Metal Mouth Message Board

I'm halfway (hopefully!) through my sentence with braces and recently, when I go into the office, I've been bringing 'problem areas' to the attention of the ortho when he asks if I have any questions. I'm not trying to run the treatment but I do have some concerns that I want to bring up. At the last few visits I put in some requests thinking that somewhere down the line they would be addressed. Well, they were addressed that very day! One issue is that a few teeth are shorter than they should be and I asked if, at some point, they would be lengthened. He took a close look, said I was right, changed the position of my wire (I guess) and literally just days later my teeth were being pulled downwards and are now almost exactly the length I wanted them. Same thing with another issue about a tooth being too far back (in my opinion)... he took a close look, said I was right and is now pulling it out a bit so it's in line with the other teeth.

So:
1. Did he NOT see these problems before?

2. Is it okay/appropriate for me to come to some visits and point out things I'd like to address or should I trust in 'the master plan'?

3. Is there a sequence of problems which should be addressed?

4. I am happy he is so responsive but I'm not sure if it's a good thing that he wasn't already working on these things? Or maybe I'm just being too hasty?

5. Does 'tag-teaming' a few issues per visit speed the treatment? In other words, the ortho said, "Your wish is my command!" jokingly but then said I would be having a few other adjustments and so I was likely to be sore having another but he was happy to oblige if I felt up to it. Bottom line: I'd prefer to have multiple things done even if it means being in some discomfort temporarily if it speeds treatment time. Any thoughts?

As always, thanks for your replies!

It depends on your ortho. If he's a nice guy, he won't mind working with you. But I can guarantee you that there are many orthos who would be irritated, if not furious that a patient would have the audacity to tell them how to do their job.

Just try giving hints and suggestions, and if he is responsive, then see how far you can push the envelope in getting him to work with you.

Thanks shinyam for your reply!

I definitely am not telling the ortho how to do his job and I agree that that WOULD be annoying! But when he had to take a close look at both areas and then said, "Yes, I DO see what you're saying" it made me think he did not see those issues before and so, if that's the case, I'm glad to have spoken up. He is a great guy and comes highly recommended so I have a hard time believing he is just seeing these issues for the first time but his response has me puzzled and wondering if I should continue to (nicely and respecting him, of course) ask questions about other things along the way so that things aren't missed? I also wondered if there's time, at the end, for me to bring up these issues? I don't know if there's a sequence to how things are corrected and we could 'miss the window' if some things should be done first rather than last.

Thanks for your reply! I think you're right- if he asks if I have questions I may bring something up if I feel like it may be overlooked.

I think that you should continue to tell the ortho any areas of concern you have. You are paying for their service. It is like any other business. I work for a landscaping company and I am happy when people tell me what they want done. And of course that is what you are doing. As long as you are not telling him how to do it.

Hope that makes some sense.

Tell him what to do, not how to do it.

I flat out told my ortho at the beginning of my treatment, that I didn't care what he did to my teeth, or how long it took, I just wanted them straight and not sticking out anymore. Now, if I notice something along the way that I want fixed, or changed, I'm definately going to tell him, and see if he can address the problem. I have already brought up the issue of receeding gums, and he said that eventhough that wasn't part of the initial evaluation, he'd see what he can do once it gets closer to the end of my treatment.

I can only guess that they are used to hearing stuff like this, as most people become more educated about their oral hygeine as they go along, and realise there are always things to be done to make your smile better.

I wouldn't be shy at all.... don't be afraid to speak up, or you'll never find out if it could be done at all!