Is it rude to question an orthdontist

[ajs604]

Hi I am under going orthdontics without surgery to correct an open bite. I have been following various blogs online regarding people who are undergoing treatment to correct an open bite no surgically as I believe the surgery barbaric.

My treatment is going a long steadily and I already have had a degree of good closure and am only 6 months into treatment (still poentially 2 years to go). There are also varying methods of closing an open bite no surgically including TAD's, elastics and braces. My method of treatment involes all three.I am currently following a person who has a worse open bite than mine and they have had it almost closed after 6 months of treatmemt. There treatment will be signifcantly longer than this as they also have other issues to fix but to me that seems amazing. I have emailed my orthdontist this blog and asked her to look at it. I have also stated that I do not undermine her clinical abilities I just want more answers. However, every time I try and question her or take journal articles in to discuss my open bite she blows me off and basically states I do not know what I am talking about. I realise I have no orthdontic treatment but I feel that I deserve more answers and reasons why my treatment is being done in a certain method. Everytime I go for my check up adjustments she has me in the chair before I can ask many questions. It makes me a bit angry as, as a patient I have the right to ask these questions. I also feel the assistance there offer me very little respect. I should add that I am also a health professional (oustide of dentistry) so question and reasoning is second nature to me. I also feel that I understand the nature of my condition quite well as I have had it all my live.

Does anyone think I am wrong to question my treatment in the most politest way?

[mmkay]

Getting you in and out quickly is not unusual I think. An orthodontist's time is expensive.

Sometimes it can be difficult to get the tone of questioning right, and once a relationship is damaged by that it makes getting the tone right even more difficult.

You can go to a number of practitioners and get a different opinion from each one. So in terms of the research mainly I'd be making sure that whatever approach (namely the specific TADs) she is using is a commonly accepted one with positive results for people with the same size open bite as you. That's different to looking and seeing that others are getting great results with different approaches and trying to judge what is best. For example my orthodontist is going to be using miniplates - they are not the only technique, but I know they work from my research (and his before/after pics). Suggesting he use palatal TADs, for example, because I think they are better for reason X would be a pointless exercise. However if miniplates did not have positive results, then I could whinge.

As I recall you had difficulty finding an orthodontist who would not use a surgical approach on you, and the one you selected was honest in stating she was trying something new to her. In your shoes I would be concerned too.

[Anna5]

Hello Andy,

I don't think it is rude to question your ortho. These are your teeth and your concerns and you have the right to know why your treatment is doing in a certain way.
I have the same, I also have many questions and concerns and feel my ortho doesn't take the time and effort to give a good answer during my (short) adjustments. So I keep worried.
But there must be a solution? Therefore I rang my ortho a few days ago and I have asked to book me in for a consult to talk about my treatment, my progress, what progress I can and cannot expect etc. I told my ortho that he may of course let me pay for all the time he is busy answering my questions, but I would love to have such a consult just to give me peace of mind. So on the 10th of December I will be going to the ortho, not for an adjustment, but just to talk and ask questions. Maybe you can propose the same to your ortho, Andy?

Anna

PS I think you are making very good progress!

[djspeece]

You are certainly within your rights to ask questions. She may not have reacted well to receiving a blog about treatment, perhaps felt a bit defensive. I don't know what you do in healthcare, but I am an RN and have seen patients get off on the wrong foot by asking questions that could be perceived as a threat. I have friends who ask me about a variety of things they read on the internet and I cringe sometimes at what they read, and of course because it's on the internet it must be true. You might want to prioritize your questions a bit, and include a time limit, i.e., "Dr. Ortho, before we begin could I have two minutes just to seek your opinion on my progress and treatment plan?" and then stick to it. She might be able to answer your questions as she examines your mouth, and so forth.

[MrsCharisma]

I would say, to be direct about what you're relaying here.

I think oftentimes, especially in circumstances like this, for the ortho (or other professional), what they are doing is routine. For you, the patient, it is unique and individual and ...

I would make a list of questions and call and ask for your next appointment to include maybe 10 minutes (or whatever) for you to speak with the ortho one-on-one.

[lostinspace]

Absolutely not, I wish my would've questioned my ortho more, otherwise I wouldn't be getting a second round of braces.

[ajs604]

Hi, thank you all for your replies, I think yeserday I was just having a low day. I actually went in to see her yesterday as following my post on here a bracket broke so I was able to address some of my queries she had also infact recieved my email and she said I was making good progress, so I now feel that my mind is more at rest. I am back in two weeks to have a new device made for my upper pallet to continue my treatment so will continue to update on my progress. Thanks again this forum has proved invalubale and would be lost without it.

[Anna5]

That is great, Andy, that you were able to address some of your questions to your ortho and that you are having a bit more peace of mind now. I also think you are making very good progress, so I think you can trust your ortho that she is doing a great job on you!

[JohnsonSon]

It takes time dude, and if there's one thing I've learned throughout this process it's that everyone's treatment plan is different. Comparing any two is going to be a huge mistake.

[jenrocks4]

I think you are totally justified in asking questions and being an active participant in your treatment process. I have been asking questions each month about what my ortho is hoping to accomplish with the adjustments he makes, and express any other concerns I have about how my teeth are moving. Especially with such a complicated case as an open bite, knowing how things are going is really important. I have (now had!!) an open bite as well and it has closed almost completely with elastics. My front four upper and lower teeth aren't in occlusion yet, but I'm hopeful they will get better. I think you never know how your teeth are going to react to the treatment, so stay optimistic that you won't need surgery. Every ortho I saw, besides the one I choose, said I needed surgery. To be honest, if I was done today I would be happy, as I can eat 95% more efficiently than before braces. So, hang in there, and keep asking questions.

[ajs604]

Thanks guys!! I can already eat so much better. Its so strange having teeth touch which have not touched for as long as I can remember! I'm going back next week to have another mould for intrusion device made as this one is almost done!! I still have another 18 months -2 years treatment to go so its still very early. I remain positive and hopeful. Surgery isn't an option for me so will be happy with what I am left with either way!

[Anna5]

Hello Andy,

Just to say that I love your attitude, that you are so positieve and hopeful. That you are not searching for perfection, just for improvement and that you are happy with all the improvement you have already gotten.
It seems like you are making very great progress!

Anna

[KevalP]

I dont think its rude to question an orthodontist. After all you are paying and you are entitled to know the best way forwards, suggest and learn. You need to know exactly what the ortho is doing and you are allowed to know.