Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 9:01 pm
That is a very common complaint -- that the ortho rushes from patient to patient and is not very communicative.
I basically warned my ortho up front that I am the type of patient who wants to discuss the details of my treatment and will be asking a lot of questions. Once he understood that, he became a lot more informative. I suggest you have a talk with your ortho to let him know you expect better communication than you've been getting. And I don't think you should have to inconvenience yourself by scheduling a separate appointment just to ask a few short questions. Just let him know at the outset of the next appointment. And don't leave any appointment without an explanation of what's going to happen at your next visit. You're paying for his services and have every right to be involved in your treatment.
I basically warned my ortho up front that I am the type of patient who wants to discuss the details of my treatment and will be asking a lot of questions. Once he understood that, he became a lot more informative. I suggest you have a talk with your ortho to let him know you expect better communication than you've been getting. And I don't think you should have to inconvenience yourself by scheduling a separate appointment just to ask a few short questions. Just let him know at the outset of the next appointment. And don't leave any appointment without an explanation of what's going to happen at your next visit. You're paying for his services and have every right to be involved in your treatment.
LAst adjustment I was scheduled for a bonding appointment so I had to have it earlier in the day. He ended up only changing ligs and adding a huge powerchain on the upper arch. I finally got my courage up and went back asked him why and he explained how "BIlly" my impacted bicuspid hadn't come down enough for him to be able to bond a bracket! 
