Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi all,

as some of you may know, some weeks ago, my (second) ortho offered me
2 options concerning how my treatment could be continued. There was taking
the braces off and let my bite settle by itself. Or there was the lower jaw surgery.

For those who do not know my case. Ortho1 started 30 months ago. Lined up
everything but completely ruined my bite. I got an open bite and an overjet.
My bite was a disaster. Ortho 2 tried for about 8 months to correct the overjet
and the open bite. He finally admitted it wasn't working at all.
Hence these 2 options he offered.

Before choosing, I tried to have a second opinion. My periodontist took me to
a big hospital where she works too to see the ortho there. The appointment
there was a complete useless effort. The ortho there really "sucked".
But I also tried to contact an ortho who teaches orthodontics at a very well known
university. I didn't get an answer.
So, I finally made the decision to have the lower surgery. I would have a BSSO
in the coming weeks. Probably in december.

But then this happened this week. I received a mail from that university ortho.
She was some weeks abroad and couldn't answer earlier. And I was able to see her
today ! Wow, did we have a very nice talk. And a long talk too. About all the issues
I had during the last 2 years, I was completely right. To be short, both orthos
did mess up completely. They both made error after error. It would even
be very unwise to have surgery now. She said my bite is now too bad to even
think about jaw surgery right now. I would need at least 6 months of more
treatment before the surgery could be done properly. And then we looked
each other in the eyes and asked ourselves, ok, but what do we do now.
I asked her to write down what she explained to me. With that I will go to my
ortho and tell I 'll leave. So indeed, I need to change yet another time !
This ain't easy. But I'll try to do it the professional way. Like a manager who
fires an employee. I don't like it, but I have to.

Then I will be able to start with my third ortho. It involves much more hassle,
as I 'll loose half a day per appointment. Will need to pay again a lot. But she
is able to correct a lot. Giving me a compromise bitewise or preparing for jaw
surgery later on.

So, now you know why complicated is getting complexer ...

Clo:
I'm so with you I don't have words. You been through ortho H---. I'm glad she was able to give you some sense of positve outcome.

Hope this finally works out well. Be really nice if she could take you on as a charity case. I'm having a hard enough time paying for one treatment but three! That's beyond me.

Mike

I guess I don't understan what happens when you "fire" or change orthos. I am commited to pay my ortho. If I want to change I would have to pay all of the money correct? Then I would have to commit to another ortho doing this all again. That could add up to exzubrent costs.

In your case it will be worth this change.

I would also somehow try to recoup some losses from the other two orthos proving in fact they messed up. They may have some real worries if you tell them you may go further with this. If you can recoup some of the losses it will help you pay for the future work ahead.

Clo, I feel so reassured that you are not going to be followed anymore by this second ortho of yours who made so many mistakes !

I think it would only be fair if he gave you at least part of your money back. After all, he has caused you a lot of time/energy/aggravation that he will never be able to compensate you for.

Here is to hoping you've finally met the right ortho

Clo, I'm so happy that finally you've been able to find somebody who knows what they are talking about, and can hopefully repair the damage that's been done.

Personally I would seriously consider taking some kind of legal advice about this second ortho who sounds more suited to butchery as a career. The professional body for dentists in Belgium ought to know about this so that he doesn't ruin anybody else's teeth by his bungling. You certainly ought to be able to at least get some of the money back, to help pay for yet another round of treatment.

Please let us know how it goes with the new ortho. I'm sending thoughts and warm wishes your way. You sound like such a nice and patient person and I'm so sorry this is happening to you (hugs)

Clo, sounds like you've hit on a winner this time!

You deserve so much better than you've gotten thus far.

Still cheering you on!!!

It sounds like you deserve a refund from those other orthodontists. They caused you bite problems, waisted so much of your time and caused you a lot of stress.
If you want a refund, I'd say your first step might be to explain your situation to the orthos- what you still need done and what they didn't fix and the problems they created, and say as politely as you can that you expect a full refund so you can pay for the needed treatment to fix the problems that they either didn't fix or they created. If they aren't decent enought to agree , then tell them that it'll be up to the courts to decide and see if they get back to you with a change of heart.

good luck

Hi,

thanks once more for all these nice words.
It was a long drive home yesterday after I saw this university ortho. I was
hardly home and there was already a long mail from her. She is really convinced
that I was very badly treated up to now. My open bite is very worrying. She
wrote it can be caused also because of my jaw joints. Orthodontic treatment,
which involved a headgear and all those elastics, may have ruined these joints.
She asked if I could send her pics of these joints. As I have the X-rays with
me, taken before I started, now 30 months ago, and new ones that were taken
some weeks ago. I took pics, mailed here these and she immediately showed
them to some professor specialised in this field. She mailed to me what he said.
And it ain't good either. There is most definitely wear of these joints. He thinks
lower jaw surgery would be a very bad idea right now. Even advises a splint
to give these joints some rest.
Anyway, the complete picture is getting so complex that it is now obvious that I
will need to "fire my present ortho". I'll try to do that as soon as possible and
then will try to start a new treatment at this university. BTW, it is indeed the
University of Leuven. I think I will soon be a famous patient there, as an example
of how orthodontics should NOT be done. I am very angry, but at the same time
relieved to know I was right all the way and I may have there a better treatment.

@Lisa65 : special thanks for the last words you wrote. They mean a lot to me !

@Meryaten : I was thinking exact the same thing. This new ortho said it was even
ridiculous to do this that way. She said a BSSO is a solution for me, but not as
some last option because all the rest fails. It is part of a detailed plan, and there
is need of a lot of work before one is ready to get the surgery. I get scared
if I think what would have happened if the BSSO was done now. If the surgeon
there is a good one, I hope he may have said he would refuse to do the surgery
now, because of a basis that is not good enough. But if he was only interested
in ... money, and did the surgery after all. My god, where would I be then ...
I realise it was not easy for you to try not to scare me and at the same
time knowing this is not right. I am so sorry I put you in this position. I am
trying to find the exact words ... but this is what I do : XXX, 3 kisses for being
here, my cyberfriend !

Here's hoping you are in good hands now, Clo. What will the new ortho do with regards to your ortho treatment before surgery? Are you having all the brackets removed and repositioned?

Those elastics do wreck havoc on your jaw joints as I can attest to it. Will you have to go back to lots of elastics?

@Chris : right now, I do not know what will and can be done by this new ortho.
When I will be able to stop going where I go now, and go to this new ortho, I will
have to wait about a month. Then a thorough examination will be done. Probably
also a MRI of my jaw joints to see exactly in what condition these are.
I will ask there to start all over again. The 2 orthos I had seem to have made
so many mistakes that I think a fresh start will give the best chances of success.
This new ortho said she would indeed change all upper brackets.
The ones she works with are bigger, less comfortable but have better torque
possibilities. And I need a lot of torque, about everywhere. Yes, I will need
elastics too, but only between teeth of the same arch, not elastics going from
one arch to the other.

But right now, I do not know much yet what will happen. The doc who saw
my pics of my jaw joints even advises upper jaw surgery. But I also need
lower jaw surgery to correct my overjet. I will ask a very good examination
to really know my options. Will be continued for sure ...

Fingers crossed, then. Hope this is the beginning of good things to come for you.

I know how frustrating it can be to be passed from one ortho to the next. I just hope that you get the result you were hoping for as well as a refund from ortho 2.

Clo, you are living a big saga with you treatment...
I wish and believe that in the end everything will turn out good for you and your health!

Kisses
Susana

Oh (((Clo)))!!
I logged on today to see how your saga was playing out.
At least it sounds like you are finally in some good hands!
Thinking of you and hope that you can get it all corrected!!!

I am still wearing braces...sigh. I don't know when the end is is in sight but I'm confident the day will come...hopefully!!!(going on 29 months at the end of November!!!)

Keep your head up and a smile on that braced face of yours!! It will all work out!!

[quote]I am still wearing braces...sigh. I don't know when the end is is in sight but I'm confident the day will come...hopefully!!!(going on 29 months at the end of November!!!)quote]

Jen...so glad I'm not the only one. I must admit, I get a bit jealous when I read of people in and out of braces within 18 months or less!