Metal Mouth Message Board

I went in for my annual teeth cleaning (the first time since my expander was put on). Well I guess the girl didn't know how to do x-rays with my expander in. FIRST she actually tried to PULL it out (I bit her). Then she jams the films in my mouth. I was in soooooooooo much pain by this point. I walked out of the office and called my ortho bc my expander has never been painful. I went into the ortho's office yesterday and they had to remove my expander and put it back in. I was quite upset. So do I call my dentist and explain what happened? I told him at the time but he said it was ok. Or should I just chalk it up to a bad visit?

The assistant should have known better. Do you always have the same assistant? If you do next time if you still have the expander tell her that it needs to stay in place...that it is cemented in and it doesn't come out. Or, maybe you should have your ortho call the dentist's office and let them know.
gardnr

I would make this known to the dentist. Maybe the assistant was new and had never encountered something like this before? Either wasy I think it needs to be addressed to that it doesn't happen to you or anyone else again.

I'll tell ya, not to be negative BUT anymore these younger assistants must be trained to not really give a crap about the patients feelings. The past bunch of years that's all you see they don't really care.

I'd write to the dentist and politely ask him to make his assistants aware that orthodontic patients sometimes have bonded devices, and that they need to check with the patient first before trying to remove anything!

And I'd ask to have it put on my notes in time for the next appointment.

Thanks everyone. I'm sitting down to write them a letter right now. I have been going to this dentist since I was 7 and have never had any problems before. I had never seen this assistant before. When I was having my teeth cleaned my dentist made a joke about how he has been cleaning my teeth since I was her (the assistant's) age. So she was pretty young. I should have known when she went out and got someone else to come in and look at my expander that I was in toruble lol I think I'll send it registered mail or something so I know they got it. At least the pain has stopped. That's always a plus.

Call this in directly to the dentist him/herself!! That is absurd! Why would the assistant not know what an expander is, and if they didn't; then they should have asked someone! Wow.

Hi Meryaten! Sorry I have been so elusive.......I barely get a moment to visit the site anymore.

I would have to disagree with you on this, though possibly it is an overgeneralization, it is, however, true that the generation below us is even worse than our generation in terms of customer service and responsibility. This is true in every field. It seems as if things have gone downhill in terms of personal responsibility and common sense since the generation that went through or were raised by depression era parents and had WWII in their lives. I just want to point out that there is a steady downturn in the competence of the generation below us. This, of course, does not apply to all and it may not even apply to half, but it is getting worse..... There is also the other side of: “Things are going to Hell in a hand basket, Mildred!â€

True enough. I do think there is some truth to it, though.