Braces

Please get braces instead of having cosmetic work!! I tried to take the same short cut before my wedding and have regretted it every day since.

1) The cosmetic work doesn't look natural. Unless you have EVERY tooth in your mouth covered with veneers, then the "new" teeth will not completely match your natural teeth.

2) The veneers are not always permanent. Depending on the shape of your tooth, etc., you may have to worry about one of them falling off while eating an apple or something hard.

3) It's hard to know what your dentist's cosmetic work will look like. I had my veneers replaced THREE times - after much pain & anguish. The first dentist came highly recommended and had a beautiful office that promoted cosmetic dentistry. He did a horrible job. The final office that did the BEST job was a small hole in the wall. Pictures on the wall of previous patients are not good examples. Ask to meet in person with other patients.

N.-

Wear the braces! Your teeth are the best investment you can make. I had braces at 33 and loved it. I knew that everyday my smile was getting better.

L.

I got braces too as an adult and it was so worth it. I'd really prefer braces over cosmetic dentristry.

Hi N.,
I'm 25 and just got my braces off. It was totally worth it! It takes longer as an adult rather then a kid but well worth the wait. It's nice knowing that it's your smile. As for the braces themselves you get use to them. It's like they're not even there after a while. I highly recommend it.

I am a 31 year old with 3 kids I just started treatment with braces. It is a huge pain physical and inconvenient. I just neede some straightening on the top and some major stuff on the bottom. The thing is that for cosmetics they basicall grind down your real teeth to do it. I chose behing the teeth braces for the top noone can see them and I really like them. they are called Lingual not many orthos do it but you can look it up online. I love them because you aren't ruining the surface of your top teeth with the cement and sanding. Be ready for a commitment you have to visit the ortho regularly sometimes weekly and or monthly. they are also not cheap. another option you might want to see if your a candidate for are invisaligns. the whole thing is if your teeth are ok why not preserve them until you get old and have to get them all pulled. hope this helps sorry to ramble on. You probably think I am nuts now.

Hello! I had braces just two years ago - they were put on when I was 28 and came off when I was 31. I HIGHLY recommend going for the braces. My husband's uncle is a cosmetic dentist and I talked extensively with him when making my choice. The problem with cosmetic dentistry is that it doesn't really fix any underlying problems. If your teeth are in good condition, he said that it is always the better choice to preserve your own teeth. The cosmetic fix requires the destruction of the surface of otherwise healthy teeth. I went for the braces and am so happy that I did! I had the clear on the top in the front and metal everywhere else. It wasn't fun to have them on, but the time went quickly overall and it is such a good feeling to have my own straight teeth now. I also love my orthodontist, who works with a lot of adults. His name is Dr. Jarosz and he is at Orthodontics for All Ages off of North Michigan in Chicago. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions or want more info on my experience!