Your experience please ?

Message

#1 Post by **Clo** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:27 am

Hi all,

I was wondering about how orthos approach and deal with your case. If I put it
in extreme words, is your treatment like "shut up, be still and let us do the work".
Or is there more interaction so that you can tell what you want. And then the
ortho telling what can be done. This is a question about whether you can ask for
extra, for example aesthetic, treatment. Like for example a bit wider arch if
possible, or some flaring of the front teeth.

#2 Post by **lionfish** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:52 am

As far as my treatment is concerned, I'm mostly happy to let my ortho get on with it. Up till now, I've not specifically asked for anything to be done. He does give me a brief run down at every appointment of what he is doing and why in terms that I can understand. The knowledge I get from this board has also helped me make sense of it all.

Where I have had to talk to him about some concerns (and the need to do this has arisen only once in 18 months), he has put my mind at rest. I feel that if other issues do crop up, I can discuss them with him.

#3 Post by **Lisa65** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 5:13 am

My ortho teases me that I am directing my own treatment

I've actually had quite a lot of say over what has been done and when. After one of my first implants failed, it was me who suggested that the new ones could be put on the outside of the gum rather than the palate. Of course I don't try and tell him how to move my teeth and the ultimate decisions on treatment are his. That's what I'm paying all this money for - his knowledge and expertise - but he always listens to me and has incorporated my suggestions a few times. If I asked him to do something and he said no, then I would go by what he said, as I know he wouldn't say no unless there was a sound clinical reason.

#4 Post by **Pepper** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:30 pm

I let them run the show. I talk to them and listen and stuff, but I don't suggest anything or tell them what to do.

#5 Post by **SandraJones** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:50 pm

Funny you should mention this, Clo. Before I had my consultation appointment, I had already decided in my mind that since my teeth will likely go out of alignment again, I want my lateral incisors to be tilted slightly so that they are inclined to both push out to the front upon crowding, instead of this one forward one back asymmetric thing I've got going on right now which I HATE ! Also, I happen to like the appearance of them both being slightly forward ... Patricia Arquette's teeth are like this. (I'm not trying to model myself after her, I just like her teeth.

)

So I brought this up at my appointment and my orthodontist said she wouldn't want to, or couldn't, do it, I can't remember which. This is when she told me that teeth tend to relapse to their original positioning, and I think she was implying that even if I set it up to have both lateral incisors to push forward, still one of them would pull back.

BUT I have not given up.

I also would prefer to wear headgear than class II elastics because I don't want my lower teeth pulled forward. And I plan to offer my willingness at my next appointment when my braces are applied.

Here's how I look at it: they are my teeth and I am paying a lot of money. If I want something done and it can be done and it's not going to harm me, well, this is what I expect. If it means I have less perfection of alignment or occlusion, that's fine.

So now we'll just have to wait and see if I can get what I want ...

#6 Post by **platinum** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:49 pm

I dont really have any discussions with my ortho. He seems to be quite busy. But at the moment I dont really have anything special going on. Just aligment and leveling, and my teeth seem to move well.

There is one thing I am not ready to do: having an elastic crossing my upper and lower front teeth. I know I wont wear that kind thing in public. So if that comes along I will make some noise.

#7 Post by **platinum** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 5:12 pm

empty

#8 Post by **Clairey Fairey** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:45 am

Mines a bit 'shut up and get on with it' but I just kep pestering her with questions anyway. Coz in my opinion I'm paying a lot of money for this and I want a good outcome.

My ortho is the most qualified in Leicester and by the looks of her previous patients, achieves good results. But if I'm unsure I will always ask, even if it means holding up her next appiontment!!

#9 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:03 am

I don't think I went into this with any specific demands besides straightening teeth and correcting my bite. Towards the end, I may bring up little things about not reshaping certain teeth and not having bonded retainers. I'm not really picky about what cars we have to take to reach the destination.

My dentists always say that I'm their best patient because I rarely complain. Too bad my ortho can't agree with my comfort appointments.

Website · #10 Post by **alexa** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:46 am

My ortho was certainly a shut up and let me do my thing ortho. I wish I had gotten vocal earlier on in the treatment. Towards the end, whether she liked it or not, I did start suggesting things and making comments on treatment. On one hand, I think my ortho found it annoying...but on the other hand, she started to take me a lot more seriously after I started doing this.

Also, question for SandraJones:

Funny you should mention this, Clo. Before I had my consultation appointment, I had already decided in my mind that since my teeth will likely go out of alignment again, I want my lateral incisors to be tilted slightly so that they are inclined to both push out to the front upon crowding, instead of this one forward one back asymmetric thing I've got going on right now which I HATE !

Why would you assume that your teeth are going to go out of alignment? As long as you wear your retainers as directed and go to your ortho if anything moves despite your efforts, I can't see why your teeth would become crooked again.

Just curious.

The first thing I decided in my mind is that I was never going to have crooked teeth again!

#11 Post by **Laurie** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:07 am

Anything I've wanted to discuss so far they have been more than generous with their time and patience to explain.

#12 Post by **SandraJones** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:14 pm

Alexa, I think I just go ahead and assume my teeth will eventually go out of alignment again because I'm a prophylactic pessimist .... if I expect that something bad is going to happen, then I'm not traumatized if it does.

More seriously, I assume it because I have issues that cannot be fully corrected. But if I wear my retainers (and retrain my pushy tongue !) I think the relapse will be very slow and hopefully minimal.

#13 Post by **Poeticbraces** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:30 pm

Mine clearly distinguishes between aspects where there is a choice and aspects where there is not. When there is a choice, she helps me make an informed decision, but the decision utlimately is mine. When she says there is no choice, I trust her and let her get on with it.