Ortho filed teeth without permission?!

[tokki89]

I had an adjustment the other day and to add to the list of things that annoy me more about my ortho, the other day really set me off.

He removed 3 brackets to reposition them - which he has done consistently for the past few months.. which is okay but this time, he didn't even warn me and maybe it's just me, but it is really painful when he takes them off on certain teeth - so a little heads up would've been nice. Then he was sanding off the glue so he could put on new ones and of course I can't really see what he's doing and I noticed he was filing down my canines!!! Logically, you would think I would stop him but it didn't really settle in my mind (plus I was trusting enough to think he knew what he was doing) and when I touched it with my tongue, it was rough so I knew he really did. I asked him to make it smooth (seriously......what kind of ortho just leaves his patient's teeth feeling rough like sandpaper?), but I should've asked him WHY he did it without my permission. At the time, I thought he was allowed to do it since he should know what he's doing but then I got really paranoid ..

I have a consultation for another ortho on Tuesday (for different reasons - mainly because my ortho right now is 2.5 hours from me since I moved away), but now I am SO happy to switch. My canines were pointy and I guess "fang" like and now they are rounded out, but I liked them and I don't think he should've touched them especially since my treatment is still in progress. And because I got so paranoid today, it looks like one canine is shorter than the other...

Has this ever happened to anyone else?? Are orthos allowed to just file/smooth teeth out without permission??

[GillyWeed]

Hey,

I don't know the protocol for filing teeth but I think he DEFINITELY should have asked you. My dentist did the same thing to my upper left canine when I was about 10. At the time I thought nothing of it but these days I really wish it was still pointy, I quite like the 'vamp' look. I guess there's not much you can do about it now, but I definitely think he should have asked you because I don't see how having left them the way they were would negatively affect your treatment.

Best of luck with the consult!

[OldBikerBag]

I think a lot of orthos just assume everybody wants that perfect set of teeth. I had a chipped tooth...between my buck tooth and my canine on the left side....not a huge chip, just the corner barely off. My ortho smoothed it out and blended it so it is not at all noticeable anymore. He didn't ask whether I wanted it done, just did it as a matter of course. Now, I don't mind it was done. I'm not going to get bent out of shape over it.

But if there is a specific look you want, like and were born with, such as pointy canines (which look hawt, if you ask me) then it's something that should be discussed ahead of time. I have a friend who is getting ready to get braces to correct his underbite. He has specifically and adamantly told his ortho to leave his "fangs" alone. He has some rather prominent canines on both top and bottom.

I told my ortho that under no circumstances would I consider extraction. And only after seeing where we end up during treatment would I consider "sanding" the teeth. I can live with a little remnant overbite. I cannot live with the idea my teeth have been compromised in the interest of cosmetics alone.

[CoryDaniels]

Im with you dude, I like for people's teeth to have some personality, not all straight and perfect. I like the shape of my canines, but I just want them to come down a bit...I also like the shape of my lower canines as well, but one of them has a small chip at the top, so will probably have to be rounded off...

I would def say something, but to be honest, its not gonna do any good, unless he builds the teeth back up.

[Mylene]

Grinding down teeth weakens them - professionals seem to do it all the time, but they shouldn't. Just to be safe, I warned my ortho from the very first appointment that I don't approve of that practice and I don't want him grinding down my teeth. I'm glad I said it, too, because later he made a couple comments about how he would normally do it, but he understands I'm very sensitive to that... "very sensitive" meaning, I want to keep my teeth the way they are and not lose enamel and weaken them!

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

I had to ASK mine to. But she only did it a little bit and there's a lot of chip left and I want it to be gone by June when I get these puppies off.

[kennybania]

Sounds like you should get a new orthodontist that knows how to communicate with his patients.