how to get free money UK
This website contains affiliate links. Click for affiliate disclosure


 

Braces at 30 – the consultation

Posted on

I did something last week I’d been thinking about for a long time.  I had a consultation with an orthodontist to finally sort my teeth out, as an adult!  I *think* I have made to decision to get braces at 30 years old!

I'm going to document my entire journey on my blog from start to finish, every appointment and what happens.  If you're thinking of getting braces then I hope I can help you decide too.

What happened at my first orthodontist consultation appointment?

What's wrong with my teeth?

 I really, really dislike my teeth.  They are a total mess.  Here are the problems:

  • I have three teeth missing – there aren’t big gaps – they just aren’t there.  They never ever were there.  They never grew.  Somehow we never noticed?!
  • I have small gaps between my bottom teeth, so the absence of these teeth might have caused the rest of my teeth to spread out more than usual and so there are gaps between them.
  • My canines are next to my two front teeth instead of being the third tooth back on each side
  • One of these canines is twisted 180 degrees so looks like a fang
  • I have no lateral incisors at the top
  • I have three baby teeth at the top so they are much smaller than my other teeth – there are no adult teeth to replace them so they never came out, but they might one day as they shouldn’t last so long and one dentist thinks one is wobbly!
  • Two of the baby teeth are canines – so I have four canines in my top jaw currently!
  • I have a peg tooth overlapping one of my top front teeth and canine, kind of where my lateral incisor should be – a random extra small tooth – a genetic anomaly according to the dentist, but common in people with missing teeth
  • My teeth lean into my mouth – not something I’ve ever noticed myself, but something the orthodontist could tell and showed me.  They can be pulled forward to give me a better bite apparently.

Getting braces will improve my self confidence

I sound like I must look hideous, right?!

Lots of people say to me, aaw your teeth aren’t that bad.

No they could be worse, but to me, that’s quite a lot wrong and quite a lot I’d like to sort out.

I'm pretty sure the people who say to me they're fine wouldn't ever want to swap teeth with me!

I hate smiling with my teeth.  I am so paranoid about them.  I even hate talking to people I don’t know because I feel they are thinking what awful teeth I have.

Sometimes I bite my bottom lip and my ‘fang’ gets caught on it, especially if my lips are dry.

Where I have gaps at the bottom I can see the sides of the teeth are wearing away a little.

They basically bother me every single day.

I think about how much I dislike them as soon as I see them each morning in the mirror.

I don't want to think about them anymore.

I want to be proud of my teeth and smile.

I look awkward and nervous in photos because I’m so paranoid about smiling; I smile with my mouth shut.  Absolutely detesting my huge nose also doesn’t help, but that’s a story for another time!

 

How much did my orthodontist consultation cost?  Was it free?

Sadly, it was not free to have a consultation at an orthodontist.  It was £100.  I pretty much had my mind set on going ahead... I think... so I was sure it wasn't going to be a waste of money.

I mustered up the courage (and a whopping £100) to have a consultation to see what the verdict was and various options.

If I’m going to have something as drastic and expensive as braces for a few years then I want it done properly.  I already knew from my dentist that I probably didn't qualify for the fast braces like six month smile as there is so much wrong with my teeth. 

There was an option to just replace the baby teeth, but my teeth would still look the same...

The second option was to work with what I’ve got by leaving them in the same place and just straighten them out.  Well, they’d look better, but they’d still be all different shapes and sizes with a peg tooth and canines in the wrong position.  So I don’t think I’d be 100% happy with the end result!

 

Train track braces are the best option

My best option, but probably most daunting is to sort the whole lot out.  This involves some pretty scary looking teeth for up to two and a half years with train track braces!  Scary because they'll also remove the two baby canines at he start, so I'll have gaps to contend with at the front of my mouth and train track braces to get used to.  Watch my self confidence plummet even more for a couple of years!

Yikes!

Here’s what they’d do:

  • Remove the two canine baby teeth (currently third position back at the top)
  • Fix braces to top and bottom
  • Move my adult canines back into third position where they should be whilst also twisting the twisted one so it faces the correct way
  • Move my bottom teeth together so there are no gaps between the teeth
  • Change the angle of my teeth to improve my bite – making them more vertical rather than leaning slightly into my mouth
  • Move peg tooth into middle of  where one of the lateral incisors should be– then a veneer can be added or restorative work to build a tooth
  • Add a false tooth (either implant or bridge) to the gap on the other side where the second lateral incisor should be

But, before the false teeth (one each side of my front two teeth to be my lateral incisors) can be added, I would need to wear a retainer for six months after the braces ( the braces will be needed for around 18-24 months).  They might be able to add a false tooth of some sort to the retainer so I don’t look like I have two teeth missing for six months (even though I will have).

And, whilst having the braces, I will at first have two gaps where they have removed my baby canines, then once my adult canines have moved into place I’ll have a full tooth sized gap where one lateral incisor should be and a peg tooth in the middle of the lateral incisor space on the other side!

With some lovely braces over the top for up to two years too!

I kind of think the braces will be OK though as at least people can tell I’m having my teeth straightened and fixed, so I’ve not just got a bunch of teeth missing without cause.

Having teeth missing is scarier than having the braces

So, for me, it’s not quite as simple as just having the braces to deal with.  I’ll also have to deal with two obvious missing teeth right at the front of my mouth.

But, no pain no gain right?

That’s all I keep thinking.

Plus, I keep imagining the day they are totally sorted.  Retainer off and false teeth/veneers/restorative work (whatever I choose) complete and I have a perfect smile.

I just know when that day comes I will think it was all totally worth it!

Two and a half years seems like a long time, but then I think how quickly time has gone since my daughter Bella was born and now she’s three!

So I’m certain the time will whizz by and I’ll have lovely teeth in no time!  I’m still in the pondering process after my consultation, but I think I’ve made my mind up and I think I’m going to go for it.

If I do, I won’t start the process until next year, hopefully March once I can leave Reuben for a few hours as I’m still breastfeeding currently.  I’ll document my appointments and journey here.

Once I’m brave enough to have a photo of my teeth I will show the transformation in before, after and during photos.  I tried to look for blog posts or videos of people having braces in their 30s, but struggled to find much, so I think it will be good to document my journey.

 

My entire braces & false teeth journey from start to finish:

Update - I did it!  I had braces, teeth removed, false teeth, the whole lot!

Here's my entire journey from start to finish with photos and all:

First orthodontist consultation

Making the decision to get false teeth and braces at 30

Braces booking appointment and moulds

Dentist appointment to check teeth for removal

Two weeks until I get braces

Two baby teeth removed ready for adult braces

Top brace fitting

Braces at 30 - day 2

Braces at 30 - day 3

One week with adult braces

18 days with adult braces

One month with adult braces

What happened at my first brace tightening appointment

3 months with adult braces

4 months with adult braces and another tightening appointment

One week after my third braces tightening

Bottom brace fitting and biting blocks

5th brace tightening

6th brace tightening and update

7th brace tightening and update

Elastics added to my braces from top to bottom

False tooth impression taken for my brace

Temporary false tooth on brace

Braces closing gaps and improving overbite

18 months with a brace

13th braces tightening appointment

22 months with an adult brace before and after

15th tightening appointment braces photos

2 year update with adult braces

17th brace tightening at 24 months with an adult brace

My last braces tightening appointment?

The embarrassing day I get my top brace removed

Essix retainer with false tooth - fitting and photos

Dental implants consultation

Can I get dental implants?

20th braces tightening appointment

Peg tooth extraction

28 months - bottom brace removed!

12 reasons I hate the clear Essix retainer

Hawley retainer fitting appointment

The partial denture disappointment

5 weeks until I get my bridges and false teeth!

The final result of my braces at 30 and false teeth

Before and after braces photos

My teeth whitening experience

 

Popular braces blog posts

12 reasons I hate the clear plastic Essix retainer

Braces at 30 - read my entire adult braces experience here

Disappointment with my NHS denture

The decision to have two bridges with false teeth

Was having braces and false teeth worth it?

How much do adult braces cost? + 4 ways to finance them

Adult braces: what are biting blocks?