I feel like I've been had.

[Elspeth]

Hey all

I'm feeling really upset right now. I've had braces (for the second time) for 1.5 years. Before that I had them for 3 years in high school. Back then, they wanted to operate on my jaw because I had an underbite and crossbite but my 'rents took me to another ortho who "fixed" it with braces. But not quite. I had to get braces a second time, which are going great and all, my ortho said I may get them off in 6 weeks, except...

I noticed just the other day that my top front teeth are flared. I'd never considered this before. I have, what to me, is a "strange" bottom jaw... its very defined and I have a strong chin (for a girl) and to me its always looked like its too far forward. But since my teeth have been straightened and stuff, I thought, I've just got a Keira Knightley-esque look going on and that's okay.

But I asked on the other forum what flared teeth means, and the reply was that its the compromise treatment. So basically, I technically still have an underbite only my front teeth have been flared to disguise it...

And I feel so devastated, because my treatment was to GET RID OF any underbite or jaw issues. When I first saw this ortho I told him I wasn't comfortable with my jaw but he said there was nothing wrong with it. I saw a maxillofacial surgeon and he said my chin was too big, so I had a genioplasty to make it smaller, but he didn't say anything about an underbite (even a hidden one).

I wanted perfect teeth, perfect jaws. Not a compromise. For years... for years I've been so insecure about this and now its just like my nightmare has come true, I really do have an underbite, its just hidden. I thought it had been fixed somehow, but its just been "fixed". If my ortho pushed my front teeth down so they didn't flare, I'd have an underbite. I can't believe it... its just... arghh!!

I don't know what to do. My ortho is a very nice man so I feel terrible saying now "um hey, you haven't given me the treatment I wanted!". I'm going overseas in 5 months, I already got my parents to help me pay for the genioplasty, I'm crying because I feel like all my years and money have been wasted on "compromise" when I wanted a real solution.

Help.

[theKurp]

While it's perfectly understandable to be upset, you should be careful in how you place the blame.

Why is it you know now what you didn't know before?

Whereas ignorance might be forgiven in the age before there was ready access to information, in today's world it is easy to arm yourself with information - enough information to know what questions to ask.

Had you had multiple consultations before embarking on your latest treatment it's very likely that you would have learned that the treatment you were given was a compromise of sorts.

Had you spent time on the Internet researching the particular options for your specific problems you would have learned of the various methods of treatment.

I'm sorry if this comes off as harsh. We all make mistakes. There is nothing to be gained by blaming others for our mistakes. Progress and personal growth come from learning from our mistakes, and gaining enough wisdom to avoid repeating them.

On the positive side, you are better off with a compromise treatment than had you done nothing at all. Also on the bright side, nothing that has been done prevents you from seeking more treatment in the future that better fits with your expectations.

[bb]

omg. That's awful alright.
As a child my ortho flared my teeth (with a retainer) to "fix" my underbite.

But I am sure your situation can be rectified. Go and get a few ortho consults AND oral surgeon consults.
Take this step before you do any further worrying. Then at least you'll have information to really think on.

I don't see why you can't have your teeth straightened, underbite surgically fixed and chin restored if needed (aside from money).

It really can't hurt at this point to look into things and it might help ease your mind.

[maloccluser]

hi elspeth.

i'll come at this from another angle.

it's _really_ easy to become obsessed about something you don't like in your appearance. you see something in the mirror that doesn't look right and you fixate on that one thing... even though maybe .01% of the world would ever notice and think negatively about that one thing.

now, obviously i haven't seen pics of you or anything... but... i bet no one else would really notice that your teeth were flared and i bet they look fine. _you_ know it's a compromise of sorts and so that's all you're thinking about.

it's extremely hard to get that out of your head, i realize, but think really hard about whether it's really that important. i totally hear you that you've gone through all this treatment and you feel like at the end of it all everything should be 'perfect'... but i'm sure you look great.

not sure if this helps or not.

[Elspeth]

Had you had multiple consultations before embarking on your latest treatment it's very likely that you would have learned that the treatment you were given was a compromise of sorts.

Had you spent time on the Internet researching the particular options for your specific problems you would have learned of the various methods of treatment.

I did all of these things - for years - before I went to my orthodontist, except getting multiple consultations. Thing is, I first saw an ortho when I was 14 (they wanted to operate) another one at 14 (he gave me braces and flared my teeth) and another at 19 (he said yes, I can straighten your teeth, and gave me braces). When I was 14 the decision was not mine but my parents. At 19 when talking to my ortho I made clear I was worried about my jaw structure but he said there was nothing to worry about.

I was always under the impression I had HAD an underbite but it had been fixed, but no one ever explained how that happened and I guess, naively, trusted that without questioning. It was only when I noticed how my teeth flared the other day that it occured to me, hang on, what's this?

I am angry at a lot of things but not enough to unfairly blame everyone else. I am very angry with myself for being too timid and shy to properly question what has been done, a problem that affects not only this but other aspects of my life as well.

As for getting it fixed now, it may be possible, but my parents are "over it" so to speak and I can't really talk to them about how important this is to me - or ask them to pay. I think I can live with the results that I have now, but, I'm pretty sure I'm going to carry the insecurity with me for a long time.

Sorry to rant, I don't mean to come across as whining or ungrateful - I'm just really hurt because this has been such a large part of my life and I thought I was being 100% corrected, to know now that's not the case when I was hoping I could put all this behind me by my 22nd birthday (next year) just cuts a bit.

[BracketRacket]

But I asked on the other forum what flared teeth means, and the reply was that its the compromise treatment. So basically, I technically still have an underbite only my front teeth have been flared to disguise it...

Elspeth -- have you talked to your ortho about the flared teeth? Usually people here are spot on in their advice -- but you are taking it for gospel, IMO. It's possible your ortho still has plans for your teeth. It's at least worth speaking to him and knowing fully exactly what's going on before aggrevating yourself over it or making other plans.

[kahootz]

Elspeth,

Please don't blame yourself. We go to these doctors expecting they are going to do the right thing. I have constantly felt like a complainer with my orthodontist and I've hated feeling like the "bad guy." Just don't give up. Definitely confront your orthodontist and ask direct questions. Also, get other opinions. You'll find a way to get this all resolved, but don't settle for what you don't want. Good luck!

[ajacobs]

I don't kow if this is going to help you or not, but, here is what my ortho told me:

I have an overbite and my ortho told me that, as an adult, there was no way to fix it without surgery, though it could be masked without surgery.

As a teenager, your jaw bones are still growing, and so an overbite can be corrected with the rubberbands you see teenagers wearing in the corners of their mouths. As an adult, your jaw bones are done growing, so they cannot be fixed the same way.

He told me that if I did not want the surgery that he could move my teeth to straighten them and mask my overbite, but if I wanted to actually correct the overbite I would require surgery to actually move my lower jaw forward.

Hope this helps you. He flared your teeth because he couldn't move your jaw bones without surgery.