Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi everyone!
It's been ages since I've posted on here but I really need a rant. I feel awful saying this but I really have lost faith in my orthodontist (I didn't have much to begin with) and am beginning to think he is incompetant and I'm wondering what I've spent all this money on. Here's why:

I was finally given a debanding date of Monday 31st July the last time I went for an adjustment but I didn't let myself get overly excited because he had been sayng to me for the past 3-4 times that he would probably take them off the time after next.

Shortly after my last adjustment though I noticed that a small gap had started to appear between my top 2 front teeth and one of my bottom front ones was becoming very slightly squint . I wasn't too worried and rang the ortho's assistant and asked her to fit me in for a quick tweek so I could ensure they did come off on the 31st. She told me he was on a 2 week holiday but fit me in yesterday morning. So, I went along yesterday thinking a quick tweek would happen and I would come back next Monday to have them taken off. How wrong I was.

I told him of my little problems and he said 'agh, there's a bracket off there!'. I was surprised as it wasn't wobbly, but the clear plastic part had been off for months which he always says doesn't matter. So, instead of just replacing that one, he also decided to take off the 2 others next to it and reposition them (not using new ones, even they were worn!) and change the wire which he hasn't done for months and months. All this a week before they were supposedly ready to come off.

He also put a power chain up the top which I don't have a problem with and put numerous bends in the same wire I have been wearing up there for about a year!

Needless to say he said 'they're not ready I'm afraid, not with that bracket being off.' I'm left feeling extremely frustrated as all he really had to do was re-glue that bracket (my teeth move so fast I could feel that tooth had snapped back into place even before I have walked out the office). Why do all these changes this late in the treatment? AND I'm sure he must have knocked that bracket off because it only started moving after that adjustment!

And if anyone's still reading...

He said to come back in 4 weeks which I thought was long enough but when I went to go and make that appt the assistant said he is on holiday then for 2 weeks (again - and he told me to come back when he was on hol!?!) and the soonest appt was September. By that point I wanted to cry and was feeling very frustrated after thinking I had come to the end of my treatment and told her I can't wait that long!

So, I am going on the 6th August now (even though he thinks they won't be ready) and if they're OK he'll take them off but I somehow I doubt it because my bite is a million times worse than it was before yesterday.

I'm sorry for such a long post and well done to anyone whose survived reading such an essay!! I'm just reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally frustrated

Wow....it seems like you're really emotional right now. I probably would be too but I have learned to take it one step at a time. Even though I was told a 24-30 month tx plan, I know it will be closer to 36 months. You should try to find a good time to talk to your ortho about what else needs to be done. Not going in with blame might make the rest of your tx more comfortable.

Hey there- I feel for you. I went through the "maybe we'll get them off next time" speech for three months before it finally happened. I felt frustrated as well and one time even cried when I got in my car. However, after all I (and you in your case) have gone through, what is one more month or a couple more weeks????? Just trying to be positive. Hang in there Now if the delay is based on total incompetence rather than finishing work, I can see how the delay would be harder to swallow.

I feel for you!

Hi,

I have Damon 3 brackets upper and lower, too. I am expecting the unexpected, because my ortho warned me at the start that the total time would be a series of estimates. My plan is in stages: straighten these four, turn that tooth, bring these two back toward their mates then move all four forward, and so forth. Each stage seems to have a tentative timetable. The total estimate is "probably not 20 to 22 months, but closer to 24."

I'm not a patient person, so that if my ortho had not described this process to me I would be reacting just as you are. I know everybody's brace adventure is unique, but could his seeming incompetence really be his failing to give you a clearer picture from the start?

I hope you are sprung soon! Good luck!

Nancy

Good luck with 6 August ... but if for any reason things aren't right ... be accepting and realise your time is nearly up and it's better to have the work finished now, than going naked without it and always wondering ... 'what if?'

Karen you're right - I think I had a 'knee jerk' reaction when telling them I can't wait til September for a next appointment. I had geared myself up for having them off tomorrow and was disappointed to hear it could be September before another update. Since my adjustment last week my bite has completely changed again, not for the better either, undoing all his (and mine with all the elastics) work on my midline. I now feel like I'm not gonna take any notice of him when he tells me they're coming off, and when they do, it'll be a bonus!

Nancy51 - You're probably right about him failing to give me a clear picture from the start - I've always maintained he's the worst communicator in the world, and what I also find frustrating is that he seems to forget he's done something for a reason then undo it the next time for me to go back to square one.

If I could turn back the clock I wouldn't have gone to this ortho but I went to who my dentist referred me to, as you do. Never mind, I'll wait and see.

Ps I've just got engaged and will be getting married next year so I hope they're off by then!!!!!!!

LoobyLou xxx

Congratulations on your engagement LoobyLou. I'm sure you'll be brace free long before your wedding.

We all look forward to brace free days and I can understand your frustration that you've gone so far over your original estimate. I think I would be pretty mad too. It's a shame that you feel your bite is a lot worse, maybe it will settle down again soon.

My daughter had expected her brace to be off by now but it is rolling on a few more months than anticipated. Hopefully she'll have the brace off in about 12 weeks. She is amazingly philosophical about it, I know I wouldn't be so patient. I feel I could learn a lot from her.

Best wishes for 6 August and for a brace free smile soon.

P.S. I am in the Middlesex region, you're not being treated there are you?

Regards
Joney

Joney,

Thanks for your encouragement and congrats - yes I'm being treated in the Middlesex region too - I hope your Ortho is better than mine. Are you private or NHS?

LoobyLou xx

LoobyLou

Please tell me your ortho is not in the Northwood area? I'm being treated privately.

Regards
Joney