Lost faith in my daughter's ortho (Update)

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#31 Post by **jennielee81** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:10 pm

I had a message from my dentist on my machine when I got home. She actually called the ortho's office herself to coordinate appointments. She said I shouldn't have to go between them both to get something worked out so she's just going to handle the date and times so we can get this done in 1 day.

ALSO, she said when the ortho's office calls back, she's going to make sure they understand that the excess cement is completely unacceptable and lead to the formation of these cavities. That they need to clean up the rebonding of brackets better.

WOOHOO! I don't have to deal with that myself. BUT, I will seriously inspect things before we leave. I also will not take any excuses for leaving that flash on there.

#32 Post by **Koolmama** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:34 am

Hi Jennie, i'm just curious... can you remember if the bonding was done by the ortho himself or the assistant??

i recall reading somewhere also that having too much cement between the brackets and the teeth isn't good because it affects the torque of each tooth (i.e. the way it becomes positioned individually along the arch)...

#33 Post by **jennielee81** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:44 pm

The ortho did the bonding himself. In that office, he does all the work, the assistant hands him things and reminds him of stuff.

#34 Post by **jennielee81** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 2:05 pm

Got my daughter's fillings on her upper tooth today. Turns out the one on her left wasn't a cavity yet. The 3rd suspicious tooth was also not a cavity. The one cavity was only surface and was filled without novicane AND the bonding is flawless. She wasn't traumatized at all

But it cost me $130!

I am still annoyed because:
1. she won't be getting the brackets and wire back on for at least 3 weeks..can't seem to fit her in !

I don't believe that!!!

2. We asked why they had left so much cement on them (while pointing it out) and the ortho said that my daughter had complained that it was hurting so he quit. UH DUDE, you tell her it'll only take a few more seconds and to just hang on and FINISH THE JOB!

My dentist picked the flash from around all of her other brackets at the appointment today and told me to bring her back in after they rebond the brackets and she'll pick it off of those three as well.

#35 Post by **Betho** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 2:59 pm

Wowee I've been reading your story and I'm terribly sorry for all the trouble you've been through with your daughter's treatment. It sounds like things are starting to fall into place though. That ortho is nuts! That was a crummy bonding job and he knew it!

It's nice that your dentist is keeping tabs on things, though dishing out the dough for fillings is never pleasant, especially when they aren't your daughter's fault!

Hang in there!

#36 Post by **jennielee81** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:26 pm

Thanks for your support, Betho!!!!!

I do have to take some of the blame here though. I will NEVER put off her 6 month prophylactic appointments again. Or any of my kid's check ups.

My family dentist is the absolute best. I was at a Christmas party a few years ago with a few dozen ladies and we got around to talking about dentists and I said how I had the BEST dentist in Maryland and they argued that their dentists were better. There were 5 of us in this (friendly debate) defending our dentists as the best but a good 10 were involved in the discussion....turns out we all (the 5 of us) had the same dentist!!! none of the other 5 thought their dentist was worthy of that support.

I am a little worried because she (my dentist) and her hubby are a few years older than I am, so there is a good chance they will retire before I am finished needing their services. We had a good chat about this today at Cara's appointment.

My kids'll have to find their own fantastic dentist.

#37 Post by **jennielee81** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:43 pm

What a pathetic excuse.

You said it!

#38 Post by **ilovemacs** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 5:25 pm

Good Luck, with the end of this journey!

#39 Post by **Clo** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:11 am

Great it turned out to be not too bad. But the aftertaste is not great. What a crappy
excuse this was. Not removing the excess of glue because it hurt too much. I can't
believe an ortho can say such a thing. Why can't people just admit that they did a
bad job ?

#40 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:47 pm

How were they removing the excess flash to hurt her? I did not feel when they were cleaning off any excess, I didn't even realize the brackets were bonded on my teeth until they took out the smile makers and I couldn't get my lips over my teeth. Oh well, lesson learned for everyone right? Ortho learned that he needs to finish cleaning the flash. You need to keep up on the 6 month cleaning appointments regardless of how busy your schedule is. I guess for your daughter, to look out for her teeth the rest of her life after all this money going into them.

#41 Post by **jennielee81** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:20 pm

Miss Smiley wrote:...lesson learned for everyone right? Ortho learned that he needs to finish cleaning the flash. You need to keep up on the 6 month cleaning appointments regardless of how busy your schedule is. I guess for your daughter, to look out for her teeth the rest of her life after all this money going into them.

Very well stated!! I can look at that $130 as "tuition"....paid to The University of Life! We did learn those three things...unfortunately I paid ALL the tuition...the ortho didn't and neither did Cara.

I think that makes me the most likely to remember my lessons!!