<p>Sup CC'ers. So I have an overbite ( NOT an overjet), and it's kind of minor but it's noticeable. I know a lot of people are going to tell me to get braces, but the rest of my teeth are perfectly straight and I don't want to start using braces at 16... Plus, like i said, it's a pretty minor overbite. Are there any alternatives? Thanks in advance! (:</p>
<p>I don’t know much about orthodontics, but if it’s minor a retainer may be able to fix it up alone. Otherwise you could get braces, and it probably wouldn’t have to be for long, with bands to move your jaw forwards.
My braces did nothing for my overbite, but it is only 4mm and wasn’t a priority when getting them.</p>
<p>^ is 4 mm noticeable? And yeah i’ve heard some people say that braces did nothing for their overbite :s</p>
<p>You don’t want to get braces at 16? Seriously dude?</p>
<p>I’m almost 17 and I’m going to be getting braces in a few months and might even have them going into college. Not a big deal - I’d rather have braces for a few years than have crooked teeth the rest of my life. =p</p>
<p>^ I’m also worried that they might not do anything for my overbite, so that’s why I’m asking for alternatives :p</p>
<p>You can get Invisalign. It’s not completely invisible, but it is way less noticeable if you’re self concious about metal braces. They are more expensive though.Anyways, if your teeth bother you and you can afford treatment, by all means go and get your teeth fixed. And don’t worry about metal braces at your age, people don’t really care. It’s better now then in your twenties :P</p>
<p>I have invisalign its a little more expensive than braces but its alot better i think</p>
<p>I know you already said you don’t want braces, but I would strongly advise you to get them. I wouldn’t use invisalign or any type of “invisible braces.” There are loads of disadvantages to them.</p>
<p>This is from the post of another CCer</p>
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<p>The trick with braces is to just get it done and over with as soon as possible. There really isn’t another alternative. Sixteen really isn’t too old to get braces.</p>
<p>I haven’t actually seen the overbite though, so if it’s not that big of a deal you could just leave it alone 
Keep in mind though, the more minor it is, the less time you’ll actually have to wear the braces anyways.</p>
<p>I have a minor overbite too! But my parents don’t want me to get braces because it’s expensive :(</p>
<p>What age is it recommended to get braces?</p>
<p>^pre-teen, teen. somewhere around those ages.</p>
<p>As someone who’s had braces three times I think you’ll need braces. They fix a bite with rubberbands which h you need braces to hook to.</p>
<p>@goodnoodle: I think rubber bands are only for overjets, which is when the teeth jut outwards (different than an overbite).</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I guess braces are the best option after all. :p</p>
<p>Obviously you wouldn’t pull your spit filled trays out in front of people like that… I have invisalign and they aren’t that horrible. I go to the bathroom before lunch during school to take them out. And the part about them staining, you aren’t supposed to drink anything but water with them in anyways… I didn’t have any problems with the plaster. And you can keep them “clear” by using those fizzy things to clean out the plaque in the trays while you’re eating breakfast, for example.</p>
<p>Not trying to say invisalign is better than metal braces, just giving my perspective on it. :)</p>
<h1>firstworldproblems lol</h1>
<p>You guys are so lucky. My mom would scream at the idea of getting braces again. The banes of an Asian family…</p>
<p>braces are mostly a scam. mostly. for some people who would otherwise get socially rejected or have health issues, maybe it’s worth it.</p>
<p>but you can spend 10k, or whatever insane amount it was my mom spent on mine, on a lot of other things that might be even better for the child. like on upgrading the child’s food, so they don’t get fed processed boxed meals their whole childhood like i did.</p>
<p>I had braces, and it wasn’t a scam. not really. Of course, there usually is no health benefit to it, and it’s just to make you prettier, but I’m glad I got it over with. I really like how my teeth look now 
a change for life. I didn’t have to worry about the money though. maybe there were better things to spend it on. who knows</p>
<p>although if some people have major teeth problems, it could lead to your teeth falling out early. but that’s another story</p>
<p>Wait, you’re saying that teeth misalignment causes your spine and knees to get messed up?</p>
<p>If you have straight teeth with a slight overbite, braces aren’t necessary. You could get headgear instead. It’s not the most ideal thing, but it’ll fix your problem and you probably will only have to wear it at night. If you have to wear it 24/7 then maybe it’s not the best solution…
Whatever you do, do NOT get invisalign. They’re still noticeable, and much more of a hassle. I had normal braces but an invisalign type retainer. I constantly had to scrub it down to clean it and it still had white gunk in the crevices. It was disgusting. Needless to say, after a few months I switched to the old fashioned metal retainers.</p>