removal date booked but not happy

[aj318]

Hi everyone, I could do with some advice. I have been in braces now for 24 months- the main aim was to open up a gap big enough to put a lateral incisor implant in, as I had a (very badly made and aesthetically UNpleasing) bridge put in when I had braces the first time abut 14 years ago, and slowly the canine tooth pushed it forwards and out of the way until the canine was almost touching my CI.

My teeth werent too bad other than that, although a little crowded. In the past 24 months I have had elastics on and off at different times, and also had non surgical palate expansion, which was done at the very beginning. It certainly widened my upper arch, but im wondering whether it wasnt quite enough.

Now my ortho is keen to get my braces removed so I can get started with the implant- but I have such an open anterior bite now that its really difficult eating. At my past appointment he agreed to put some elastics back on and to push my removal date further away to give them time to help, but all the elastics seem to be doing now is drawing my lower teeth and jaw inwards and giving me a somewhat receding chin- I literally want to cry!

Not only is it an open bite, on one side it is 'more' open than the other side if that makes sense- i.e. i have a larger gap between my left upper and lower LI than I do on the right hand side, so in photos it looks absolutely ridiculous.

To make matters worse, the date I have is the beginning of june for removal, but my ortho practice is closed for all of may for refurbishment so I cant get hold of anyone there until almost the date im due to go back anyway.

I cant upload any pictures to show you as I am a newbie, but just wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences of having ortho work for a specific goal and although that has been achieved, it feels like something else quite significant has been messed up in the process and your ortho not notice/ seem bothered?

I dont know whether to just leave it and wait until my next appointment, or to arrange to get a second opinion/ consultation from another local practice in the meantime.

The more I read about open bites being difficult to close the more I am worrying, I really dont want to have to get surgery after so long in braces, especially as my bite was never the issue to begin with- but I honestly think that my teeth currently look worse than they did before I had my braces put on- and that makes me feel pretty sad that all this effort and money has given me a worse outcome than if i had just left them alone.

[Katzchen]

Can you try to get ahold of someone at the practice before May? I would print out you post and have it nearby hen you call or take it with you to your next appointment, so that you can be sure that you are getting your whole message across when you talk to the ortho.

[boodles8]

I would get a second opinion while you wait. They're usually free, and it could be helpful to have some advice from someone else when you talk to your current ortho about your concerns.