is my ortho a sadist??

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#1 Post by LN » Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:58 am

Do I have a low threshold to pain or is my ortho a sadist? Here's what happened...My lower teeth were the most crooked and during the alignment phase, each ortho visit was very painful. During my recent visit, my ortho tied in the last of the crooked tooth and I almost jumped out of the chair! Is this type of pain, (or torture), normal or are my teeth hypersensitive? It seems from my observation, I am the only patient squirming in the chair from the pain. Please tell me this is normal because I am feeling I made a hugh mistake using this particular ortho!!!! thanks!

LN

#2 Post by **platinum** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:05 am

Have you mentioned to your ortho about the excessive pain you are experiencing during your adjustments?

#3 Post by **socksy** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:12 am

I think some aspects of treatment inevitably will be painful, but does your doc warn you or communicate to you what to expect? I think it makes a huge difference just to have the doc acknowledge you as a feeling person and say, are you okay? this may be uncomfortable etc... It sounds like your doctor isn't very communicative and/or sensitive.

#4 Post by **TigerLily** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:31 am

Hmm..sometimes I am in agony as I get out of the chair but I can't think of anything that my ortho does that makes me jump out of the chair.

When you say you think you may be the only patient does that mean that you're in a room with other patients and you see their reactions? Or you think you may be? May be worth talking to the ortho? In my early days, I wasn't that confident of talking to my ortho but then I emailed her and that was fine, and now I talk to her.

I've read on here of people who take painkillers before an adjustment. I don't know if that's a good idea or not, I don't as I would rather be very aware of say a poky archwire before leave.

#5 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:48 am

Tying out of alignment teeth to the wire can be painful. I just went though it as well with a less than sensitive ortho assistant. I have (or should say, used to have) very, very crooked and rotated teeth both upper and lower and I am just now at the point where all my teeth can be put on the wire. At my last adjustment any tooth that could not be fully engaged on the wire with a lig was forced to full engagement via wire ties. Ouch. But I understood that this was a necessity. Sometimes adjustment appointments are just going to suck. I actually had two brackets pop off in the process of wrenching the wire tie onto the bracket. At one point, when the archwire was being forced (kicking and screaming) into the tube on my molar band, it felt like my entire top arch moved to the right suddenly, violently and in unison. I think I literally said, "OUCH! Holy crap, what the hell?" My answer from the assistant? "You want your braces off, right?" My answer: "Not today!"

Now normally the assistants at the office are very sympathetic, apologizing for putting me in pain and warning me when pain is coming. This particular assistant was Vlad the Impaler in drag.

I think orthos and assistants sometimes forget that they are working on a live human. I never fail to let them know when something hurts--sometimes without much tact.

#6 Post by **jackjack** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:03 am

omg i had an adjustment today and it hurt soooooo much...two tears even came out

i think its normal for it to hurt, especially in the beginning of treatment when your teeth have so much moving to do...just what i think

#7 Post by LN » Tue Sep 30, 2008 2:41 pm

At my last adjustment, the ortho had to force the archwire into a new back molar bracket that had fallen off 5 days prior. I though he would break my tooth, thank goodness that didn't happen. ALSO..get this...it was time to drill off those 2 little dots that were placed behind my upper two canine teeth. HOLY MOLY!!! The vibration from his drill was felt intensely in my chest thought I was going to have a heart attack!!! I told my insensitive ortho after he completed removing the first one. NO FREAKIN COMMENT!!! Afterwards my chest felt congested.. what a horrible experience. IS THIS NORMAL!!!!!

I am not having an easy time...
LN

#8 Post by **socksy** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 2:57 pm

When my braces were being bonded last week, one broke right about when everything was finished. The assistant had to drill or grind off the glue remaining on that tooth and that was incredibly painful! Sounds like what they did to the back of your canines. So I think it's normal that it was painful and I think they do it so often that they forget it can be traumatic and jarring for us having it done.

#9 Post by LN » Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:30 pm

Hey Socksy...Is that a BichionFrise in your picture??? I have a Bichion and its the best dog ever!!

#10 Post by **Chantal** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:03 pm

Hey LN: I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO with you. I am going through torture as well. Last adjustment, the ortho had to stop and remove everything he had just tried to put on because I was screaming and my entire body was clenched in a little package, fists tight as I dig my nails through my palms. You get the picture. Then the assistant said she has never seen this. Maybe 2 or 3 other sensitive people... They all looked at me like I was abnormal!!!!! I feel... no: I AM so mis-understood.

The ortho is not communicative AT ALL. I have to think of my top priority question before I go in there because they push me to the chair and start and then send me away real fast. No time for questions! And the ambiance makes me feel very uncomfortable. My very first appointment, the ortho was actually angry at me for being 3 minutes late! He rarely even greets me...

Last week, that last "adjustment", I was telling my husband that I am not sure I can actually deal with this pain. I really don't know what to do. I don't know how to get through the pain. Excruciating. Simply. (I do take meds before. I wish I could get anesthesia!)

I am scared out of my wits for my next appointment: oct 20th. Close to Halloween!

The only encouragement I find is exactly that: someone else also has felt this unbearable pain. I AM a human after all!

Even if they don't believe my suffering!

Keep me/us posted on the experience. I DO wish you (and me) a better time, next time...!

#11 Post by **Gennel** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:02 am

My bottoms have deffinately been the most painful part in my adjustments. My lower incisor was really far back,it was so far back that people thought I had an extra tooth on my bottom front teeth. One adjustment my ortho felt it was time to engage that tooth and the strongest wire was put on then bent in and engaged with a wire tie.You can imagine the pain! It was instant! He does know that it can be painful and talks to you while he's working on you.... "I'm sorry,I'm sorry" " do you need a break?" " I know this hurts,I'm sorry"
He's always said these things because he knows It was soemtimes painful.
The first day,he talked me through the whole process because I was shaking soooo bad. I didnt even realize I was shaking lol.
The first day really didnt hurt at all, I was just nervous thinking the worst.
I did feel pain a few hrs later but not the worst!

It's NOT always painful .That's one thing to keep in mind.
I would highly recommend taking a pain pill about 1hr before your adjustment. Since your bottom teeth have so much movement going on,they may be really tender during adjustments.

Gennel

#12 Post by **iamtheotherme** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:13 am

I don't have more sensitivity or pain than other people, but I do have a long-standing dental phobia about pain during procedures that was not acknowledged. It kept me out of the dentist's chair for many, many years. Getting braces was, and is, the ultimate test of my personal strength.

My dentist, who worked with me over a year to get more comfortable, had a lovely chat with my ortho before I started, so we're all on the same page about my situation. Because the ortho's aware of my phobia, I have no problem stopping him or the assistants when something is painful or even if I just need to catch my breath. I am now in the habit of asking for my 15-minute appointments to be 20 or 30 minutes because I need to stop frequently. It puts us all more at ease to know that we don't need to rush as much.

Yes, not everything in orthodontia feels like being wrapped up with a warm blankie while sipping a hot chocolate. However, that does not mean that you need to endure pain or discomfort beyond your capacity to do so. There are many things you can do to put yourself in a better mental position to accept the periodic, inevitable discomfort. I strongly recommend you have a frank discussion with your ortho about what you feel. Set up a signal that you can use to indicate you need him to stop immediately, then use it as needed. Book more time for your appointments. Book your appointments at times that are less busy so you don't have as much of an audience. If you really truly believe that he is not listening and does not believe your pain is real, please find another ortho that you feel more comfortable with. Please do not set yourself up for a phobia like I've endured for over 10 years.

Good luck!

#13 Post by **Chantal** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:47 pm

Yes, I definitely have dentist phobia, because of a wrecked extraction and hemorrage I had when I was 5 years old (hence my missing teeth and the gaps that evolved from the situation.)

I hear you all. Thanks for caring! Because there is really not much choice (you have to live here to understand...), I set myself to really ask questions the next time I go (I 'brace" myself to ask despite feeling being rushed), and to try and let go of my "anticipation" of pain, and give it my best try - again. Oct. 20th. We'll see then. I have to give it more try, I think...

Thanks for caring!

#14 Post by LN » Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:17 pm

Hi All...thank you all for your pep talk!!! I appreciate your honesty and sharing your experience with me. I felt kind of bad for complaining like I did and thought I may have gone over board...but like they say.."misery loves company." At least now I know I am not alone...
Thanks
LN