Metal Mouth Message Board

Okay, I need to vent...
I had my appointment today to check on my pendex (like an expander) and to talk about getting braces!! Yippee!!
So here it goes:
Good news: I'm ready to get the braces on, just schedule for the next available opening. And, I don't have to wear a nance, just go straight into a TPA.

Bad news: Well, I have to come in a week early to get bottom spacers, no big deal done it already for the top pendex, and then come back a week later for 2 hours to get braced. Well, the office only puts braces on on certain days & times. The same day I get braced I have to come back a few hours later to get the TPA put in place.

SO....The EARLIEST they can get me braced is September 15th!!!!!
I expected July to be the month....I am right, but their appointment book is putting it off track.

That means wearing the pendex an extra 2.5 months for nothing. My file has been given to the coordinator to find something earlier because that it ridiculous! I didn't know treatment plans included months of waiting for appointments I'm just ready to get rid of the pendex {annoying} and get the braces on.

If all of you will have wishful thoughts that I get braced a LOT sooner that would be great And thanks in advance.

I agree that september is far away and you shouldnt have to put up with the pendex because they cant fit you in because overall this will delay your treatment. I think you are right to push for an earlier appointment, perhaps placing your TPA in say a month, and then braces the month after that.

Im guessing your paying for your treatment, so I'd say complain. I had to wait a while but thats the joys of the NHS.

that's a bummer! I had to wait a month and thought that was too long. Here's to hoping someone will cancel and you can get their slot!

Omigosh. I thought waiting for an appointment with my oral surgeon was long. That's just plain nuts. I agree, you should ask to get on their waiting list for the any cancellations. How busy IS this office? I find it hard to believe that they are booked out so far. Sounds like they are almost, if not, at patient capacity.

I would be a little afraid to start an orthodontic treatment plan with an office that is THAT busy. What if you have an emergency? Sounds like they have accepted too many patients with not enough help.

That is just nuts. The only thing I had to wait for was the results of my x-rays. Then the OS was like a 3 week wait which I thought was a lot.

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for your replies. Dark_angel, I am already paying for my treatment, not quite half way, but close. That makes this wait suck even more.

I chose this ortho because he was the only one that mentioned using an appliance to create space, whereas the others I consulted with mentioned pulling 1 tooth or pull 3 teeth and get 2 implants . The pendex has done a wonderful job; I have a gap the size of a whole tooth! Also, the treatment time they gave me would end right when I finish grad school. I won't be living here once school is over, so I can only make a few trips for the retention period.

I don't know if the office is reaching capacity, but now I wonder if they are. When I went in yesterday it was the busiest I've seen that office and I've made...6 visits since November. It is a husband-wife ortho team. The only emergency I had was when I swallowed a spacer and they got me in in 2 days. I think a lot of the wait has to do with the length of the appointment and the day/time restriction.

The office is taking the week off for the holiday and for a little vacation. I'll call the coordinator after that to figure something out.
I was even thinking last night that I'm fine with getting the top braced and then come in later for the bottom. I'm going to make that proposition and maybe that will help get me started sooner {a.k.a. on time}. To be honest, my bottom teeth are not as bad as the top so they can wait.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and wishing for an earlier appiontment, that is why I like this site. I'll keep you posted!

Summertime is their busiest time because all the kids want to get their braces in the Summer so that they are used to them before going back to school. Still that is an awful long wait!

Think of this delay as a chance to eat as much of the banned foods as you can before you get braced!

Errhhh That sucks! But don’t be sad, I had to wait three and a half months (between first appointment and braces), and in the meantime I had no clue if my teeth had a solution or not, or what type of brace would I be getting. It was very hard waiting that long, but I’ve managed! Oh and once my whole upper right side brace fell off.
I had a bitter start. September isn’t that far away, two months and a week go by fast, just have fun during that time and keep a great oral hygiene. Go out, go shopping. It helps.
Take care,
Joanna

Thanks for your words of encouragement.

JC, I was just thinking how this is summer time and that kids are out of school. That would explain why the office was so busy at my last appointment.

ingyandbert & Joanna, I will try to enjoy my time as I wait until B-day. I have a hard time eating some foods now because of the pendex, but I know it may be quite different that first week when I'm braced So I'll put on a happy face and do what I can.

I still hope they can get me in sooner though

Update: I called the office this morning to find out about getting 2 banding dates (start with upper then come back later for lower). The receptionist was reading my file and said I had to wait the 2 months for my pendex to work. However, I told her the ortho said it has done it's job and I'm ready for braces. The job was done in 4 months, any more movement and my molars will be too far displaced.

So, the ortho scheduled an appt. for Aug 1st for me to get the nance. I'll be happy with that, although the last appt. she said I wouldn't need it and just go to the TPA. I'll be fine with getting a smaller appliance and maybe they'll put the TPA in as scheduled when I get braced.

Other than that my banding date is still Sept. 15th so I guess I'll have to wait and still hope for a cancellation

If I was you I would seriously consider getting a different ortho. What if for some reason you needed an emergery appointment? I didn't even have to wait 2 weeks. Once I had a wire poking me and I called in and they got me in that day.

// Doesn't know how they do it.
/// They are super busy
//// Always treats me like gold

- Missing Tooth -