Few Thoughts and Questions...

Message

#1 Post by **GeenBug** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:26 pm

Did the Orthodonist put in your braces? Or were they done by a dental hygienist or an assistant? I just got my braces today and they were done by a dental hygienist. I brought it up to hygienist who told me the other hygienist was on her way to do it and she said yea, the other dh would do it. She did do a good job, was very nice and everything, but I'm wondering if this's now the norm? Most of the other patients were being looked after by dental hygienists or other people aside from the Orthos, it seemed. The Ortho just came when she was done, checked my teeth for a few seconds and left. What exactly do the Orthos do then??...especially with regards to the patient? Did the Ortho out your braces?...especially on the first day?

My mouth protrudes forward a lot and I don't like it much. I know it's because of the braces. It has always protruded a little because of my teeth and I was hoping it's one of the things braces would change and it would bring it in a bit more. I know extractions would definitely pull it back, but they aren't a good option for me. Now with the braces, my mouth area's (and by that, I mean my lips, upper and lower lip area) even more forward. I guess as long as I've these braces, it always will, but idk... Will it be like this for two years...Or will it go back but will it go back or go back in a little as my teeth start to move?

How did braces change your face? I've seen youtube videos of people with mouth areas that protrude a bit like mine (before getting braces) and after their braces are off, there's a big change in their face and the mouth protrusion's no longer there, making them look much better. I was wondering if anyone else experienced this? Or what kind of changes did you notice with your face after taking the braces off? Or while in it?

#2 Post by **jackjack** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:37 pm

Hi Geenbug. My braces were put on by an assistant and double checked by the ortho. During adjustments the ortho checks on treatment and the assistant does the adjustment according to what he writes in my chart. The ortho basically moniters your treatment and makes sure everything is going as planned. When I first got my braces put on my mouth was huge. It has gone down, but because I got extractions. Why are extractions not an option for you?

#3 Post by **hal2me** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 6:23 am

Hi Greenbug,

The assistant put on my braces, but the orthodontist supervised the whole time. He does my adjustments and answers my questions, while the assistant finishes "tying" my ligs up and writes notes in my file. He is always there supervising.

My face change by becoming thinner. My cheekbones are more noticeable now than before. Also, my lips do not stick out as much because I no longer have "buck teeth".

Best of luck to you!

#4 Post by **peach** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 6:44 am

Hi geenbug. Congrats on getting braced! One of the ortho assistance also placed my brackets on. Well she put on the upper brackets but called in the ortho to do the lowers because she didn't know how to place them since I have a deep bite. So the ortho placed the remaining ones on. Usually, what will happen when I go for adjustments is the assistant will meet with me first and take out my old ligs then call for the ortho. The ortho will check my progress and tell the assistant what needs to be done. Then the assistant finishes up. However, there's times where the ortho will do much of the work because it's something only she can do like putting certain bends in my wire. I think this is pretty common practice.

#5 Post by **alimommy1** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:14 am

Hi Geenbug

I may be the only one so far who actually had the ortho put on the braces. However, at most of my adjustment appts, usually the assistants did the work and the ortho just came around to check things out. Sometimes he would change something after he looked, other times he would just do a check and send me on my way. He always saw me though. I remember one time he had some visiting orthos in his office and THAT was a little odd because he was using me to 'teach' them something lol. 15 min appt stretched into 45 for them all to come over and see what he did and 're-do' it.

I think the orthos basically decide how your case is going to go and then oversees it to make sure things are going along the path they expect/want. The assistants tend to do the grunt work but they make sure things are the way your treatment plan calls for. They also decide what refinements or differences to make if you aren't progressing the way they want, etc.

I didn't really have protrusive teeth, I had a lot of crowding which probably made my lips stick out more than they would lol. I had extractions though, and from looking at pictures, my face probably is thinner. I'm happy with that though because when I look at past photos my face almost looks puffy. I've never liked my profile, but I'm not really convinced that has anything to do with my teeth.

#6 Post by **sapphirerose924** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:18 am

The ortho put my brackets on, but the assistants do most of the lig and wire changes with ortho supervision.

#7 Post by **ashesgap** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:58 am

My ortho put on my brackets, and i've also seen him putting on other peoples brackets during my adjustments. And then at the adjustments the ortho sits with me for about ten minutes, sees how i'm doing and if i'm having any issues. Then he checks my bite, and this stupid tooth that won't turn and he tells the assistant what he wants done. Then she does everything else. I call my ortho the Evil Genius and his assistants Minions.

#8 Post by **Jen8626** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:04 am

My ortho does everything, assistant just passes things to him!

#9 Post by **spinme** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:54 am

My ortho does everything too. The assistant just passes him the wires etc.

#10 Post by **hj55** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:07 pm

Yes, my ortho does everything, he also took the impressions for my bonded retainers at my last adjustment.

#11 Post by **fosterp** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 12:29 pm

My ortho did the bonding of brackets to my teeth, and then assistant puts in wire. At my adjustments, the assistant begins taking out wire, ortho comes over to the chair, chats with me a bit, starts poking around, says some ortho jargon to the assistant taking notes, then heads off, and the assistant put in new wire and sent me on my way.

Stupid though that my last adjustment the assistant didnt even get the wire inside one of my brackets and when I went into my car and was checkin em out I was like "wtf that ones not even in" and had to go back inside and have them fix it. How much do you need to not be paying attention to miss that? Cause I saw it immediately.

#12 Post by **alimommy1** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 8:43 pm

Dr. Evil and the minions... hehe... that's pretty funny

#13 Post by **Vulcan** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 10:56 pm

The assistants have done everything at the office I go to. The only thing the ortho has done is bend a wire with a plier, and check things out, nothing more.

#14 Post by **catgyrl** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 9:42 am

My assistant does about 85% of the work, and in between she'll call out "Check!" for the ortho to come over and check what she's done. He did have a hand (or TWO) in putting in my spacers and molar bands because the assistant wasn't strong enough to get them in.

At my last adjustment, I had to have one elastic band put in to close up a gap, so she changed my wires and he came over and attached a hook and the elastic.

#15 Post by **llehsal** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 12:18 pm

My ortho did not put in my braces. He twisted and poked the brackets and the assistant did everything else. The same was done when I went to complete the braces. I have my first adjustment soon and I assume the same would be done. I assume he comes and decides which way what goes and gives the instructions and the assistants do the rest. I think its pretty normal.