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Overbite/Overjet Health Risk and Braces in 6th Form

Hi

I have had a small overbite since year seven. It has now grown to around to 8mm. I have had several trips to the orthodontist where I have either been indecisive or unwilling to have braces. I am now wondering whether I should have them. It will mean getting four teeth out and will cost in the region of £1000 (the NHS class it as cosmetic surgery as my teeth dont really hinder my ability to speak/eat etc.)

The last time I went to the orthodontist, he said it would take approx 2 years to re-align my teeth. I am now going to year 11 and most of my friends are reaching the end of the period of wearing braces. I am worried about feeling out of place in y11/6th form being the only one with braces. Do people make fun of 'late starters'?

Also, are there any defects or health risks to having an overbite?

Quite a few of my friends say I don't 'need' them as my teeth look straight when viewed front on, its only when seen from the side the overbite becomes apparent. Do you think I should get the braces?

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Reply 1

Sorry...Alright...Well...

I think you should get them...It's better to get it over and done with now than regret it in later years. I know many people in my sixth form who have braces and one got them just before we broke up this summer, so she will be going into Year 13 with braces and maybe university. Hope this helps.

Reply 2

thomasw234

If my teeth looked anywhere near as good as yours I wouldn't bother :biggrin:

I had braces for 2 years, which did a good job, but they're still not as neat as yours.

On the other hand, if it will improve your self confidence in the long run, then it's probably worth it. You'll be more confident about yourself.

Reply 3

georgia

Get them. I had braces all the way through school, and into my gap year too, and they weren't a big deal at all. Now, I have lovely straight teeth and get complimented on my smile all the time - I wouldn't have been smiling half as much if I hadn't had my teeth done because I would have been awfully selfconscious.

Someone I know has just started with fixed braces and she's 21.

Reply 4

codcod

Yeah, get them. Braces are the greatest invention ever. I had braces all through sixth form and so did loads of other people at my sixth form (although i did feel relaly self concious about it) but which is better: to feel slightly self concious about a brace - which loads of people have had so won't judge you about it - for a couple of years, OR to feel really self concious about your teeth for the rest of your life??
get the braces!!
i don't think there are any health risks, but function-wise it'd be really difficult to bite properly with an overbite that big , as your teeth don't meet. i would have thought that an overbite of 8mm would qualify for NHS treatment because you can't bite properly with teeth like that - i was talking to my orthodontist a few weeks ago and he said the ideal for an overbite is between 1 and 5mm.
anyway, get braces.

Reply 5

x_zombie

I have braces right now, had them for at least a year now.
I dont have an over or under bite, but my jaw isn't connected properly and as such is out of alignment, as such I'm awaiting surgery for it.

It does slightly affect my bite, so mine is free as part of the NHS, my surgery is planned to be around easter. I've been on a waiting list since I was 13, and could only have braces on once I was 17 due to the surgery element, once I'd stopped growing.

There were countless people at college with braces, I had yet to meet anyone with surgery needs [I've realised how this must make my face sound ahah, tbh it is the bite and a clicky jaw :smile:

]

Wouldn't you rather do it now then when your 30 and sick of it?
I think to be honest it's a bit pathetic to be so scared of braces and fear of mockery.
You wont have a head set for something like that will you? That's something to be worried about. It's just a wire across your teeth, simple as, to help you, it's like glasses, I dont get the worries people have, cause christ, I have both!
What a freak =O

Panic about your work load at 6th form, not how everyone will view your braces.
Everyone is more worried about themselves them you.

I'm off to uni now, braces still on, and my jaw will even be wired shut after the surgery for 6 weeks [Can]

So yeah.
If it'll make you happy, just go for it.
It's how you feel about yourself thats important.

Have fun either way,stay away from crunchy things if you get them :smile:

Reply 6

red_Rose

Mine was 9mm and jaw realignment surgery was a possibility,i had a removable brace when i was younger and didnt want fixed braces. At 15 i decided i wanted my teeth fixed so just before my 16th birthday i went to see an ortho, but got refered to a hospital as they wouldnt treat me.
I got my braces put on in nov of year 12 and had them right until the end of my first year at uni. Might i add i also had to wear this for a year 12 hours a day. It was horrible, but i made fun by having my braces different colours etc.

I've had my braces off a year now and still go for checkups because of the ammount of treatment i had, however i can honestly say it was the best thing i ever did. I got boyfriends with braces, i made friends and now its all over im soo pleased to have beautiful teath. PM me if you like. :smile:

Reply 7

e-m-i-l-y

I have had braces all through school up until year 12, and my teeth are still abit sticky out, because i wouldnt have realignment surgery, which i now kind of regret but im not going to go throught another 2 years+ before surgery.

Anyway i say go with the braces. My teeth looked just like yours before i had braces and now although i do have a slight overbight i know how to hide it by pushing my jaw forward as a matter of habbit and people comment on how lovely my teeth look all the time.

Go for braces!! No one really even notices them and some people even find them sexy... (yes i know but a girl at my school told me she finds people with braces more attractive... :s-smilie:

)

Reply 8

codcod

x_zombie

I'm off to uni now, braces still on, and my jaw will even be wired shut after the surgery for 6 weeks [Can]

Yes! Put some milk in a pan with the broken up egg, heat up, don't let it boil, drink. It's amazing.
(I had an op for my jaw just after easter this year, ANYTHING can be liquidised if you try hard enough!)

Reply 9

x_zombie

codcod

Ahhaah!

You made me evening :smile:

Reply 10

PinkMobilePhone

Chat Forum Helper, Life & Style Forum Helper

yes get the braces. It's only 2 years to wear them, that's not long, and you'll have lovely straight teeth for the rest of your life then.

I've not had the experience of wearing braces, but I've known loads of people who did and they looked fine with them on.

Reply 11

pandora7

the thing with braces is that nobody would tell you how bloody annoying retainers are :mad:

Reply 12

fleur_de_haine

I had braces in sixth form, and for the first year of university (they're coming offnext month), it's really not that much of an issue. You're not anonymous by the way.

Reply 13

T1m0thy

I say deff say get braces! My teeth were a mess before, i had to have 4 teeth removed and had a brace for 2 years. Now i couldn't be happier with my teeth :smile:

My tip would be to make sure you wear your retainer after. My friend didn't bother and his teeth ended up moving back to where they were slightly.

Reply 14

xxstace123xx

I am getting mine when I start sixth form (or late year 11) and Im not really bothered.

There only braces lol. :biggrin:

Reply 15

vergerefosh

I know a few people who've had braces in 6th form. Just get it done so you don't worry about it later

Reply 16

abigail_92

ive just finished y11 and may have to get brace but wont get them till atleast middle of y12 if not y13 as i think i may need a tooth to be taken out and move as it is growing in the roof of my mouth behind the rest of my teeth to the right of where it should be. got an otho appointment in december to find out if it will need moving

but my dentist has been waiting to refer me to an otho for a while and only got round to it when my tooth started to growm back in to my mouth in the wrong place as my 'baby' tooth has still it the new tooths place and had to be removed by my ordinary dentist anyway

Reply 17

Bear_Grylls

Yeah get braces. they definetly dont look right from the side. i had braces during sixth form, you get used to it. it;ll be off by you goto uni so its all good.