Metal Mouth Message Board

Maybe it's a silly reason to cry but I am. The last few times I've gone in for adjustments the ortho has said we are getting close and almost there. Last time he said one more visit and than they would come off. We are going to Maui on vacation July 14th (I've never been and have no idea when I'll get to go again). So I've been thinking for the last six weeks that I would have my braces off in time for our trip. So today I go in for my adjustment and he puts a new wire in the bottom and says we'll see you in 10 weeks when we'll put in the 19 x 25 ss (which I have had before, it's not anything new). That makes my next appointment July 25th. I was so upset I cried all the way home. What happened to one more visit and than they come off? What happened to being close and almost done? I just don't understand. I am so upset right now. My husband says I should call the office and take to the ortho and ask why all the sudden things have changed.

Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12-16-04

Thats horrible - I'm so sorry. I would be really dissapointed too. If I were you I would call and ask what happened. Sounds like the ortho made a mistake when he/she told you the braces were coming off, but if so, they should be able to explain their mistake. Seems like the least they could do. What a huge bummer!!

On the positive side, your July vacation sounds wonderful! Even with braces...

Ah no what a bummer! Yeah I agree with JoeMama - you should call up your ortho - it sounds almost as if he's forgotten what he said to you. On the other hand I'm sure you'd want to leave them on until the treatment is fully complete so don't let going on holiday with braces bother you as there's no reason why it should hinder your enjoyment.

Good luck with that,

LoobyLou x

You are understandably upset, I would be too. Definitely call you Ortho and explain your confusion. You need to know for sure what his plan is for your teeth. I hope you have a wonderful vacation regardless of whether you are still chained or free by then!

Thanks all. I've calmed down some since this morning. I realized that my daughter has an adjustment in two weeks and I am going to talk to him than. It will give me a little more time to get myself together. When I talk about it I still get mad. But I will get to the bottom of this before Maui!!! Again thanks for the support. Much appreciated.

Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12-16-04

On the bright side, Maui is a lovely island with or without braces.

Try and do a trip to the top of Mt Haleakala and if you can, cycle down - it's almost all downhill, other than a 400m stretch of slight uphill. They get you up there predawn and to see the sun come up over the crater is quite something.

And the snorkelling/diving is half decent (I'm in Australia, so I'm very biased!).

We are going to Maui on vacation July 14th

Must be nice. But seriously, I sympathize with how you feel. I know it's easier said than done, but if you have braces on vacation relax and try to accept it. And DO DO DO enjoy yourself on vacation. Hawaii is a great place to go, and I'm sure you'll have many fond memories of your vacation.

Take care,

- Missing Tooth -

cheer up!...but on the otherhand, would you like to have your braces off when your teeth aren't ready? It's better to prolong the treatment oppose to have unsatisfactory result. Hope you feel better!

Well believe it or not as luck would have it I had a tieback come off last night while brushing my teeth. I've been wearing those things since February and never had that problem until now. So I made the call. I talked with the treatment corrodinator and told her about the tieback and than I told her about Tuesday and how upset I was on the way home. She said she would pull my file and have a talk with him because things didn't sound right to her either. So I went in and told the ortho about the tieback (and I knew if I didn't speak up than I wouldn't) and than I asked him about what he had said in April. So he took a look around, asked me if I was going to have the wisdom teeth pulled, told him I was sure yet but probably. He looked at my last pano and said the roots look great. He poked around more and had the assistant pull the top wire out. He comes back over and says one of the reasons why he is hesitant to take the braces off early is because the insurance MAY stop paying once they are off. Now two things are going through my mind; one being I don't care about $230 out of my pocket at this point and two being you are not leaving these things on my teeth until December just for that reason! I told him I didn't care about $230 I would pay it (some how some way). So he went and grabbed another wire and handed me the mirror and said this is something I am being nit-picky on. It's a gap on top up front (it's little but I have to admit it was bugging me) between the middle tooth and the one just next to it. So he puts two bends in the wire and puts it in. He says I'll see you in a month, than looks at my chart. He says you have an appointment on July 25th, just come back than and we'll re-evaluate. Okay, now I'm doing the math and thinking there is a big big difference between 4 weeks and 10 weeks. So one the way home I told myself, if this tooth moves as fast as the rest of them have it will be in place in two maybe three weeks, I will be back in that office in a month. I've decided to take a pro-active roll in this from here on out and I'm going to ask questions and not let him stall because of money from the insurance company. No I don't want my braces off before my teeth are ready but at the same time I don't want treatment stalled because of insurance. If they are ready to come off than take them off!! Sorry this is so long and some what venting I'm just frustrated still I guess. At least I got some progress out of him this time.

Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12-16-04

Congrats on standing up and taking some action on this!! I would be completly upset too if that happened to me. I'm glad you went back in, but it does sound as if your ortho is pretty non-chalant in the way he is treating this situation. There is a BIG difference between 4 weeks and 10 weeks! I would definatly call the office back when that gap has closed and demand to be seen!! And dont' worry about the $230.... I'll start up a coin collection for ya!

Good luck and keep us posted!

He is right. Your insurance may not pay. Mine pays on each appointment, 50% of the charges. My insurance is almost done paying after only about 10-11 months because they have a cap of $2,000.00 so it is used up already. Yours may pay differently, but if the treatment is over, they won't have anything to charge to them.

Yes, I wouldn't worry about if for $230.00. Good luck getting brace free!

Thanks guys! I called the insurance company this afternoon to check what they would do. And she said that since it's not that I'm terminating treatment and I've been in treatment for most of the projected time they would pay the full $1500. What they did was pay $325 to start and than they have been making quarterly payments to the ortho of $140. So, she said they would just pay the balance of the $1500 when the braces are removed. So no matter when they are taken off I'll be covered. That's a huge relief and I will be letting the ortho know when I go in next month. Hopefully than he'll stop dragging his feet and get me out of these things!!!
The tooth he is trying to move is hurting already so hopefully it's on the move!!


Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12-16-04

Thanks Kiwi! You are always so supportive and positive. I know when I post on here you are going to be one of the one's to boost me back up. It's people like you that make the process easier! Thanks again.

Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12-16-04