Currently in Braces After a Year - Brampton, ON

I'll have to admit I was a bit hasty in saying that I regretted having braces. It took a while but my teeth settled nicely and I got used to my new smile. I had cosmetic bonding done on my top 4 front teeth to lengthen some and even them out. I'm really glad I had bonded lingual retainers put on both my top and bottom teeth. They've shifted ever so slightly but are still really straight. I look back at old pictures of my old smile and I really see the vast improvement. That 19 months totally sucked but it was worth the pain. My last visit was just a few weeks ago to have some more bonding added on a tooth that felt like the lingual wire was coming through. Flossing is still a hassle but I do it every single night with a floss threader. At least it is only for the top and bottom front teeth now. Also I am still using a Sonicare toothbrush to make sure those retainers stay clean! The difference is like night and day compared to a manual toothbrush, or even an Oral B one. The hygienist always comments on how well I keep my bonded retainers clean at every visit. I really love my smile. I think all that was missing was lengthening my lateral incisors with cosmetic bonding.

Was it worth it? For me personally I am going to say no. For others with major malocclusion braces are a great thing and absolutely necessary. Pre braces I had a little crowding in my lowers and just one upper lateral incisor that bothered me a slight bit. In hind sight I should have gotten Invisalign because it doesn't correct overjets to the point that brackets do. I miss my overbite!!! It gave my lips an anchor to smile with and made me look younger. Now when I look at pictures with my new smile I HATE it!!! My lips look sunken in and my teeth no longer show as much. I also do feel I look older because of it. So my advice to those with good teeth who need a little tweaking, go with invisalign!! Orthodontists are so big on that "NORMAL" 1mm overjet that they pull in your uppers to equal that measurement. For me, it doesn't work well. They couldn't even get my teeth to that 1mm anyway. It is a very unique thing. I don't think 1mm is the ideal for everyone. I would've been happy with a 3mm overjet if it meant I could still smile the way I used to.

Another thing with braces is that you notice every single flaw with the shape of every individual tooth. I had to get some cosmetic bonding to improve the shape of some teeth after some over zealous contouring by my orthodontist. I know I am being way to over critical, but I miss my old smile. Too bad there isn't a way to pull my uppers back out to give me back my youthful smile.