Need advice about continuing with braces

[designermom]

Hi. I've had braces for about a year (i'm thirtyeight). My teeth were very straight to begin with, but I had a posterior open bite. Three ortho's told me it was due to late jaw growth after getting my braces off as a child. Only my front teeth were touching when chewing. I had headaches, bruxism and excessive tooth wear on my front teeth.

After a year in upper braces and tipping my teeth forward while trying to avoid the flared look, my ortho wants to put lower brackets on. Also, he'd like to try diagonal elastics to try and push my top teeth forward and pull my lower teeth back slightly.

He is saying that this will add 18 months to my treatment time (doubling it when I thought I was almost done). He originally thought the tipping of my front teeth would do the trick, but it hardly helped at all.

I grind like nobody's business, and can't imagine what kind of nightguard I can wear while I have diagonal elastics on.... I'm also seriously bummed about the treatment time and I'm not totally convinced he's certain it will work.

I'm seriously debating just giving up on fixing this. Any thoughts?

[lionfish]

I can understand your frustration, this being your second time around as well.

My posterior open bite (all 3mm of it) was closed with vertical elastics, and my top front teeth were brought down in front of my lowers. I'm not a grinder, although I did clench a bit at night when in heavier elastics.

This is really up to you.

[becks]

I would be a bit apprehensive about stopping treatment without getting a second opinion as Karen suggested. Since it's adding another 18 mo to your treatment, that's a lot to swallow especially since you thought you were nearly done. I'd have a serious, forthright discussion with your ortho about what will happen if you don't decide to go ahead with the additional treatment and also ask him about your night gaurd concerns. Overall though, I'd get a second opinion.

[iBorg]

I'm a grinder also and understand your concern. When I strarted this I was told that the treatment would not end my grinding but would reduce the severity and minimize future damage. To help prevent grinding damage I was given a bite plate to help open up my bite as well as prevent damage from the grinding. It has worked wonderfully.

You've made this much of an investmet in time and money. Stopping now would only lead you to question why you stopped in three to five years. I'd get a second opinion and carry on.

Mike

[bracesafter40]

I think you should just get it fixed. If it is age you are worried about; don't be, I'm 41 and have just started my treatment.
I think it is worth the "trouble."

http://bracesafter40.blogspot.com
Top braced on Feb. 28, 2007
Will be fully braced on April 4, 2007

[designermom]

It was so nice to hear lots of opinions. I'll call another orthodontist tomorrow and see about getting a second opinion. It's mainly the 18 extra months that's bothering me.

[Ives]

18 months of a little discomfort vs rest of your life with nice healthy teeth. I know it's not the best news but if time is the only reason, than I would keep going. If my ortho told me another 2 or 3 years, i'd keep going. I would hate to think I quite on myself.

Good Luck and you here the news your looking for from your second opinion.

Ives