Unhappy with progress so far. Don't trust orthodontist.

[collegeperson]

Hey guys, decided to post here because it's becoming increasingly difficult to figure out what is going on and what to do.

So I'm 20 and in college, self supporting and live on my own. My teeth were pretty bad all my life and my parents didn't do anything to fix them nor do they help now, so I had to wait until I had saved up enough of my paychecks and school aid to go see a orthodontist and figure out how I can get braces and finally take care of my teeth. I got my braces put on in December 2014, and all the costs to date have been around $6500 out of pocket with no insurance.

From then until now, I have remained skeptical with the orthodontist, every appointment I see her, she always pushes jaw surgery, refers to any issue as being related to my bite, and looks displeased when I mention that 1. I can't afford it in any way shape or form 2. even if I could afford it, I can't take time off school or work to heal because I would go broke and don't have anyone to look after me in the mean time. I keep expressing to her that I only want orthodontics to keep my teeth straight and aligned, I don't want pre jaw surgery orthodontics and I would prefer her to honor my wishes and to treat me in that context.

Well, my teeth were beginning to look really really nice toward the end of summer 2015. The issue was a slight overbite that honestly did not bother me one bit nor did it even look that bad, as well as some crowding and crooked teeth, mainly my top canines were really high up. The braces had essentially fixed all of that up to that point, but obviously some minor tweaking would continually be needed until treatment was done just to make it all right. I guess something clicked in my orthodontists head because she suddenly asked, after I declined jaw surgery multiple times, that I could opt for the forsus device which could help with the overbite. After asking her questions about it and debating it, I decided I guess I'l give it a try. She said ok, and quoted me the extra cost it would add to my payment plan. I thought it was odd that she didn't offer this option when I first consulted with her, and that I had to pay even more now, but I foolishly thought she had my best interest in mind and went ahead with it. So for a few months until November 2015 ish, I had the forsus on and it had been a nightmare.

It 'fixed' my bite, only a little bit, but the changes it did in other regards is a nightmare. It's subtle, but the whole point of orthodontics is the subtle things no one else notices but us, and it is our teeth so shouldn't we care the most? My smile got narrower, the teeth are all slanted inwards now, my bottom lip covers all my bottom teeth and half of my top teeth, the teeth next to my canines barely show. My upper lip, instead of the muscles pulling horizontally in contour with the natural wide arch of the teeth, now pull upwards diagonally, showing more gum and because of the strain this puts on the muscle, my lip folds inside itself into a flat straight line because there is no tooth support to give it the pout it had before.

I expressed all this to my orthodontist, and at this point I could see she was in denial. She said she didn't notice anything wrong and said that maybe because I'm so young that my jaws are still growing, as well as other excuses like 'you're still in treatment, it gets worse before it gets better' obviously ignoring the improvements she herself had made before the forsus, that the forsus had suddenly ruined and turned into a mess. It's as if she didn't want to admit that maybe she didn't a good job with the forsus and so is shifting the blame elsewhere.

I tried calling another orthodontists office for a second opinion, this time referred by someone I know well who took their children to this orthodontist, and that in itself was already a nightmare when they first told me they don't do second opinions, then after persistence said they will do it but charge, then when I quoted their website that said consultations are free, they finally said they'll do it then but they need to know who my orthodontist is first, and I told them I'm not comfortable sharing that until I see them in person.

i still have about $1000 left to pay in my payment plan, and I was really really really hoping the braces would be off and finished at the latest this upcoming Fall. I don't know what else to do and I don't know who or what else to turn to. I feel like crying honestly and I really want to just put my foot down next time I see my ortho and tell her my concerns and I just want her to acknowledge that they are valid and do what I'm paying her to do, make my teeth look nice the way I KNOW they can be, instead of putting stress and pressure on me and making me feel bad for choosing not to get jaw surgery when we both know I don't have much of a choice anyway. I see a lot of kids with their parents in the office and it's funny because they're the least likely to say no to the tricks she pulls out of her hat, so I was even crazy enough to consider just breaking down and crying then and there in the office and making a scene. Maybe if those little kids see her make a grown man cry they and their parents no less will more too mortified to let her go near their teeth, maybe giving her a wake up call not to f**k around with my teeth any more.

Sorry for venting guys, I just REALLLLYYYY needed to say all this before I genuinely went crazy.

[djspeece]

Good that you are venting, that's quite a saga. First, congratulations on being self-supporting and finding your own way through what must be many challenges and obstacles. Do you recall the initial treatment plan and did you and the ortho seem to have a mutual understanding of the objectives? I get the sense that you think the ortho may have been stringing you along; what was the initial discussion around surgical options pre-bracing? And if there was a disconnect initially, did you seek any other opinions or did it seem like you two were singing from the same sheet of music? Did you specifically ask to have the forsus device removed?
I am a little concerned about why the second office would not give a second opinion; perhaps they have had some sort of legal issues in the past, getting drawn into a malpractice case or something. I think you are an excellent advocate for yourself, which is great, but just make sure you "hear" what they are saying, and not what you want to hear (of course I say this with the greatest of respect). I am hoping for a great outcome for you in any event and please keep us updated on your progress!

[buffon85]

don't mention to other orthos that you are questioning your ortho's work, tell them that you have moved and you are looking for an ortho in your new neighborhood.
when you visit the ortho you can mention what you want to get fixed and what are your concerns, without judging the other ortho's work directly, so that the new ortho gives you an honest opinion.
the doctors don't want clients that accuse other doctors, they know they are the next!

[metalliKa]

Can you post pictures pre braces, summer of 2015 when you thought your teeth were perfect, and after the forsus?

[ItsFreyja]

Good advice from everyone so far. I also want to commend you for doing this for yourself and standing up for yourself in what sounds like a truly difficult situation.

None of what I'm about to say excuses your provider's poor communication and badgering, but: It's important to understand the limitations of nonsurgical adult orthodontics. When there is a real skeletal discrepancy underlying one's crooked teeth -- which, oftentimes, only the orthodontist with the X-ray machine is in a position to opine upon -- there is only so much that can be done by moving the teeth. The word "camouflage" is used a lot in this context, as a primary goal of nonsurgical treatment may be to camouflage skeletal issues by moving teeth. (I am having this done myself, having opted against surgery.) If you and your provider were not on the same page about these issues at the beginning of your treatment, difficulties were bound to follow. I suspect that some of the things you don't like about your smile now represent your ortho's idea of the best compromise/camouflage treatment for you. To be sure, though, she should have been willing to take your opinions and preferences into account when deciding on this compromise approach.

That said, I think you should definitely pursue a second opinion. I can see how some providers might be wary of taking over another ortho's work, but if you're in an area with a university and families, there should be enough competition among orthos that you should be able to find someone to give you a free opinion. You've spent enough time and money on this now that it may be worth extra of both to get it right.

[JanieO]

After reading you heartrending post and the advice of other members I'd like to make one other suggestion; that is, if you can’t seem to get peace of mind after trying other avenues, you consider paying for a consultation with a prosthodontist. Many people think that prosthodontists are used by people who need dentures and, while that’s true, they are also the dental specialists who are best trained to diagnose jaw or joint problems and to see the face/mouth/teeth in their totality. In your case, it seems as if you could use confirmation of your suspicion that things have gone awry because of the forsus device. It would also be nice to know whether your orthodontist is, in fact, doing her best to “camouflage” skeletal issues, as the last poster suggested, and, if so, whether this is a good idea. A thorough consultation with a prosthodontist in my neck of the woods – Central Pennsylvania – would run you around $150. All best to you.