treatment, but some can also get in over their heads.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

Holy smokes!

[holly smokes]

from the ones in my area, i have seen good and bad results from all. i know 3 people who went to this one person, and out of two their teeth looked great! however the other one was awful. But i am not sure if it is because they got theirs done early on at around age 12 and the other one about 16. But then one of the 3 sister also went to the same one and they actually ended up suing him because her teeth had actually shifted to the side and not centered and that is also the result of the 16 year old.

And the one i am at, 3 of my friends went to him.. their results were perfect; well better than mine anyway.. (although they had smaller teeth) ...i find that when i smile 6 of my teeth will show but on the corner of my mouth it is very hollow hence the horsey look depending on which angle you look at. When you look down on me you will ONLY see 6 teeth.
Kinda similar to Victoria Beckham's smile
http://i1.tinypic.com/s4p1mb.jpg

Also, does anyone know if orthodontist can help with the symmetry of your smile when mouth is open and closed? i find that the line of my mouth when closed is like slightly on an angle.

i'll write more 2mrw maybe, need some sleep.

[mikeg]

to tell you the truth, the horsey smile is fine and defining in many women.. as long as the teeth are not crooked or spaced out, it can look just fine and dandy.

if it bothers you though, sure you can get it adjusted and i'm sure you'll be happy with the results.. braces really are cake.. but as others have said, I'm not sure I would rely on Invisalign do the job...

[Sunny]

... But then one of the 3 sister also went to the same one and they actually ended up suing him because her teeth had actually shifted to the side and not centered and that is also the result of the 16 year old.

Suing in my country ... now that's sad!

Holly Smokes remember that the results are not always due to the orthodontist, the patient plays an important role and if they do not do as requested and follow the ortho's plans, anything is possible.

Please go and talk to some orthodontist's and find out what treatment, if any, would be best for you.

Good luck!

[holly smokes]

yeah i will probably book an appointment with Dr Tiang and ask him what he thinks and hopefully he will be honest!

also i think i found a pic which best resembles mine in a similar way, although her teeth are nicer looking. Mine arent symetrical and have an overbite + they "curve" more whereas her's are straight at the front (by the way horsey teeth dont look great on me)
http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV...300_SY400_.jpg

[Zoso]

I don't think Posh Spice's teeth held her back any, for what it's worth!

[holly smokes]

her teeth are better looking though plus i have bigger teeth than her from what i can tell.

I have another question.

teeth that slant inward is this good or bad? cause my bottom teeth do and they never did before and also the sides of my upper teeth slightly do.

[Sunny]

Holly smokes you really need to talk to an orthodontist about this, as it's more about how and where the teeth meet.

Good luck!

[Zoso]

I think it would be more precise to say that what matters is how the teeth function. So the right teeth need to meet in the right way - and the right way means such that they can properly do their jobs (for example, the front teeth need to meet so as to be able to bite, and the back to chew properly) If they meet incorrectly, they might not function correctly (so you may have issues biting or chewing) and/or they may wear badly. And if the teeth are not angled correctly, then the forces of biting and chewing will not be properly directed along the length of the root, but at an angle to it, which can result in damage.

[holly smokes]

i have another question,

How can i tell where my upper front jaw starts? (if that makes sense?) How can i tell that its my jaw and not the root of my teeth?

[Zoso]

The upper jaw (maxilla) is a part of the skull. The teeth of both the upper and lower jaws are borne by anatomical structures called the alveolar process. Take a look at Figure 1.9 on this page: Fundamentals of Dental Technology

It's not uncommon to be able to feel little bumps along the gums corresponding to the underlying tooth roots. But the roots should not be too prominent. I tried to find some images to illustrate, but didn't really come up with anything too helpful. Sorry.

[holly smokes]

ok, well starting from the gum line, mine curves in. Do you reckon my overbite could be less prominent? (i will ask a orthodontist soon, just want to research some stuff first)

[mikeg]

do let us know what the orthos say ...

[Zoso]

Holly smokes, it's impossible to say. Even if we had your X-rays and pictures, we're not orthodontists, so we'd still really only be making guesses.

Since you are looking at this Dr. Tiang, I assume you are in striking distance of either Aukland or Hamilton. I wonder therefore whether any of the following orthodontists might be within a reasonable distance from you - all are listed as Invisalign providers, but are orthodontists rather than cosmetic dentists:

Ivan de Spa
385 Lake Road
TAKAPUNA
orthonz@woosh.co.nz
(9) 486 0797

Robert Max
Max, Beresford & Associates
116 Remuera Road
REMUERA
robertmax@orthodontists.co.nz
(9) 520 0159

John Shennan
Northshore Orthodontics
14 Auburn Street
TAKAPUNA
johnshennan@yahoo.com
(9) 488 7488

Mark Beresford
Max, Beresford & Associates
116 Remuera Road
REMUERA
markberesford@orthodontists.co.nz
(9) 520 0159

Mark Johnson
Bay Orthodontics
Level 7, Harrington House
Harrington Street
TAURANGA
jonners@xtra.co.nz
(7) 577 0916

Catherine Porter
Catherine Porter Orthodontist Ltd
8 St Vincent Avenue
REMUERA
Catherine Porter Orthodontist, Auckland, New Zealand
catherine@cportho.co.nz
(9) 522 2767

Daniel Smethurst
Avenues Orthodontics
44 Third Avenue
TAURANGA
http://www.straightwhiteteeth.co.nz
dan@avortho.co.nz
(7) 578 9166

Janice Sommerville
Janice Sommerville LTD 5 St Marks Road
REMUERA
janice@orthodontist.net.nz
(9) 524 7628

[holly smokes]

thanks Zoso for those links, although Hamilton is the closest which is only a 40min drive whereas Auckland and Tauranger are 2-2 1/2hrs away..

i have another question about invisalign, do you have to have appointments every 2weeks?

Thanks.

[jenn773]

im getting invisalign soon and i was told my appointment check ins or whatnot would be every 8-12 weeks..which is good because my ortho is 3 hours away

[Zoso]

Every two weeks? No, I've never heard of that.

It's usual for the dentist or orthodontist to give the patient something like three, four, five or six sets of aligners (approx) and recheck at the end of each mini-series. So appointments are generally be anything from six to 12 week intervals, depending how many pairs of trays were given, and on when he can schedule you.

[myhollywoodsmile]

My ortho sees you every six, unless he has something specific to do such as attachments or IPR.

[Weeeyin]

I'm seeing my ortho for 10 mins or so every 3 weeks so he can track my progress, tray 4 is going like a dream - it's the comfiest yet. Tray 5 on saturday then see Mr ortho on 22st for more IPR and next batch of trays. I'd rather see him little and often and just get the IPR as per the schedule when I need it before trays than it all at once and have big gaps between my appointments.