Being too picky? If something's bugging you what do you do?

[BraceFace2o1o]

I sometimes wonder if I am being too picky. One thing I will say though is that the things I may have been 'picky' about were cosmetic but now they are to do with how my teeth and bite function... which is surely more important?

I've been in braces nearly 22 months and there's been a few things over the past few months I've bugged myself about and been unhappy with. Some I brought up with my ortho and most of them were to do with the shape and size of my teeth so nothing braces could do, I would just have to get veneers a crown or bonding etc. I learned to accept this finally and decided after braces I would leave the teeth as they were and not get the bonding.

Just lately there are things bothering me that are nothing to do with the look but how my bite works. The bite on my right side has been awful for way over a year now and I just kept waiting for my ortho to start work on it but it did not happen. I was told I could be debraced in August but I said no because my bite was still off. I wont go into details about it as this thread will be too long, you can get an idea of what's going on in the thread I made earlier about my midline being off, here: http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 13&t=42915

So right now my next appointment isn't until September and my new bite and alignment issues that I explained in my other thread will bug the hell out of me until then. When my appointment comes I should bring it up with my ortho but I worry that I'm being a pain in the a$$ or too much of a perfectionist etc. But when I think about it deep down I feel that I should be a bit picky because this brace has cost me nearly £3000. I am basically paying for a service and feel I should be satisfied that everything that can be done has been done.

I also get the feeling that my ortho thinks I want to hurry up and get the braces off. Of course after 22 months I'm fed up with them and would love to have them taken off but that does not mean I would rather get them off than have things corrected that can be corrected. If my current issue/s with my bite can indeed be corrected then I would put up with being in these braces another year if I have to. i don't ever want braces again once I'm debraced and even if I did I wouldn't be able to afford to, I can only just about afford my current treatment.

If things are bothering you do you mention them or do you hold back? It seems that I can advise others to mention things to their orthos because I think they certainly have every right to when they're paying all this money, I feel it's their right to question things or mention something they are unhappy with. The weird thing is I struggle to do the same for myself and worry I'll annoy my ortho so sometimes hold back or don't say anything . It's the same with other stuff, if something I buy breaks I worry myself silly about taking it back and will easily get fobbed off by the few ignorant customer service people (I'm sure they are not all like that!) but when it's someone else like a family member or friend I offer to take it back for them and when I do I refuse to be fobbed off and stand my ground.

[BetsyBug]

I would definitely say something. My ortho told me once that he can't feel when it doesn't feel right. So if your bite feels off then it probably is. I am going to address some bite issues my next trip to the ortho as well. They took my bite turbos off a few weeks ago and now I only have two molars on the right touching. None of my teeth on the left are touching at all. It seems like we should be encouraging them to get together (that and they are driving me crazy) But I digress. I think its easier to address concerns about your teeth when you aren't laying half upside down in the ortho chair so you might stay upright and talk to the ortho and tell him/her whats up. Your not being picky wanting your bite comfortable.

[cavomington]

You're a paying customer, you should be satisfied with the product/service.

[Glandyover]

You might want to ask about a tooth positioner for your bite. It's an appliance that moves your teeth after your braces are off and is used particularly for making sure your bite is optimal. It's a huge pain in the butt but it appears to be very effective.

[cei]

I can completely relate to you. I've been wearing ceramic braces for about 22 months. And since the past month, I've had to go into the the ortho's office after each appointment because something was wrong. It has been frustrating, to say the least. I am paying nearly $6000 for my treatment and I would really like to get the best results possible. The reason I picked this orthodontic clinic is because they are supposed to be the best around (there are several orthos working in the office and you get rotated among them). I don't feel comfortable of late.

I am a few weeks away from debanding and now my central incisors look weird. One is visibly larger than the other after my ortho did my filing on one tooth last time. I was waiting to see if somehow this would get fixed but it's been a week, and it doesn't look better. Before that, I had to go in because the incisors were beginning to overlap. One ortho at the office told me to wear rubber bands all the time and during the next visit, a second one told me to stop wearing bands. My incisors began to flare and I had to go in again after a week and they told me to start wearing the rubber band again. Sometimes it's like the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing.

Sorry this is turning into a mini-rant. I am feeling awful about this. (In fact I had posted earlier about whether I should hold off on debanding because I am so worried). I've brought up the issues in a very polite way, but sometimes I wonder if I should just keep quiet and if my inputs are causing these last-minute problems. But if the bite doesn't feel right, there is an overjet and the incisors are flaring towards the supposed end of the treatment, wouldn't one be alarmed?

[BraceFace2o1o]

Thanks everyone I really appreciate your replies!

You might want to ask about a tooth positioner for your bite. It's an appliance that moves your teeth after your braces are off and is used particularly for making sure your bite is optimal. It's a huge pain in the butt but it appears to be very effective.

I just watched the video and a few others about the tooth positioner, looks very interesting! I doubt it's something that's available much in my country though, seems to be an american thing. I could mention it to my ortho I guess but he will probably not have a clue what I am talking about

cei I totally understand your frustration. I was tempted to try and get fitted in this week to tell my ortho about my current issues but decided not to and to wait until my appointment in a couple of weeks time. I am actually not looking forward to it as I get nervous when I feel I need to mention something I'm unhappy with or what I think isn't right in my mouth. I am useless at speaking up for myself.

Sorry this is turning into a mini-rant. I am feeling awful about this. (In fact I had posted earlier about whether I should hold off on debanding because I am so worried). I've brought up the issues in a very polite way, but sometimes I wonder if I should just keep quiet and if my inputs are causing these last-minute problems. But if the bite doesn't feel right, there is an overjet and the incisors are flaring towards the supposed end of the treatment, wouldn't one be alarmed?

Not at all, feel free to as it can be frustrating when things feel like they aren't going right. I wouldn't be happy either if I had the issues you have explained.

From your post I take it you see a different ortho or assitant each time and not the same person carries out the work? In the UK things are mostly done slightly differently, well at my office the ortho does all the work and so I guess I'm lucky I don't have to explain the same things over and over to different people. He is very busy though and always running late so sometimes feel as if I don't have time to discuss my issues before I am laid down but if I don't try it will never happen.

[cei]

Yep, that is correct. There are multiple staff members that work with you and they record notes on the computer for what was done during appointments for each patient. They're known to be among the best in the area, but I guess there was some "teething trouble"

Anyway, I went into the clinic today and spoke to one of the orthos about my concerns and he fixed it! The staff told me sometimes the power chains cause the teeth to get "bunched up". The misalignment caused one incisor to look bigger than the other and they introduced some bends in the wires and surprisingly I could see results almost instantaneously. There is a very slight difference but it's hardly visible. I am much more satisfied with the end results and feel comfortable about debanding in 3 weeks! Yay!!!

I would encourage you to talk to you ortho about issues... they'll let you know what can be fixed and what is sometimes out of scope for the treatment. But like I was told "it's better to check if a problem can be solved, rather than remaining mum and being unhappy at the time of debanding".

[BraceFace2o1o]

Yep, that is correct. There are multiple staff members that work with you and they record notes on the computer for what was done during appointments for each patient. They're known to be among the best in the area, but I guess there was some "teething trouble"

Anyway, I went into the clinic today and spoke to one of the orthos about my concerns and he fixed it! The staff told me sometimes the power chains cause the teeth to get "bunched up". The misalignment caused one incisor to look bigger than the other and they introduced some bends in the wires and surprisingly I could see results almost instantaneously. There is a very slight difference but it's hardly visible. I am much more satisfied with the end results and feel comfortable about debanding in 3 weeks! Yay!!!

I am really glad you voiced your concerns and they have now been corrected. 3 weeks to go wow I am jealous! hehe

I would encourage you to talk to you ortho about issues... they'll let you know what can be fixed and what is sometimes out of scope for the treatment. But like I was told "it's better to check if a problem can be solved, rather than remaining mum and being unhappy at the time of debanding".

I definitely plan to mention the lower teeth alignment on my right side, not sure how but I'll find a way. Hopefully it is something that can be fixed, or even just improved and I'm cool if it means adding some months onto my treatment time. I definitely do not want to be unhappy at the time of debanding

[bracesagain2]

Hi BraceFace - I totally know how you feel. Sometimes my husband is saying I don't trust my ortho. But the thing is I read all these stories on this forum and hear how people aren't happy in the end with their results. And I think that's one of my biggest fear is that in the end I don't like how it turned out and regret getting braces a second time.

So I think it's better that you say something as well b/c you are paying for it and I don't think you're bugging them.

Sometimes I feel like when I say something, my ortho does try to explain/convince me why he's doing what he's doing. But one time I did express how I didn't feel like how my teeth were lining up right and he did fix it for me. Right now it's my left molars that I'm concerned about (I posted that in another thread.) So I am planning to say something to him next time I go and even show him photos or ask to look at a model of teeth.

I do feel like we are paying a lot of money and we should express our concerns. I do wish you all the best and hope it turns out well for you.

[sbjforumman]

Definately say something. You are paying the orthodontist to provide a service. How can he cater to your needs if he doesn't know what those needs are. Make sure he knows that you have higher priorities than simply removing the braces as soon as possible.

[Noni]

I am soooo picky , I try not to look for the perfectness though . But every time I visit my ortho I complain about something . I think the problem is not only not talking to your orth , but if your ortho is not responding

My ortho thinks that I am too picky and I start to feel that he is so bored of me every time asking him to do something , he just don't tell what he is up to which bothers me .

Every time I complain about my bite and how teeth touches each other , he says that after they are aligned and you have the braces off , back teeth are supposed to get together and then have a correct bite , you may want to ask your ortho the same and see what would he say about your case .