| Subject: re..could do with some advice, .........warning this is long! |
Author:
jo(uk)
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Date Posted: 07:30:48 08/12/04 Thu
In reply to:
Buck Rogers
's message, "Anyone from UK? Could do with some advice" on 13:38:22 08/11/04 Wed
Hi there, I just recently finished NHS ortho treatment lasting 15 months (I am 37), I asked my dentist to refer me to an orthodontist because I thought my teeth were the worst in the world. (There are pictures in the photogallery on the main archwired site, but even the first close-up pic of my teeth was after some of the most crooked teeth were removed) From the first mention to my dentist to my first appointment with the ortho was about a year, then after agreement with the ortho there was about another 6 month wait to actually start. I felt very much the same as you, I thought I couldn't bear to wait to start the treatment, but I figured I had wasted so much time thinking about it, that at least I had started the process. The time went quickly and so did the 15 months in braces, looking back. I was originally told the NHS would fund a percentage of the treatment (which was about £360 I would have to pay) but as I am NHS exempt, I got that money refunded and it has cost me nothing. As you aren't working, you could be NHS exepmt aswell?
I suffered depression which I don't know if that was purely because of my teeth, but my teeth were a major factor in having very low self-esteem and no confidence. I thought about whether the process could be speeded up because of this, after all we hear all the time about women getting breast enlargements or tummy tucks etc. on the NHS if they can prove that they are suffering psychologically. I never followed that route, but it could be a way forward for you.
Let me ask you something........if you met someone who was the nicest person you could possibly hope to meet, but they had bad teeth, would you think any different of them? Would you avoid them because of it? I know I wouldn't, it wouldn't matter to me, but in my own little world thats how I thought people looked at me. We are all very critical of ourselves, and once we find something that we hate, be it a crooked nose, wonky teeth, fat tummy, whatever, we zero in on that and think everyone else does. One thing this whole experience has shown me is that others are so wrapped up in themselves they don't care about what we see as our imperfections. I thought I had the world's worst teeth, I felt depressed, low, I pushed people away, thought no-one could possibly like me because of my teeth, and when I announced I had braces, people were like 'why? what was up with your teeth?' no-one else took any notice. I always noticed other people's teeth because that was my 'thing', people who aren't insecure about their teeth don't notice teeth!
Get the ball rolling, ask your dentist to refer you to an ortho, at least then an ortho would be able to tell you if any surgery is an option or not. But at least you will be in the process and the time will go by, whether you are on a waiting list or not, so what have you got to lose?
Incidentally, which part of the UK are you in? Some areas are worse than others for waiting lists.
Please don't lose heart, lots of the people here are going through or have gone through the same sort of emotions and feelings as you, everyone here is very supportive and understanding, if you feel low, come here and rant, we've all done it at some point!
Good luck and keep us posted on how things go.
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