Question..

[SFranklin]

Hey all,

I've always been kind of insecure about my smile, but I've never been able to get braces(I'm 21). All of my teeth are straight except for the teeth outside of my front two teeth, if that makes sense. They stick out a bit and they're a little bit shorter than the rest of my teeth.

So I was wondering, if I just need my front 4 straightened would it be cheaper than getting full braces? Or does it matter?..

And also can I have crowns put on those two teeth to make them in line with the rest of my teeth? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Zealie]

Hey,

I have a similar problem with my upper and lower teeth so I was hoping for the same thing. All of the Orthos I went to told me that I couldn't have braces on just those teeth as all of my teeth would need to move to make room for the eye teeth to fall back into place. Your case may be different, it's worthwhile going in for a consultation to get a better idea. I ended up choosing Invisalign over traditional braces because the cost wasn't that much more.

[ajvasey]

the only people who can truely answer your questions is a trained orthodontists. many orthodontists offer a free consultation with no obilgation. if an ortho doesn't, don't consider that one then.

we can only tell you of our own experiences, which may not apply to you. however, I would recommend going to get a free consultation with more than one orthodontist. also, make sure that at least one of them is certified in invisalign. That way you will get the most options possible. An orthodontist who doesn't do invisalign will naturally not recommend it. On the downside of invisalign, my ortho told me that invisalign doesn't do a good job pulling teeth down, which is needed for two of my teeth. I do have invisalign though, and it will attempt to pull those teeth down, but my ortho is not very optimistic about it and said that I might need traditional braces to finish the job.

if your teeth don't need too much adjustment, invisalign express is always an option if you are a candidate, and if so, it is much cheaper.

Vaneers is always an option (partial crown), but I would always perfer to just have my teeth straightened than to have a tooth partially damaged by a vaneer. For vaneers or crowns, they have to grind away part of the tooth and there is no going back after that.

if you do choose to have your teeth straighten, be prepared to be committed to wearing a retainer for the rest of your life. having braces is a life long commitment.

good luck

[Sunny]

Welcome to this forum S!

Your laterals should respond quickly to orthodontic treatment, but how this treatment is best designed for your case is up to a trained person to recommend. Depending on where you live, orthodontic consults may be free, but even if you do need to pay for them, it's worth it, for the investment you plan to make.

A good orthodontist will rarely treat just your front teeth, as that would result in the rest of your teeth (those behind your front ones) and your bite to be affected. When a tooth is moved, it has an affect on all teeth around it, and this is why it's necessary to treat archs. One arch can be treated, as long as your bite is already good and will remain that way when your upper teeth are in place.

I was not an invisalign candidate and at 47 had five ceramic brackets and the rest stainless steel put on my upper and lower arches. So far this has been a breeze, except for a few issues that have resulted in a change of treatment plan. Eating and cleaning are easy and in over 2 1/2 years, I've not had any pain. I never would have believed this possible ... even though I work as an orthodontic assistant. I'm grateful for the positive attitude of the people I work with and the many great patients who've encouraged me.

Good luck with finding the best treatment option for you.

[angelbabiez9700]

this is going to sound a bit weird, but I like when people have unusual teeth in some way. Not all the time, but just because two of your teeth are shorter and stick out alittle, next to the front two, doesnt mean you have an ugly smile. Smile anyways and go get a free consultation.

[Sunny]

this is going to sound a bit weird, but I like when people have unusual teeth in some way. Not all the time, but just because two of your teeth are shorter and stick out alittle, next to the front two, doesnt mean you have an ugly smile.

Well written ... I totally agree!

We need less people trying to have hollywood smiles and more accepting a good bite is what will make their lives (and jaw joints) more comfortable!