Metal Mouth Message Board

Okay guys so here I am again, in need of your input again... I still haven't started the treatment because I'm still considering other options because of the price and more professional input.
So today I went to see another ortho that works for my insurance company (same company that employees the doctor that stopped the treatment before he put the expander on since he said he is afraid to do more harm than good and he wouldn't meet my expectations). The orhto I visited today offered a very similar treatment like my first ortho - first expander, then braces. He said that the expander can work 50% on my age but he also mentioned that a surgery might be needed. I asked him about the possibility of pushing my molars out because my bone is fused and he said that stopping the treatment in time would bring my molars back to their previous position and no damage will be done. He also said that I will have to use the expander for around 4 months and then put braces on, while if I remember correctly the first doctor said I would have to wear the expander for around 10 months. I asked him about getting used to talking and eating with the expander and he said it's a matter of days which, fix me if I'm wrong, isn't true at all. Overall treatment will take around a year and a half and permanent retainers will be put in at the end. I also mentioned to him the other plan I was given (the one without the expander) and he said the external expansion might widen my arch but expander can get better results.

So bottom line the Pros of this treatment: -Half the price because I got insurance.
- I might get a little upper jaw expansion.

Cons: - Takes more than a year (unlike the other treatment I'm considering without the expander)
- The expander and everything that comes with it - not just the getting used to it pard, but the fear that it won't work at all and only waste precious time for me since time is one of my main concerns because I'm almost 20 and I want to be braces free asap.

The other treatment I'm considering: Pros: - Takes around a year.
- I won't have to worry about expander complications.

Cons: - Very expensive - double the price since I don't have insurance (4000$ VS 2000$).
- Results could be less satisfying than the ones with a working expander.

Sorry for the mess I wrote to you guys but I would very appreciate your help again. Thanks in advance.

Okay guys so I'm really close about making a decision. I consider 2 different doctors who's probably the best 2 in my area. The 1st doctor original plan was a 1 year braces treatment which I Can start right away in March. The 2nd doctor is considered the best in my area but he's pretty old nowadays so he doesn't work much, his plan is a 1.5 year treatment which can start in mid July. now I don't know what to do.. My original plan was to finish this thing as fast as possible and if I choose the 2nd doctor I would probably be 22 by the time I have my braces remove while the other one I'd be fresh 21 which is very nice.

What do you suggest?

I would personally go with the better ortho. If it's the one that has you in braces until you're 22 (the horror!), then so be it.

I agree with the poster above.... Go with the better doc.

I agree with the others. Orthodontists aren't always correct in their predicted time. You'll see on here that some people were told 1.5 years and they're still with them on 3 years later. This isn't always the case though, sometimes people get their braces off sooner, and usually it's about the time as they had predicted. Let's say both orthos are right in their predictions; I don't personally see how 6 months will really make that much difference. You're still young. I'm sure most people on here wish they had started their treatment at your age. I know I do.
I'm not sure if you care about the whole age thing because you're nervous about what people are going to say about you being 19 with braces, but I can tell you this much, most people on here say that no one even notices their braces. I noticed people in my university classes with braces on, and I never thought anything of it and I never heard anyone say anything mean about it.

In the end, you have to consider which orthodontist you felt more comfortable with, if they seemed confident, what treatment plan you like, the office staff friendliness (you're going to see the office staff and ortho a lot, so make sure you like the people), office time hours/days they're open (if they're not open a lot, you could have a harder time being fit in for an appointment or the ortho could be extremely busy all the time), number of offices, the distance you have to travel (unless it's not a big deal to you), etc.
Predicted treatment time can definitely be a factor in choosing an ortho, but it definitely shouldn't be the only one. I think there was a thread on here about how people chose an ortho, so you could check that out.

Ultimately it's your decision. None of us can tell you what to do.

I don't have good advise, but I just want to wish you lots of wisdom with your decision!
Are any of these orthos going to treat you with an expander or both just with braces?