Help! Need 2nd opinion on my ortho

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#1 Post by **scorpetteFL** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 2:36 am

I don't know what to do. My teeth are still not done and I'm waiting for trays for my second and last refinement.

I am concerned because my orthodontist keeps doing IPR at will when I go in there and doesn't look it up on the treatment schedule. He's also had his assistant do it. It like he just saws away. Well, if impressions are taken and trays created, and then there is additional IPR done, then wouldn't that mean my teeth would no longer fit the trays?!?! It's only logical.

I am freaking out because this cost me a lot of money. This guy is also dismissive of my concerns, and laughs at my questions and was a premier provider but no longer is for some reason.

If any orthodontist is lurking here, please post to me or email me - I don't even know who to go to about this. The only other premier provider in my area charges a $150 consultation fee.

#2 Post by **scorpetteFL** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:42 pm

Meryaten wrote:I'm not sure, but I think to be a Premier Provider they just need to do a certain number of cases per year.

But this guy's attitude sounds shoddy - he should be ready, willing and able to answer your questions and address your concerns.

Thanks, I have a consultation on Friday (2nd opinion) with another ortho who is not a premier provider but is a longtime faculty member in orthodontics and probably can help me.

I called my ortho today to ask about the IPR and he was VERY angry and impatient on the phone. I also discovered today that he has several complaints on citysearch, etc., for his rudeness and unwillingness to answer questions. I made such a mistake by going to him - hope I can correct it in time. This is going to cost me a lot of money, I think (switching orthos - I had to do it once already because I moved to another state...)

#3 Post by **John37** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:40 pm

I was very clear to my dentist from the beginning that I didn't want IPR. There was none scheduled be he wanted to do some on one upper lateral incisor and a little on a lower canine because they were tight against the adjacent teeth. He did the upper one twice and the lower just once. Each time I was a little upset and wanted to just proceed without IPR and see what happened. I don't think very much was removed from the top one, but I was worried that at the end I will have a slight gap...we'll see in a 3 more months.

So I guess I'm just saying that you need to be clear and stand your ground. You are not required (by law or anything) to let him do the IPR.

It's good you're getting another opinion.

#4 Post by **lomdogs** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:59 pm

Is doing the IPR a bad thing? Why wouldn't a person want that if it makes it easier for the teeth to fix? I am bound to have them do that to get my teeth to fit and want to know everything I can before I commit to anything.

#5 Post by **lomdogs** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:00 pm

Thank you

#6 Post by **John37** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:21 pm

lomdogs wrote:Is doing the IPR a bad thing? Why wouldn't a person want that if it makes it easier for the teeth to fix? I am bound to have them do that to get my teeth to fit and want to know everything I can before I commit to anything.

I'm a bit picky and don't like to do things that are "unnatural". I'd like to keep the natural shape of my teeth. My concern was that if they did IPR on a lot of teeth my smile would start to look unnatural like piano keys or dentures.

I'd say it comes down to a balance of different things, like having teeth extracted instead of IPR or settling for a worse bite, etc. So it really depends on how many and which teeth the doctor wants to do IPR on.

As an example, a friend of mine had Invisalign two years before me. He had chipped his top central incisors as a kid and had veneers put on them, but felt that they were larger than his original teeth. His orthodontist planned to do IPR on the upper lateral incisors to create room. My friend didn't even know that he was going to do that. Afterward he wished he had known so that he could have considered replacing the veneers with smaller ones and not having to do IPR as much on the adjacent teeth. It's one of those things that some people say doesn't matter much, but other people think it matters a lot. He just wished he'd have been better informed.

The point is now you are aware of what IPR is, so you can discuss it with your orthodontist.

#7 Post by **scorpetteFL** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 2:27 pm

The IPR is good but when you get started on treatment, invisalign has set specific times that the IPR should be done. In my case, my ortho never consults the records...he takes a look in my mouth, makes a face, and saws away. So I think he just does it at will.

I went for a second opinion and she said without records it looks like so far he hasn't overdone it. that's the good news. the bad news is that she said she's seen cases where invisalign just stopped working and the people needed to go into braces. She thinks I'll need to do that.

My second and final refinement starts next week. I will be just wrecked if I have to put regular braces on my teeth after this. It's exactly what I didn't want. I'm a single 40 year old woman. Great.

#8 Post by **jennicakes** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:34 pm

wow, i would immediately switch to another ortho if mine was no longer a premier provider (which does mean they do a greater number of invisalign cases than other orthos).
'
Since he is no longer considered premiere, it seems there is a reason why people either stopped seeing him or stopped referring friends/family to him for invisalign.

#9 Post by **LoronDotCom** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 6:46 pm

I would recommend going to every provider covered by your insurance that does Invisalign. Everyone on my insurance did free consultations so I took a couple months and saw them all, and after that it was soooo easy to tell which the best one was, even though it wasn't the cheapest.

#10 Post by **scorpetteFL** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 5:52 pm

Thanks guys...

I'm very concerned about him losing that premier status but it's so difficult to switch, it will cost a ton.

the good news is my new refinement trays came in and so far tray 1 of 8 new ones is amazing. that's cuz I had to get more attachments, I now have attachments on nearly all of my teeth!

the bad news is the assistant who put the attachments on didn't seat them well and two broke in half the first day, which left jagged edges that stab me in the mouth when I eat. Good times! Getting them fixed on Monday. Invisalign is not fun for me at all, that's for sure...this refinement ends in 4 mos and I think after that I'll consider my teeth "good enough".

No new IPR this visit.