*sigh* Probably paying for braces.. again. Just got them off

[Koof]

Just got my braces off last week. Unhappy with the results. Particularly the overjet (especially the upper canines) and now I have 'black triangles'. I haven't really spoken one-on-one with my ortho yet just because mainly I'm afraid.. I'm very picky & the last month and a half, I've been in the office like once a week because of things I found that I wanted changed. I'm also afraid that if I tell him how dissatisfied I am and disappointed I am that he'll just tell me there's not much he can do. I finally sucked it up and will be talking to him next week. If he tells me there's nothing I can do, do you think I could complain to the office about it and just have them stop treatment right there without me paying for the rest? I mean I feel like it's such a waste of money. And I'm not trying to be a b but I'm THAT dissatisfied that I'm willing (and already have a treatment plan set up now) to pay for braces again.. right now. It means that much to me.

So here's what I want to know.. I had a consult yesterday - that ortho was very nice, office was very quaint.. didn't seem particularly high-tech or anything, but not dated either.. he seemed very genuine and told me there wasn't much he could do.. not sure if he'd be able to do better than what my orthodontist did, which was kind of disheartening.. so I left kind of sad.

Today, I went to this awesome high-tech office (iPad's while you wait, X-Box game room for kids, etc. etc.).. this ortho told me with the Damon braces he could def. push my canines in so they don't flare out as much, shave down the bottom teeth to fix the black triangles, shave a little of the upper so the overjet on the front could be improved.. he made me feel like there was hope.

I don't know who to believe. Obviously 2 different office environments, and I know high-tech doesn't matter, it's the ortho, but I feel like he just may have more options and things that might work better to fix my braces. Anywho, I was quoted (and this was a discount) $3,500 for the Damons for 9 months. I don't know if that's a lot.. seems like it to me for only 9 months, but I don't know. I had traditional at first.

Should I get a 3rd opinion? About whether this can actually be achieved & for pricing reasons as well? I'm paying fully out of pocket this time so it's going to be hard, but I'm very determined (braces I just had were paid for @ 50%, $3,000 max.).

[Mirai404]

In my opinion, you should talk to your original orthodontist before making any other decisions. Orthodontists are humans, not mind-reading machines. They won't know what you expect from the treatment until you tell them.

Black triangles are common in adult orthodontics, especially at places where there are overcrowding. You should have been aware of them before taking your braces off. Chances are, your orthodontist have nothing much to do about it even with your braces on, except shaving a bit of your teeth off or orientate your teeth slightly (that means, your teeth won't be as straight as you want. Again. if he did so, you will be unhappy because you wouldn't expect it) to solve your black triangles problem. I don't know how much is your overjet but overjet of 1-2mm and overbite of 2-3mm is common.

If you feel that the "high-tech office" ortho can help you, you don't mind doing braces again for another 9 months and you think you will be happy, then go for it.

And I think you will not be fair to your orthodontist if you stop paying for your treatment after you are done. It's like when a parent expecting a kid to score at least 90 marks for his test but did not managed to so even though he did his best and got 85 marks. His punishment was not to have dinner and be locked up in his room. Listen to the explanation of your orthodontist, if he treats you badly or being mean, then you stop your payment. But he's being nice and explain in details even though you don't buy it, you have to pay the office to be fair to him and his workers, after all, you mentioned that you have taken off your braces, it means you have completed the treatment and you just need to go back for check-up and stuffs like that I suppose?

Anyway, I suggest you take a photo of your teeth and let us judge your result. Maybe you have too high of an expectation.

[kennyandrew85]

Don't judge an ortho by how many gadgets he has, iPad and Xboxes could simply mean he's making big profits and that might nor always be a good sign, post a pic of your teeth so we can see what you mean.

[illay]

i remember that Koof posted about her story here: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=43266

Koof, for the black triangle, i think it's normal. i have one too between my lower central incisor. Since most of people do not show too much lower teeth when they smile..i think you don't need to fix it. If you really get bothered, maybe you can try gum graft. i think it's better than slicing you healthy teeth.

For your case, i saw the pictures..i think the central incisor is a little bit swing to the right?? (left in picture). for the lateral incisor, i am certain they will look good after the crown. For overjet, What i found strange is the answer from your orthodontist. It's really unclear answer. He need to explain it to you why he can't fix it so it will put your mind in the ease (i think your ortho has same attitude with mine). By the way..not only you, me too in my last one month before my braces off, i went to my orthodontist once a week since my teeth kept on changing (it's always one after another ). My lower edge do not touch the back of my upper teeth and i just know about the theory (that they should touch) after i got them off !!! what a tragedy !!

[SuperSeven]

I'd say give it a few weeks before making any decisions.

[Koof]

Here are my teeth:




@illay - I feel like there's way too much space for my implant.. the area of space is almost as big as one of my two front teeth.. the overjet on that canine definitely doesn't help either.

I'm going to talk to my ortho about it next week, but I don't have high hopes for it. Would never ask to stop treatment 'just because'. But if they insist there's nothing more they can do and my opinions tell me otherwise, I'm going to have to go get them on somewhere else, and I don't think it's fair for me to be THAT dissatisfied and have to finish out the payments when I'm not finishing my treatment and they aren't doing the most they can do. Not looking to get over on anyone, because I would never do that. Just seriously dissatisfied and depressed about it.

[Mirai404]

Hi koof, after looking at your picture and reading your story... I can understand why were you that unsatisfied and so depressed. I apologize for saying that maybe you have too high of an expectation. You don't deserve that, you deserve better. I agree with what you said. It's not fair for you to finish your payment when you are that dissatisfied.

With that kind of result, I suggest you seek a 3rd ortho and decide between three of the orthodontists.

I hope things will turn out right for you. Good luck!

PS: I think I have the same kind of brackets as you. 3m self-ligating brackets right?

[klobird]

Hey Koof--when you go to another ortho, check the reviews of that ortho online.
The more reviews for that ortho, the more you will get an accurate idea about whether or not you want to go to that ortho.

I started with a 10mm overjet, and Damon Q metal braces. I have almost no overjet now, and I still have about 6 months to go. At this point, I am very satisfied already.

Frankly, and I'm really sorry to say this, but I woudn't be satisfied with your result either....For the amount of $$$ we pay for braces, I would insist on a more satisfactory result.

[plugnickel69]

I agree that first you need to speak to your ortho about your dissatisfaction, and if he won't help, seek at least one other consult, if not two. I wouldn't be happy with your results either and am surprised he took the braces off.

[hai]

I am glad i saw the pics as i had no idea what a black triangle was...

Well, i think you have lovely teeth so thats a great starting point (shape, size colour is great and sometimes we over focus on 1 negative aspect hwne we have several positives going on too :-)).

What i would suggest (and i know this might be to your horror), is getting a crown or veneer or some kind of bonding to change the appearance once orthodontics is complete. I figure I will end up with a similar or worse result as I have one large canine on my right and the left one was removed a decade ago :-(
I think when it comes to the end of my treatment i will consider reshaping the canine (hopefully with ceramic bonding) to improve their appearance as in some cases braces have their limits


I wish you the best of luck and definitely suggest getting a few opinions. xx

[Koof]

Thank you all so much for your kind words and advice!

@hai - I never knew what a black triangle was until a few days ago either! I didn't have them before the braces. But from what I'm hearing, it's a normal thing that happens and I'm pretty sure I could get it fixed so not so worried about that now. I already have a plan to get a crown in that spot, I just had an implant a few months ago (it's a congenitally missing tooth) but I think I'm positive now that I am not going to go through with it until something gets done about my teeth. Whether my ortho decides to do it or I have to go to one of these other ones, I'm not doing anything with that tooth until I'm happy with my smile.

Hi koof, after looking at your picture and reading your story... I can understand why were you that unsatisfied and so depressed. I apologize for saying that maybe you have too high of an expectation. You don't deserve that, you deserve better. I agree with what you said. It's not fair for you to finish your payment when you are that dissatisfied.

With that kind of result, I suggest you seek a 3rd ortho and decide between three of the orthodontists.

I hope things will turn out right for you. Good luck!

PS: I think I have the same kind of brackets as you. 3m self-ligating brackets right?

Not sure what kind of brackets they were, I thought they were just regular (ceramic on top).. they never mentioned them being Damon or anything, I honestly don't know what they were. The one I went to yesterday (high-tech office) had great reviews.. I did actually call today and am seeking a 3rd (and final) opinion on Monday.. he has great reviews as well and is older and has been doing this for a long time and I really think I'll be able to trust his opinion and go into my regular ortho on Tues. and bring him the info. that I need.. thanks for your kind words too I'll update everyone on what happens next week.. keeping my fingers crossed!