The 'perfect' smile - Page 5

DeadDwarf · November 25th, 2008, 03:05 PM

^ Yeah, they can totally fix that easily. It's called tooth contouring/reshaping. It's usually something like $50+ a tooth, depending on how bad you need it.

I had it done when I got my braces off. It doesn't hurt and it's quick.

ETA, I found this, it has some good info:

cosmetic dentistry reshaping and dental contouring

HelpMeRhonda · November 25th, 2008, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Folieadeux

Oh my god. That is exactly what they're like on the top, just a lot less noticeable. I have all my adult teeth though and at this age, you'd think they'd have worn themselves down! Funnily enough, I have never chewed with my front teeth - does anyone? Maybe that's why they're still there. Thanks so much!

I have an appt. in 3 weeks and will see what can be done then... this sounds weird, maybe they can sand them down?

Is there a name for this occurrence?

I had a little of that on two of my teeth I mentioned it to the dentist while I was there for a check up..and he pulled out this file and filed it off.. then a little piece of black paper.. kinda buffed them smooth. It about killed me like nails on a chalk board but I wanted it done. So I was happy in the end.. it took like 5 minutes for mine. And No charge. Guess it matters how bad it is.

DitaPage* · November 28th, 2008, 06:18 AM

I've seen veneers done on tv, and one woman said she was eating something and it just fell off :O. No thanks. I hate the idea of having like 'stick on teeth'. So they just 'fall off' and you're stuffed until you can get back to the dentist.

Rondette · November 28th, 2008, 07:18 AM

My 3 front teeth are crowned now (funnily enough I had the last one done just yesterday!) I had a drunken falling over and managed to chip all three, that was about 8 years ago now.....they put filler in so it looked ok for a while but the the filler bit got discoloured and looked manky. These were my front teeth, so not easy to hide!
I am much happier with how they look now, I wish they were a bit straighter, they are not in line with my nose and one of my canines is higher than the other, but I've had 4 years of braces when I was younger, and can't afford any more!! Oh well, when I win the lottery maybe...

qwerty · November 28th, 2008, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rondette

My 3 front teeth are crowned now (funnily enough I had the last one done just yesterday!) I had a drunken falling over and managed to chip all three, that was about 8 years ago now.....they put filler in so it looked ok for a while but the the filler bit got discoloured and looked manky. These were my front teeth, so not easy to hide!
I am much happier with how they look now, I wish they were a bit straighter, they are not in line with my nose and one of my canines is higher than the other, but I've had 4 years of braces when I was younger, and can't afford any more!! Oh well, when I win the lottery maybe...

Not worth obsessing over. Very few people have a perfectly symmetrical smile and that it includes the "beautiful people", i.e. celebs. Take a look at celebrity smiles and you'll see what I'm talking about.

kiddvideo · November 28th, 2008, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t13nif

Hey Kidd, i just got Invisalign last week and am wondering how you are doing? Mine will take about 8 months. Did you get the results you were wanting?

Mine have been done since the summer. I got the result I wanted, although I am sure my teeth would still be considered horrible by Hollywood standards

Shinola · November 28th, 2008, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o0Amber0o

I love the idea of anything that would fix my horrendous smile. I know that veneers would be ideal because I'm 22 and it's a quick fix, but I also know that my teeth are in pretty good condition aside from being really out of alignment.

I just worry that with braces I'll be living in them for years (not just one) and I'll have to endure a lot of painful procedures to even get them to the point of even being able to have braces on them.

It's not something I need to worry about now anyway, I don't have the money for either option!

I am currently wearing braces and don't love it, but it will be worth it when they come off.

What kinds of painful procedures are you imagining you would need in advance? I did have two teeth extracted, but I was knocked out, so it didn't hurt. Otherwise, if your teeth are clean and healthy, there's no advance work. And if your teeth aren't clean and healthy, it's best to get that taken care of anyway, braces or no.

If your teeth are very crooked, veneers are not a good idea, imo.

Many orthodontists will let you pay monthly, no financing fee. I didn't even make a down payment, just 220 a month until the total was paid.

OP: I generally don't think veneers are a good idea. I have a chipped tooth and may finally have to get one, but I would rather not. Replacing healthy teeth with fake teeth doesn't make sense if it isn't really necessary. Veneers are not as strong as real teeth, they're expensive, they do have to be replaced eventually, as people here have pointed out.

I recommend ArchWired - A site for adults with orthodontic braces and the forums there for anyone considering braces--or veneers, actually. Lots of knowledgeable people there on this subject.

Shinola · November 28th, 2008, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwerty

Not worth obsessing over. Very few people have a perfectly symmetrical smile and that it includes the "beautiful people", i.e. celebs. Take a look at celebrity smiles and you'll see what I'm talking about.

True. For example, Dita von Teese has one of the worst "midline shifts" I've ever seen--her teeth certainly don't line up with her nose. But unless you're looking for this stuff, you don't notice it. I never would've registered her midline problem if I weren't dealing with orthodontia myself.

DitaPage* · November 29th, 2008, 06:38 AM

^Yeah Dita hasn't got PERFECT teeth. Her smile is cute as a result.

Shinola · November 29th, 2008, 02:34 PM

^^ I think Dita's smile is very pretty--in general, she is a beautiful person, and she knows how to present herself incredibly well, so the smile imperfection is no big deal. I'm not sure I agree that the irregular smile is something that makes her look good--it tends to be camouflaged or just blended into her overall gorgeous appearance.

A*O · November 29th, 2008, 03:43 PM

If you have really crooked teeth then of course get them straightened with braces. Everyone seems to be wearing them these days. But I wouldn't ever have perfectly healthy teeth practically destroyed in order to stick porcelain veneers on the stumps.

My husband knocked out a couple of front teeth in an accident and now has veneers which look OK but even with clever colour matching etc they still look like veneers. Better than a huge gap though!

I agree that Hollywood smiles look totally fake and unnatural, especially the over-bright dazzling white jobs that just look ridiculous.

DitaPage* · December 3rd, 2008, 02:56 AM

My Mum has veneers, and some days it's like 'They look great' and other days her teeth really do look fake. It's really odd. Overall her teeth are fabulous though. But she does have that ridiculous white blinding smile thats for sure. My Dad on the other hand has great teeth when it comes to straightness and shape, but they're a crappy colour from smoking and coffee drinking.

I have straight bottom teeth thanks to braces but the tooth right in the middle grows like a cm above the rest of the teeth! The dentist has to shave it down all the time so it's level with the rest. It's not a cosmetic thing, it's the fact my tongue gets cuts on it from always playing with it. It's definitely a freak tooth.

And on the veneers thing again, i watch those makeover shows and they fix even the most messed up teeth with veneers so don't underestimate them.

Shinola · December 3rd, 2008, 05:43 PM

Yeah, they can do a lot with veneers cosmetically, but the thing is that if your teeth are really crooked, you are bound to have a malocclusion--all of the teeth are off. Having a bad bite can cause headaches, and facial and neck pain; can cause the teeth to wear improperly; can result in poorly chewed food. Makeover shows are only about looking better, not about functionality.

I don't hate veneers or anything, and they can look very good, but just because you can use them to mask orthodontic problems doesn't mean they're the best solution.

DitaPage* · December 4th, 2008, 04:25 AM

^Oh yes, good point. My ortho went on and on about the bite. It does make a huge difference. Before I had braces, I was a mouth breather.

Shinola · December 4th, 2008, 05:53 PM

^^ Lord, I wish there were some easier way than braces to fix a bad bite. I hate these metal mofos in my mouth. But now that my teeth are almost done, I have fewer headaches. I used to have a headache at least every other day. I also think my face looks better overall.

Mouth breathing can't be fun. It would have to dry out the mouth!