Two Stories in One: Our His and Hers Matching Braces

[Ellabelle]

Thanks ladies! If you can't tell, my ligs are teal and his are red & pink. He said he wanted to surprise me for Valentine's day. Needless to say, I was really surprised, especially because he's a tough, Mr.-fix-it, 25 years in the military kinda guy. But it was a very sweet gesture, and I admire his confidence. Plus I think he looks really cute, he's one of those people who can really pull braces off.

Okay, just a warning, I really need to vent. Feel free to ignore it but I really need to give my FI a break and get it all out here.

As for progress, they were very impressed with his. For me, on the other hand, the doctor asked the tech "were they all wired in?", which I take to mean as there's NO noticeable movement. I asked how long for the lowers to come on and she's like " oh, it'll be a while.". Previously I was told 3-6 months, now they're not even giving me a timeline. And the doctor who's been treating me is not the one I met at my consult. There's 4 at the practice, so I understand they change off, but I would prefer consistency of treatment, and the man I met is so much more friendly than the cold woman I've had these past two appointments,

Also, the tech accidentally broke off my back right bracket, one of the two molars she was just going to wire in for the first time, and said she'd leave it and fix it next time. I was brave, spoke up, and said I would please like it reattached so they were symmetrical. She looked at me like I was nuts, said "Can you REALLY feel it?" I said yes. She said she didn't think she had time to fix it. I said it would really bother me having it broken/uneven for a month. She went off to talk to someone, came back, said she could fix it this time but don't expect that in the future if something breaks. Am I wrong? Is it so crazy to ask my tech to fix something she broke during the appointment?

So between that, and the implied zero progress, and the nonexistent timeline, I just left feeling really bummed out about an appointment I was so excited for. On the upside, I do like the teal. It's just been a rough afternoon, I know I need to relax and let things happen, but I also need to speak up enough to ask the important questions, and stand up for myself when I need to. It's just tough, I am discouraged, and it's only been a month out of an estimated 2 years!!(though it's looking like longer). I do feel really thankful to be finally on this journey, and to have such an amazing, supportive, loving fiancé on the trek with me. I just have to take some deep breaths, be grateful for where I am, and know it will all be worth it in the end.

Hope you're all doing well. Take care.

[Dee17]

Hi Ellabelle,
No, I don't think you are over-reacting at ALL. If it were me, I think I'd be pretty upset especially given the fact that the tech broke off the bracket during your appointment! Personally, I think it's pretty nervy for her to tell you "not to expect" things like that to be fixed in the future. If it were me, I'd have definitely said something to whoever is in charge of that orthodontic practice. But that's just me. Maybe because I'm a lot older than you. I think that you are paying for a service -- you have the right to expect a certain standard of care. Think about it. You would expect a certain standard of care from your physician, right? Why is it any different when it comes to your teeth?

[Ellabelle]

That's exactly how I feel!!

[Dee17]

Thattta girl!

[denSMSgt]

First, totally agree with you on fixing it right then! It may not have been a huge deal (to them), but that would have rubbed me the wrong way too! Glad they fixed it, but when you're paying big money, for both of y'all at that, fix it. It was obviously a big enough deal for it to be placed initially, why leave it off because of time/ too many other money making patients in the queue? Wow, now I vented!

Too cool that you two are doing it together. My wife and I two months apart, she got her braces on last August and I followed in October. We usually do our appointments at the same time, and are a goofy/fiesty couple back there. We joked today that they separated us on purpose, each on our own end. I should have thought to post our progress together, but we're far enough in now, maybe I'll just throw a few progress pix of her on my post at some point. It has been interesting to compare her progress to mine and our oldest son, I'm sure we've bought the orthodontist another summer home or a luxury automobile by now.

Best to both of your progress too!!

[Tobilei]

Ugh, I'm angry for you!!! You did the right thing asking for it to be fixed! How dare she imply they were doing you a favour by fixing what they stuffed up in the first place!!!??

Can you ask when you make your appointments to see the original ortho? At the practice I go to, there are a couple, but you always see the same one unless it's an emergency appointment to snip a wire or something, in that instance you see whoever can see you. It doesn't seem fair that you chose that practice based on who you saw only to be stuck with someone else.

[starfish88]

I'm so angry for you too. I would certainly discuss with the nice ortho about getting them to treat you rather than the mean one and I would also bring up the was they treated you about the breakage they caused! You really deserve better treatment, its not just about fixing teeth its about patient treatment too. I need to be better at speaking up about this too!

But try not to worry about the slow start. My teeth have been really stop-start. Just because they are slow now it doesn't meant they always will be. I had 0.5mm of movement between my last 2 adjustments but now my teeth have moved loads again. Sometimes they can just be difficult like that!

But you guys both look really cute with your braces and its amazing your doing this together!

[maeby]

Erg. That would be super frustrating. I hated it when my dentist made the comment about me being in braces for a LONG time. My ortho is always optimistic (but honest), and it makes a big difference.

I didn't see a ton of movement the first couple of months and then on month three my teeth really stepped up their game. Don't be discouraged! I think you guys have a fantastic outlook on the whole process, so keep your chin up. (But still feel free to vent anytime.)

[plugnickel69]

I agree with Tobilei. Call the office and ask for the original ortho to give you a call. Explain your concerns and frustrations. He will listen and work it out with you. You should be able to arrange your appointments when he is there.

I had an experience with an emergency appointment one Friday afternoon. I went to the office that was open and convenient and saw a different ortho from the group that day. he fixed the bracket, but changed the typer of wire and removed a powerchain. Gaps immediately began to open. My regular ortho invited me to come in immediately the next week to put things back to the way they were. They had different approaches even though they were associates.

Good luck to you.

[Tobilei]

I agree with Tobilei. Call the office and ask for the original ortho to give you a call. Explain your concerns and frustrations. He will listen and work it out with you. You should be able to arrange your appointments when he is there.

I had an experience with an emergency appointment one Friday afternoon. I went to the office that was open and convenient and saw a different ortho from the group that day. he fixed the bracket, but changed the typer of wire and removed a powerchain. Gaps immediately began to open. My regular ortho invited me to come in immediately the next week to put things back to the way they were. They had different approaches even though they were associates.

Good luck to you.

Different orthos at my office do too. I went in just to get a bumper put on a wire that was long (across an extraction gap) and while I was there I mentioned a bracket catching on my cheek. The ortho I saw for the emergency appt bent the hook in. I could tell when I went in for my first adjustment that my regular ortho wasn't exactly happy about it

[Wierdo]

Good luck !

[Ellabelle]

Well we're not due for our next adjustment til March, but I managed to swallow a bracket Sunday on a little weekend getaway the FI and I took to Vegas. I know, I know, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but I think this is okay to share. It happened when I was eating mashed potatoes of all things! So it must have been loose already. I suddenly felt something really sharp, reached in my mouth and there was a stretch of unattached wire poking my cheek and, upon further inspection, no bracket on my back left tooth. I tried to bend the wire inward but somehow made it poke directly outward into my cheek. It tore me up real good before I wised up and put a glob of silicone on their later in the day. We got back yesterday, I called the ortho office, who gave me the go ahead to clip the wire and I made an appointment for today. My amazing FI took a wire cutters to the loose wire and relieved my misery!

So this morning I went in. First the tech said I really wouldn't have had to come in, and that she might just clip the wire shorter and wait til my next progress check on 3-5 to rebracket me. She went off to confer with someone and returned saying she would go ahead and do it. So she removed my wire, did the whole polish thing to put back on the bracket (man, that stuff is so vile!). I got to talk to the ortho then, the original msn I like, and told him I really don't mind wearing braces but feel frustrated that there has been NO noticable progress, especially since my darling FI's teeth are moving like crazy. I know all mouths are different, yada yada, but I can handle pain, especially if it means progress! So they kept me in the same wire size but put "SS ties" (stainless steel ties, I'm thinking) around the front four to get them moving. I asked to watch and the tech gave me a little mirror. Oh my goodness was it cool, with the wire in she took really skinny metal wire, twisted it, then wrapped it around those four brackets individually. Then it was time for the ligs. My FI's 3 year-old daughter was with me so I let her choose, and she picked purple and blue. My first alternating colors! So I'm feeling the pressure now, which is exciting, and I'm proud of myself for speaking up snd getting treatment kicked up a little. They kept my next appt the same, so I feel like I got a bonus a appt. Oh, and after I left I noticed one of the front ligs wasn't on all the way and I fixed it myself with my dental kit! Oh and they said we could take the leftover ligs because my lil pseudo-daughter asked to, but I was the most excited one because I've been wanting to lig my ring to match. Yes I'm a dork. Well it was reeeeally hard to get it on there but I did@

Good day, today. Hope everyone is well and making progress! *hugs*

[Dee17]

What a great posting, Ellabelle! Sorry to know that you haven't seen much progress to date but maybe that will change now that they've made those changes. I got such a kick out of your picture of your engagement ring with the lig around it! I also just noticed that you don't have any brackets on your bottom teeth. How did you manage to avoid those?
Dee

[Ellabelle]

Thanks, Dee! Apparently I won't be ready for bottoms "for awhile". Previously I was told 3-6 months. I guess because of my bite and the appliance I'll need to fix it, they want to get my top pretty straight before they start to tackle my bottoms. It's very frustrating to me.

[Dee17]

Hi Ellabelle,
I'm sure that's very frustrating. But once they put them on you'll probably start to see some changes pretty quickly. Hang in there!
Dee