About How Long Do You Think a Treatment Would Take Me and About How Much Would It Cost? (photo)

Question

I wore braces when I was younger and then again when I was older. After getting them off the final time I had to get my wisdom teeth out 5 months later and I couldnt wear my retainer while my mouth was healing and my teeth moved. After my retainer no longer fit I went and got a replacement one but it was a mold of crooked teeth so I didnt bother wearing it too extensively. Now I'm in college and really embarrassed of my smile and I want it to be fixed without looking like a dorky teenager.

Kent Lauson, DDS, MS · Answer

Retainers have been used to prevent orthodontic relapse for about as long as teeth have been moved, so will be important for the next treatment you are contemplating.  It appears that your back teeth are hitting OK, so your correction may be limited to front teeth with Invisalign (no dorky teenager look) and could be less time and cost than previous treatment.  You would need to have an evaluation by a dentist with extensive Invisalign experience to actually learn time and cost, but the cost could be in the $4-5,000 range with as little as a year to complete.  This is assuming straight forward treatment, i.e. no complications like TMJ dysfunction etc.

Lawrence Singer, DMD (in memoriam) · Answer

Your teeth apparently have not been stable after orthodontics.  This is a possible sign of sleep disordered breathing.  If your tongue and cheeks are in eguilibrium, then your teeth tend not to move.  However, if your tongue is posturing to compensate for breathing problems, then the teeth will tend to crowd.  To straighten your teeth should take 6 months with clear braces.  I would suggest you investigate any possible sleep dsiordered breathing and have a clinician that can help create a physiology that leads to more stable results.  When the airway is not functioning properly - orthodontic straigtening tends to relapse.

About How Long Do You Think a Treatment Would Take Me and About How Much Would It Cost? (photo)

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About How Long Do You Think a Treatment Would Take Me and About How Much Would It Cost? (photo)

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