Day one with braces... some question {Pics inside}

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#1 Post by **migueljs16** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 2:58 pm

I just got my braces on today... I have the 6 month Power Braces
I'm 20 and I just did not wanted to have 3 years as the other dentist told me it would take.

the dentist is a nice guy, I've talk to him and he looks pretty professional, I mean the office has 6 dentist assitant and so many people want to see him so I imagine he must be pretty good to have those many patients the 5 times I have visted... then again is in mid town manhattan lol

anyway when I got my braces the assistant did everything and the dentist checked it and ask me if I had any question. I could not think of anything at the time.
But now I'm like: wait the assistant did everything? wtf... is that common? I mean she DID EVERYTHING from start to finish... I'm going to see the dentist 6 weeks from now and if I wanted to call him and ask him question id 20 dollars for a 5 minute call where I can ask him everything I want in that time period,

anyway is that common? the assistant doing everything?
I have misalign teeth and my teeth in the back (top ones) are inside the bottom instead of the other way oround so I got these 4 rubberbands that go in to try to push my upper teeth to their natural way.

my teeth prior to braces
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/m ... ure020.jpg

teeth now
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/m ... ure031.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/m ... ure032.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/m ... ure030.jpg

my bottom and top teeth (or jaw) are misalign... will the braces fiz that? somoene told me the rubberbands will do the job.
I hope I don't need a jaw surgery a friend of mine told me I might.. the dentist did not though, I did not ask anyone with a diploma that particular question.
does it look like I need one?
the other dentist told me it would take 3 years while the 6 month braces doc told me it would take 8 months? can it be done? I mean my bro has braces and I really see no differences in our braces besides the brakets.

thanks for your time and post if I get any.

#2 Post by **platinum** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 3:45 pm

I have misalign teeth and my teeth in the back (top ones) are inside the bottom instead of the other way oround so I got these 4 rubberbands that go in to try to push my upper teeth to their natural way.

I had that problem fixed when i was a kid with rubber bands. My teeth moved really fast to their right places.

YouTube · #3 Post by **retainerjoe** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 3:53 pm

i had them the opposite of your elastics from inside bottom to upper outside 4 elastics total 1/8 inch 6 oz they pulled them into place , was a bit sore at times but it works

#4 Post by **SnowSara** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:15 pm

The assistants did almost everything for my braces, under the eye of my ortho. The only things the ortho did himself was prepare a special wire with bends in just the right places and fitted my retainer. And of course, he did all the behind-the-scenes work of bracket placement and planning.

Otherwise the assistants put my braces on, did all the routine adjustments, and took my braces off. The ortho would visit with me and check their work at the end of every appointment. I was absolutely thrilled with my treatment and trusted both my ortho and his wonderful assistants.

I hope the same is true for you, but yes, this seems totally normal to me!

Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:16 pm

8 months sounds like a pretty optimistic estimate. Looks like a lot of work to have complete in 8 months to me...but I'm certainly no expert.

#6 Post by **SnowSara** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:20 pm

Wait a sec, do you really get charged $20 for a 5 min call??? Wow that's a new one, they must be overwhelmed with phone calls or something to have to do that.

#7 Post by **migueljs16** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:24 pm

Way Too Old For This wrote:8 months sounds like a pretty optimistic estimate. Looks like a lot of work to have complete in 8 months to me...but I'm certainly no expert.

yeah thats why I payed more for the power 6 month braces instead of the regular ones... they claim to be faster..
I hope they are right and able to do it in 8 months

#8 Post by **migueljs16** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:55 am

Meryaten wrote:First up, in the USA, yes it is common for the assistants to do the bulk of the hands-on work, with the orthodontist (or, in your case, dentist) overseeing the work. I should hope that when and if it comes to more specialist tasks such as detail bends (as SnowSara mentioned) your doc will attend to those himself.

With regard to your timeframe, am I right in thinking that perhaps it is actually the PowerProx system you are having? These are just normal braces, and the difference in timeframes is because in PowerProx the focus is really on the aesthetics of the anterior (front) teeth. Whilst there will be some work done on the bite, they do not generally attempt to go for complete clinical correction (or as near as is possible) and hence the timeframe is much shorter.

Great pic of your crossbite elastics, btw!

$20 for a 5 minute phone call? Good grief! I've not heard of an arrangement like that before!

wait the braces are the same? the braket look diferent... so why I payed more for a shorter time pair of braces? should it not cost less if they are the same as regular braces?

#9 Post by **Pixel Witch** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:12 am

Yes, my assistants also do most of the work, under the eye of the ortho unless it's just a lig change or wire-tie change.

One of the assistants, who is very experienced, also will do the intricate archwire bends when it is very busy, but won't install without the ortho's approval. None of the other assistants do it.

My entire installation was done by assistants as well - when my brackets were placed, the ortho came by and moved them all where he wanted them and then they were fixed with the uv light.

My appointments usually go like this:

Assistant takes a look at my chart and my teeth and gets things ready.

Ortho comes by and looks at my teeth and makes decision.

Assistant does what he says.

Ortho comes back afterwards to check and give the ok.

The ortho handles my expander himself though, and when my appointments are more complicated or we're doing something with my baby tooth, he handles that himself as well. He won't let anyone handle my baby tooth except for him aside from lig changes.

He also takes time to chat and discuss on each appointment on his second pass through to check and make sure I'm ok to go.