Most of the time, orthodontic treatment goes smoothly. However, just like any medical treatment, the outcome in orthodontics is a combination of the patient, the dentist or orthodontist, and the methodology used to get from point A to point B. 

Orthodontic treatment can "go wrong" for several reasons. For example: 

• The treatment is being done by a dentist who does not have adequate orthodontic training for a complex case

• The patient does not precisely follow instructions

• The orthodontist's staff misunderstands his/her instructions

• The gray area of "unforseen circumstances" 

Some adults had braces as kids or teens, and then things shifted and they're back in braces again years later. Blame Mother Nature (and usually the Wisdom Teeth) for that.  Some adults didn't wear their retainers when they were younger, and that caused their teeth to shift - c'est la vie. And some adults have such complicated problems that they need jaw surgery and several stages of treatment to correct their bite and straighten their teeth over many years.

These pages explore the "tales of woe" that some orthodontic patients experience. They are not meant to place blame, but merely to share information. 

We are no longer accepting new stories for this page, but if you want to share your story, post it to Metal Mouth Message Board's "Our Braces Stories" Forum. There, you can add photos, and other readers will be able to interact with you and your story, too!