You guys think braces would help or should I get veneers?

[teebi]

I'm 25 / male. My teeth have always been like this. I have crooked teeth + many baby teeth.

I'm really self concious about it, and want to fix them, and I finally came into some money where i would not regret spending it if I can smile happily.

I went to an orthodontist, and he said I couldnt get invisalign id have to get metal braces, and he also recommended me to go see a surgeron for my underbite and see if i need surgery to fix it, but that was awhile ago, and i have not went back yet.

I would love to skip wearing braces at my age(he said 2 yrs+)

So I thought someone would have some good advice for me, appreciate it in advance.

pics
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[mikeg]

Hey Buddy. Welcome to the forum.

I would opt for the surgery/braces, especially since you are still very young. Your teeth look very healthy (nice and white too) just your bite is off..

Do you have health insurance? If so, I would start by finding an Oral surgeon in which you may have a shot at getting the surgery covered. Then you can ask the sugeon to refer you to an ortho he/she is comfortable working with.

I know you dread the thought of wearing braces for 2 years but trust me that it really does fly by. I also have a class 3, but not severe, so I did braces only. Now I wish I would of went with braces/surgery to get my bite feeling a bit more comfortable, but my insurance won't cover it...

Start a blog on here and keep us posted along the way.. I have been watching the blogs for a while now and you see people get them on and off like it happened quickly!

If you decided to not go through with surgery/braces.. than I would just live with it.. Veneers for underbites don't look like a good option in my opinion.

[Carrie]

I agree with Mike, I don't think the venneers are going to give you the results you want.

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

From the looks of your bite, it looks like it won't be corrected with veneers alone. Due to your severe underbite, it is unlikely that the veneers would even stay on properly due to the improper biting forces.

It is important that the emotional and financial barriers are met before starting treatment. You've come into a situation where you can handle braces financially, but make sure you convince yourself you really need treatment, because it can be a struggle at times. That being said, there are not very many patients who are unhappy with having a combined surgical/orthodontic approach when treatment has been done properly, and they are able to enjoy the results.

Good luck in your decision!

[teebi]

Hey Buddy. Welcome to the forum.

I would opt for the surgery/braces, especially since you are still very young. Your teeth look very healthy (nice and white too) just your bite is off..

Do you have health insurance? If so, I would start by finding an Oral surgeon in which you may have a shot at getting the surgery covered. Then you can ask the sugeon to refer you to an ortho he/she is comfortable working with.

I know you dread the thought of wearing braces for 2 years but trust me that it really does fly by. I also have a class 3, but not severe, so I did braces only. Now I wish I would of went with braces/surgery to get my bite feeling a bit more comfortable, but my insurance won't cover it...

Start a blog on here and keep us posted along the way.. I have been watching the blogs for a while now and you see people get them on and off like it happened quickly!

If you decided to not go through with surgery/braces.. than I would just live with it.. Veneers for underbites don't look like a good option in my opinion.

I don't have health insurance anymore, I am self employed and my cobra just ran out. When I did have health ins, I remember they said $1500 could be applied to ortho, but the oral part they would have to work with and sometimes you can basically say you need it for health reasons and its covered fully for the most part. I'll have to see about that, worst comes to worst i'll pay.

I suppose my biggest concern with braces is, ok once it does correct my alignment, and if I do surgery to correct the bite, my teeth are still some what unusual. As you can see I only have two normal size teeth(upper) giving the bugs bunny kinda look, the bottoms are very small in size, and i realize not everyone can get the perfect smile, but i'm guessing with surgery/braces, and than veeneers or basically crowning them to make them full size would be a good idea?

blog sounds good, I def will do it, do you have one? I could not find a link to it.

From the looks of your bite, it looks like it won't be corrected with veneers alone. Due to your severe underbite, it is unlikely that the veneers would even stay on properly due to the improper biting forces.

It is important that the emotional and financial barriers are met before starting treatment. You've come into a situation where you can handle braces financially, but make sure you convince yourself you really need treatment, because it can be a struggle at times. That being said, there are not very many patients who are unhappy with having a combined surgical/orthodontic approach when treatment has been done properly, and they are able to enjoy the results.

Good luck in your decision!

I'm definitely going to do treatment of some sort, because as I said in my original post I am very self conscious about it. I mean i don't want to sound narcissistic, but I think I'm a good looking guy and it has become to make me change the way I act in social settings. I mean a smile is a big thing, it really brings home who we are, and I feel like not only is it missing but it takes away from my personality.

It looks as if veneers are definitley not right for what I want right now, the only thing now is how much of an improvement can i expect realistically after enduring 2 yrs+ with braces, and or surgery.

[Sunny]

It's great that you're in a position to work with your teeth now teebi! Welcome to this forum and I hope it helps you to make your decision.

I recommend you talk to a few ortho's and get their opinions on the best treatment for you. Your class III does look like it would benefit most from surgery, but you also need to discuss how your teeth will come together due to you having 'baby' teeth and teeth of differing sizes. I'm certain you'll find a treatment that you'll be happy with and that will give you the best result possible.

Also you may prefer to find an ortho who used ceramic brackets, so that your braces will be less obvious. Remember you have many choices in this area ... as brackets don't affect how teeth move, but they often affect how we feel about how we look.

Good luck with finding out more!

[Denise]

I got braces at 30, and I worked with a lady who was in her 50's who had them. The VP of my company is in his late 60's, and he has them too. So trust me, age 25 is nothing *L*. Once you get them you'll be amazed at how many adults you see who have braces that you never even realized before, because honestly from a cosmetic point of view, it's just not that big of a deal. They are so common, people don't even notice them. If you have the money to get treatment, be sure to get the proper treatment. You'll be SO happy you did when it's all over!