braces for teeth

[Annie5]

Looking for some advice about braces for teeth :)

My top front teeth have become more crooked over the years and I am thinking of getting some braces fitted. Does anyone have any experience of the new invisible braces or the old-fashioned metal type? Length of time they take to work, comfort, cost etc.

Grateful for any advice / recommendations

Many thanks

Annie

[Blah Blah]

Metal braces work faster than Invisalign, but you may find you have to wear a night retainer anyway once they are straightened. Both hurt though ;) Invisalign are a little more expensive, but they are hardly noticeable when in.

[Annie5]

Thank you Blah Blah, this is really helpful :)

[Blah Blah]

You are welcome. Younger sibling is a dentist (not in London sadly). At the end of the day, which method you go for is really down to to vanity. Metal braces don't look great, but they get you there cheaper and quicker, and at least everyone knows why you have them. Invisalign spare you that but take longer and cost more. They both equally hurt as much and depending on how much your teeth have to move, require night retainers equally.

What I would say though is that if you go down the cosmetic dentist line, find a dentist you really like and trust. Because beyond straight teeth, there is a whole other world for negating the aging of teeth. And there are some very good dentists locally for that, that do not cost the earth.

[MovingMama]

can anyone recommend a local orthodontist that they have used/trust?

thanks

[prit]

I used Premier Orthodontics in Bromley and would highly recommend them. I had ceramic train tracks, I can't remember their real name but they are tooth-coloured.

Before you go for any consultations, think carefully about what you want to achieve and whether it's worth it - it is painful as Blah says and you should carry on wearing your night time retainers for life (they only mentioned the 'for life' bit at the end!) and you will have 'permanent retainers', ie wires permanently cemented onto the back of your front teeth top and bottom to keep your teeth still which means extra cleaning.

Consider the shape of your individual teeth - I hadn't realised that if I have a tooth that's more curved than those in photos of 'perfect smiles' you may be left with a small triangular gap at the gum line where the teeth don't meet at that point iykwim. Some orthodontists will 'shave' a mm or 2 off the side of your tooth to improve this but I didn't want to do that.

I stopped wearing my nighttime retainers a year or so after my braces came off and I have permanent wires, my teeth have moved a little, but I couldn't wear retainers every night for the rest of my life!

I am on balance glad that I did it but only just!

[Trousaprezz]

If it's not too late to comment on this thread...

I'm currently midway through extensive brace treatment (top and bottom). I came to it very late (I'm in my 50s) and I got quotes from several orthodontists before committing (including one for Invisalign). Pricewise they all came in at a similar amount so I went with the outfit that made me feel most comfortable.

This turned out to be Haynes Dental in Tulse Hill and I'm certain I made a good choice as the orthodontist is calm, kind, patient and generous with her time...she really does make me feel as though I'm the only mouth she has to work on with each visit, despite a evidence to the contrary waiting in the reception area! I can't recommend her and the rest of the staff highly enough.

I'm having Fast Braces which should take 12 months at the most to complete (and my teeth were very crooked at the outset) - clear brackets on top and regular train tracks on the bottom.

It's easy to get to from East Dulwich as well - a couple of stops by train and then a short walk from Tulse Hill station.