Veneers.

[Shellywba]

I'm 16 years old, and I have a gap in my front teeth. They're still like baby teeth, to be honest. My other teeth at the top are small, and have slight gaps. As they're so small at the back, I cannot have braces cos my dentist said that they would go back to normal after two years of braces. I didn't see the point then, so I thought I was destined to have be "gappy" for the rest of my life. But now, I have discovered Veneers. Will I be able to have them? Will I have to pay, at my age? I've seen the price - from �200 to �1200 - and I wouldn't be able to pay all that!

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Octavius]

My gf had a brace for 1 year to close a gap in her front teeth and she works as a dental nurse.  I would get a second opinion about the lasting effects because if they only last 2 years then I am certain she wouldn't have had it in for 1 year, nor would her dentist have put the brace in without telling her.  Maybe it is something personal about your teeth in particular, but try to get a second opinion also maybe you will need to wear retainers for a while.

If you are 16 and in full time education then treatment should be free on the NHS - but you will have to pay for cosmetic dentistry such as veneers / whitening.   

[Octavius]

I also found this link which should help you...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/teens/girls/sexloveandlife/atozofyou/sexandbodyfiles/braces.shtml

[Shellywba]

I can't have braces because of my teeth being small and it won't work. My dentist and the specialist told me this. I cant believe I have to pay for veneers.. Damn :(

[Octavius]

In some cases veneers can be available on the NHS. However, this type of treatment is usually classed as cosmetic and would therefore only be available privately. Costs will vary from practice to practice and from region to region. Discuss the options and charges with your dentist and get a written estimate before starting treatment.

As a first step, call your dentist and ask if you will have to pay.

[Shellywba]

You copied that first bit from the British Dental website, didn't you? I just saw it! I will book an appointment with my dentist. I dunno how it can be classed as cosmetics. If that is cosmetics, then so is braces, and you don't have to pay for them.. Or is it cos of the age the person is .. hmm

[Octavius]

I was re-stating what I had said above but from an official source!!

Maybe as your teeth are unable to have a brace, then the dentist might consider that veneers are non-cosmetic in your circumstances, then afterwards you can give the dentist a nice big smile!

Good luck.

[Shellywba]

Actually, yeah, seen as I can't have braces, he might say this. Thank you! Yeah.. I will be able to smile in confidence for once.

[kick3m0n]

Do you have a dental hospital near you Shelly?  That might be worth investigating.  There they can offer dental treatment for free as the work will be carried out by supervised trainee dentists.   One of my friends had loads of work done at the hospital in Edinburgh and she said they made an excellent job of her teeth.   She had quite severe problems due to a gum disease, but now she has a full set of great teeth, some of which have veneers.  good luck. xx

[David H]

I had a smallish gap in my front teeth which I actually liked, but by the time I got to about 35 it started to close, and was gone completely by 40. The dentist said your teeth move all your life, and all mine moved closer together on their own.

[Shellywba]

I don't wanna wait until I'm 40 for it to go though! Hehe.

I have been looking in to it.. And my local dentist does free NHS for under 18's.. I'll get mom to book me an appointment.. Knowlng my luck, I won't get an appointment until I am 40.

[FP]

My dentist offered me a veneer for �30.00 on the NHS to make a tooth that had annoyed me for years the same size as the others.  However, he also offered me the option of a better choice of material for �60.00, which I didn't think was too bad at all.  I have been very pleased with the result.

[dmsjps]

My sister had 'gappy' teeth all her life until she got into her late 20s, when they started closing up. Now she's in her mid 30s and they're so closed up that they're overlapping one another! Poor girl couldn't win!