DNA Appliance / Epigenetic Orthodontics?

[Minty]

Hi all,

I have been to about 4 ortho consultations and they have all told me that in order to fix my overbite and jaw that I need to have a combination of braces and lower jaw surgery.

However, I have just read so many horror stories about the things that go wrong, or with people not liking the results, plus the immensely long recovery time (I have to work!).

I found someone in my area, a cosmetic dentist, who offers the DNA appliance as treatment which I have read can be used in some cases in place of surgery, however the lady who offers it has a consultation fee of $220(!!!) whereas all other consults I've been to have been free!

I would love an alternative to surgery, but I'm not sure how effective this DNA appliance thing is, and I don't want to get ripped off. But I don't know what else to do or try.

Has anyone else here used a DNA appliance? What did you think of it?

[Pestomac]

Don't waste your money. It is unusual to get 4 orthodontic opinions that are all the same. You have a problem that can only be fixed by surgery.

Pick a good surgeon/Orthodontist combo. Lower jaw surgery is the most risk free of all surgeries. Just make sure you see a combo that does alot of surgical cases.

[sirwired]

That "DNA Appliance" looks like a pretty typical palatal expander-type device that is marketed with a ginormous layer of meaningless/irrelevant gibberish.

A charge for a consult isn't unheard of if an ortho is going to pull "full records" as part of the appt. (panorex, P-A and lateral ceph, full photo series, and impressions.) But $220 to stare at your mouth and send you out the door would be a bit steep.

In any case, I agree... if four orthodontists all say surgery is the way to go, I'm not going to trust a cosmetic dentist (who is not an actual orthodontist?) with a different plan.

[burtburgerac]

I was told by 3 different orthodontists that the only way to fix my overjet was surgery and in the end I realised that all 3 couldnt be wrong (much to my disappointment). Personally I've decided to live with the overjet and not have the surgery but if you want it fixed surgery is probably going to be the only way.

[bbsadmin]

Another thing to consider: many dentists decide to learn how to use certain appliances or techniques by taking a little course offered by a dental company that makes the appliance. Sometimes the course only lasts a few hours. Then they are "certified" by the company and can offer the appliance to boost their practice. It is often done solely as a revenue producer. I'm not saying that this is the case with the dentist you saw -- but it could be.

I agree that if several orthodontists told you that surgery was your best alternative, I would go with their opinions. It can be difficult to get orthodontists to agree on treatment. If all of them have told you "surgery," than I would go with that, rather than the word of a possibly unqualified dentist.

Sure, nobody wants surgery. And it's very tempting to think that your problem could be solved without it.

Case in point: I had crooked teeth my entire life. Over the years, I had seen many orthodontists and they all told me that I needed 4 extractions to get braces. I didn't like that idea. Finally I found an orthodontist who said, "let's try it without extractions." Guess what -- 6 months in, my gums began to recede due to the pressure and crowding, and guess what I needed -- to get 4 teeth extracted. I felt better that "at least we tried to do it without extractions, but that did't work." However, in retrospect, I realized that if ALL of the other orthodontists said "extractions," then it must have been the truth. I just didn't want to hear it at the time. If I'd have done the extractions to begin with, I probably wouldn't have suffered the eventual gum recession that needed two separate (and expensive and painful) gum grafting sessions.