Extractions to fix bite, after braces?

[Realizingadream]

I had braces for 2+ years, at age, let's say, really old (north of 50). Now, the braces are off, I am in the "wear the retainer full-time for 6 months" phase.

I went to my dentist, sans braces, to get my teeth cleaned. He took modes of my teeth to built a bridge where I have a tooth missing on the lower left. He was shocked that things "didn't look right" and had me come back in for another "bite this gummy stuff until it hardens" session, and made a second mold of my teeth. Shocked: he reported to me that both models were correct, the first one and the second. He reported that my teeth are only hitting in a couple of places on my very back-most teeth, which greatly concerns him for my dental health, that because that concentrates the bite forces, those teeth will eventually shear off or crumble or explode or something.

I'm going in for a visit with the dentist this week. He's going to tell me what to do. He told me not to talk to the orthodontist until after this meeting.

In the meantime, I snuck off to visit a different orthodontist, to get an opinion. He said the whole thing can be fixed if I get 2, maybe 3 of my molars pulled. Yah no.

I figure, if I had walked in with my untreated teeth this way, there would have to be a fix, other than pulling teeth, eh? I figure I am willing to be braced again, to get good visuals, and good function.

Anyone know how I can make my case for retreatment, and not dental extractions, because I am completely phobic of the dentist anyway (he didn't realize that until I told him, been going to him for years); and I am completely phobic of having extractions. No no and no.

I am so depressed. I hold my mouth "funny" now, because I'm afraid I'll hurt my teeth! I mean, they don't meet correctly back there, it is just weird, they actually feel "jacked up" as sitting with a jack under a car bumper would feel. They don't MEET. They used to meet/mesh perfectly, one of the orthodontists I interviewed, but didn't choose, told me that.

I get the feeling somehow the orthodontist or dentist are going to blame ME because I have a missing tooth back there -- the one that needs a bridge -- but hey that was obvious when I walked in there 2+ years ago!

Any advice from anyone. I'm so sad about my teeth.

Real

[sirwired]

You are really just going to have to talk to some orthodontists and see what they can offer; nobody here can really tell you for sure what needs to be done to fix your bite.

I guess I'd be really thinking seriously about sending out "feelers" for malpractice by your original ortho. Off-hand, I cannot imagine how your treatment could be considered complete and correct if your bite is totally off just a few months after the braces come off. (Did your bite mesh on de-bracing day?)

[Realizingadream]

My teeth fit well, meshed, in back prior to bracing; but after bracing, they've been a mismatched lot the whole time. I walk around slack jawed with my mouth a bit open, so's not to be putting pressure on those emperiled teeth in back. Ever since the braces came off, my bite has been wrong. I am so sad.
Real

[Realizingadream]

My dentist has made 2 models of my teeth, uppers and lowers, they are 3-D out of plaster or something.

My dentist plans to do pretend surgery on the models. He's going to shave down the back teeth that are now too high--on the clay. Evidently the teeth are too high/too tall, because they used to be lazy slackers and kind of down sideways. Plus I had crowns on some of those teeth. I think the crowns were necessary because of dental problems because I could never get the teeth clean, the way they were tipped over. Well, now that they are in proper position, all nice and upright, and they are all different heights--making the problem!

It isn't technically an orthodontic problem. The orthodontist did his job, and did it well, according to the x-rays. Perhaps he should have noticed what was happening--but I'm not sure he could have done anything different. I told the dentist to brace me again, and sink those roots down lower! Well, he doesn't want them poking out of the bottom of my jaw....although it might make for an interesting look. Evidently, the orthodontic work is completed, and no more of that is needed.

I told the dentist about my fear of extractions. He is willing to do his pretend surgery on the model or models, and see what work the best for this case. He might even try a couple of extractions, not on me, on the plaster! and see if it makes any difference. Extractions might even be a bad idea, but he states that the models will sort it out just fine and without making me cry.

Prior to this vist with my dentist, a few weeks ago, I had snuck off to visit a second orthodontist and get his opinion, which he shared with my dentist as I had asked him to. The funny thing is, this second orthodontist had mentioned extractions (ooh, that word, ugh) to me at my visit. In his note to my dentist, he said something funny about my negative reaction to the idea. But I hadn't stated very much to him, the second orthodontist, at all, at least not in words, about how afraid I am of dentistry in general and extractions in particular. It sounds like from his note to my dentist, that he is an observant, good reader of people, and noticed in the visit that I had about sucked all the light and air out of the room and became very panicky when he brought up, "extractions." Mind you, I thought I was being as cool as a cucumber, holding myself in check, although I was, and am, horrified at the thought of extractions. In his note to my dentist, this second orthodontist asked the dentist to see if there was any way at all to avoid extractions, at all costs, at least for this particular patient--ME! Wow, what an awesome orthodontist. I wish I had used him instead of the one I did use, who really didn't talk to me, as a patient, hardly at all.

Cuz yah, extractions, no way.

Oh well.

Real