Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi, My name is Edwin. I am new to the forum and I am 9 months into my braces treatment for which I received a 2.5 year treatment time estimate.

When I started, I saw an Orthodontist, she was an older woman and cared to explain everything and explained all the extra treatments I would need, two of them I just had last week. (Upper lip frenectomy and #14 in the palate, the tooth was all the way out so it wasn't complicated at all)

The problem I am facing right now is that I only saw that orthodontist 2 or 3 apointments after I got my braces put in, and then never saw her again. A new one at the same office showed up and kept going with my case at the same place.

The begining diagnose called for no extractions, as my teeth are not severely crowded nor bumping into each other, most of them are straight with the exception of a pre molar that was rotated 180 degrees and now is at around 100 degrees away from being in the right position.

The new orthodontist is telling me that because that one tooth is not rotating (although it clearly has, just not as fast) I will need to remove 3 tooth, 2 on the top and 1 on the bottom.

I am somewhat reluctant to this as I do not wish to lose 3 perfectly healthy tooth, specially when just 9 months into the treatment I already like my smile very much and I haven't even had the braces on the jaw teeth put in. I do not feel that it is necesary and I am going to seek a second and third opinion, I had before starting the treatment and nobody called for extractions in my case. Should I be worried? What steps should I take? Anybody has been through similar?

Thanks.

Can't you tell them you want to see the first ortho who planned your treatment? Pretty much every ortho can have their own individual opinion on how to treat each patient. That's why we have several consultations before selecting. If you're happy with the treatment plan of the first one then can't you insist she conducts your treatment?

Anytime I hear extract healthy teeth I say get MORE opinions!!! There's so many advancements in ortho these days my orthodontist almost never pulls teeth period!!! Follow your instincts;)

Just updating:

I went to the clinic and talked to the orthodontist, I explained to her that at first I looked at several opinions before etc. And that I do not wish to remove teeth because I have been told by others and by the ortho that started my case that it can be done, and that I do not wish to go faster but risk face profile changes and other complications if it can be done without the extraction of perfectly healthy teeth.

Her response was, It can't be done but I can't do it. Because I didn't start your case and the clinic does not allow me to make changes to what one of the doctors wrote down here (in my file, one of the 3 or 4 orthos that ever looked at me). And also that she no longer felt that there was trust, that I trusted her and the way she was doing things so she no longer can work with me because I will always go againts her opinion.

At the end they basically told me to leave and go elsewhere because although I have the right to seek another opinion they wont trust me or want to work with me anymore if I do. Which I did and even if I didn't I would not be okay with the extractions.

So here I am. 10 months into the treatment, thinking if I want to look for someone else and pay more money or just have them removed in the next months and start with lingual braces. (I am soon going to be done with my degree, work with a lot of customers face to face).

Comments please.

Wow. That's all I can say. What a terrible thing to say/do to someone just because they don't want some of their perfectly healthy teeth to be pulled for what sounds like no good reason...

If you want my opinion, I would definitely leave that orthodontic practice and never look back. If they are that rude and shady, you are better off going elsewhere for your treatment if you feel you still need more treatment. Yes, it will probably cost you more money, but in the long run I really think you would be better off. They clearly don't have your best interests at heart there and they never will.

It really smacks of patient abandonment -- not sure how that applies in the world of dentistry, but it just does not sound right. I would review the contract that you signed with the practice to see if this sort of behavior is sanctioned (i.e., what are the obligations to the patient when you have a treatment plan in place; who can change it, and for what reasons?) In your sentence "Her response was, It can't be done but I can't do it." did you mean to say "...it can be done, but I can't do it?" This to me suggests that she does not have the training/skill/motivation that your case requires. How much money are you potentially losing? Will they provide a full refund?
I think I would be considering exploring options with an attorney.
Best of luck to you.