may need braces soon, or a false alarm

[bannishg]

Hi there,

I'm Greg, a 24 y/o accountant from the Northeast. I have been blessed with perfect teeth all my life, and never even had one filling. Everything changed when the wisdom teeth started forcing themselves into my jaw. Though no surgery was necessary, my dentist highly recommended looking into braces for my upper jaw. I don't know if he's in cahoots with a local orthodontist, because my x-rays seem to indicate very little if any pushing on my upper jaw. I'm hoping it's a false alarm, but I have been researching braces diligently as of late and wish to learn all I can. I probably will not know until my follow-up next week. Have any of you been in a situation where the dentist was wishy-washy about the appropriate solution to your dental problem?

[Mitch11]

Greg,
Sounds like you need to get a second opinion. My ortho was very straightforward and clear. Would recommend you take your xrays and check with another ortho.

Good luck!!!!!!

[BellaBraces]

My dentist was never wishy washy as such but my wisdom teeth pushed the rest of my teeth out of line and it bugged me for years. Dentist said he could do veneers if I wanted but it was quite invasive and he thought I should consult an ortho first. I was not prepared to have years of train tracks but when I heard about the Six Month Smiles option I went for that.

I would certainly recommend you get a consultation with an ortho.

[bannishg]

Well I guess it was a false alarm, I will not be needing them, as the overbite is so minor that not only is it cosmetically unnoticeable, it hasn't even proven to cause irregular occlusion when I bite down. I am considering switching dentists. As someone who is considering the dental profession I should also put more effort into learning about my OWN dentition!

[Jamie91]

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[bannishg]

I've been rather inactive on the forum since last year, the prescription for braces would later turn out to be a false alarm. I suppose there is still an outlying possibility that I may require some form of a corrective ortho appliance in the future. I do have a trivial overjet and my back molars are aligned in a manner suggestive of a Class II, but it does not harm the appearance of my teeth, nor does it have any potential of getting any worse. My wisdom teeth came in without impaction as well so I lucked out big time!

Despite my luck in being able to elude the costly procedures, the discomfort and inconveniences and certainly the mild teasing and ribbing from friends and family, part of me is a tad disappointed. I would have loved to do what so many of you had done: document my progress through regular updates and photos. I'm certain I would have been in good company as well.

I like to think I'm at least mildly literate in dental terminology, to which I attribute to the 3 friends of mine in dental school. They approach me occasionally to request my help through participating in or helping to administer surveys and studies for research. Generally they are centered around demographics, and quite often involve dental amalgam (or "silver" fillings). I'm starting to tire of the subject, but the controversy is still as hot as ever. It has been for a long time now, at least since the exposés began to air around 20 years ago.

Despite being spared this experience, I do intend to visit every now and then. Helping my friends with their research led me to take more interest in the fields of dentistry and orthodontics. Perhaps, I may also be in need of advice and/or testimonials from forum members undergoing a specific treatment, have a certain condition or a certain dental appliance that is relevant to research.

Wishing you all the best dental luck,

G