Nothing but the tooth

[j4]

I've realised that a lot of the reason I'm unhappy with the way my face looks is that half-length tooth that I have. People have told me in the past that it's cute, and I used to think that it gave my face "character", but the more I see it in photos the more I think it just looks stupid. So, should I get it fixed? (Getting it fixed would probably be expensive and might be painful.)

[Poll #134798]

Comments

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

I'd agree with "get it fixed if it will make you happy". I had my front teeth straightened with the inevitable brace, in my mid-teens, and I know that getting that done definitely made me happier - the final results aren't perfect and they might have been better done earlier, but whatever. OTOH getting my gap filled has not been a priority, so it's still there, because I didn't think it would make any difference to how I felt. Once I have the nasty tooth removed, I will probably get both replaced (in one go) because having a larger gap will probably make me unhappy about it again. So you pays yer money and yer takes yer choice. IF getting it fixed will alter the way you feel about your face, go for it. It's unlikely to hurt and won't be hugely expensive in the scheme of things.

I can't say that I've ever really noticed it, TBH, which clearly means it isn't one of the most noticeable things about you (either that or it's because I've never tried snogging you :-) ).

[j4.livejournal.com]

I had my front teeth straightened with the inevitable brace, in my mid-teens, and I know that getting that done definitely made me happier - the final results aren't perfect and they might have been better done earlier, but whatever.

This is the thing, I wore a brace for several years when I was younger, and had a sum total of twelve and a half teeth removed over the course of a few years (mostly milk teeth to make room for new teeth, four permanent teeth, plus weird extra half-tooth), and it was painful and miserable and generally quite grim, and at the end of it all I still have crooked teeth. So I'm a bit sceptical about the efficacy of these things. (I don't care about the crooked front teeth, they don't seem to bother me at all. I'm not aiming for Miss Colgate 2003 or anything.)

On the other hand -- I think the half-tooth is about the only thing that stops my face being utterly generic.

It's unlikely to hurt and won't be hugely expensive in the scheme of things.

When I asked (several years ago) they said it'd involve wearing a fixed brace for about three years and it'd be painful and expensive. (And that was when I'd have still been getting some dental work free on the NHS!) Now I can't for the life of me see how a brace will make my tooth grow, but that did rather put me off it. (Maybe they were talking about the crooked front teeth as well?)

I can't say that I've ever really noticed it, TBH, which clearly means it isn't one of the most noticeable things about you (either that or it's because I've never tried snogging you :-) ).

I doubt if it makes much difference to the snogging! ... Hey, here's a thought, maybe I should just get my tongue pierced to detract attention from the tooth. Now that would make a difference to the snogging. ;-)

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

Well I can't see why getting it capped would involve a brace. I think they probably were including other teeth in that, unless the idea is that somehow the brace would pull the tooth down... but that does seem very strange and unlikely. I can see how that would put you off, though.

I think what I meant about the snogging is that when talking to you I tend to pay attention to your eyes/expression, rather than your mouth. IME people one snogs tend to pay slightly more attention to the mouth - and vice versa. I know I've caught myself staring at someone's teeth before in such a circumstance. Must be a sub-conscious assessment of what one might encounter later. :-)

Getting a tongue piercing certainly would divert your attention from the tooth, which might improve how you feel about it...