Drs Randal and J - need a 2nd opinion @ getting 2nd opinion

Message

#1 Post by **Icesk8er** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 9:28 pm

Drs Randall and J,

It's me, that pesky girl who's been wearing invisalign for forever once again with another pressing question. Today, at my scheduled visit with my ortho, he dropped the bomb on me that he thinks that if we switch to regular braces, I can be done with treatment in 4-5 months (rather than the 11 months I have left to go with Invisalign). Well, this seems like a heck of a deal to me, especially since I think I'd be in for another revision anyway and that 11 months in Invisalign would turn into another 15.

Problem is this: I don't have a whole lot of faith in my ortho anymore. This whole time he's been adamant that 1) Invisalign will fix my problem and 2) that it will fix it faster. Now all of a sudden we have this sea change in attitude. Also, I didn't think ANY orthodontic trouble could be fixed in as little as 4 months, particularly mine. Granted, some of the heavy lifting has been done by 2 years in Invisalign, but I still have an overjet, a midline that is pretty off, and teeth that need to be extruded.

Should I seek out a second opinion or do you think that his latest assessment could possibly be right? Here's a link to pictures so you can get an idea of my tooth situation. The invisalign screen shots are befores, the other five pictures are where I stand as of today.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/hallo_mar ... .dir=/152a

Thanks in advance for your advice!!

Mary

#2 Post by **dr.j** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 6:34 pm

Mary,

your teeth look straight but your bite looks really far off. This may take many months in braces and still may not get right w/o extractions or more. 4-5 months in braces seems unrealistic. It depends on his and your goals. An ideal result may not be achievable in 12-18 months of braces unless something is done to resolve your asymmtery and your width imbalance of your jaws: not so easy in adult patients.

dr.j

#3 Post by **Icesk8er** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:11 pm

Thanks for the quick response Dr. J. One additional question: What kinds of things would one do to correct asymmetry and width imbalance? In any event, it sounds to me like a second opinion is in order at this point, rather than jumping from the frying pan into the fire...

#4 Post by **Icesk8er** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:24 pm

Thanks for the quick response Dr. J. One additional question: What kinds of things would one do to correct asymmetry and width imbalance? In any event, it sounds to me like a second opinion is in order at this point, rather than jumping from the frying pan into the fire...

#5 Post by **dr.j** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 7:29 am

On thw whole if you have a "skeletal" width imbalance termed a maxillary transverse deficiency (upper jaw too narrow) in adulthood, that is only effectively eliminated with a jaw surgery. Your midline asymmetry could require extractions. Go get a second opinion.

dr.j

#6 Post by **Icesk8er** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:04 pm

Eeek. Ok, surgery is just out of the question as far as I'm concerned, but I think you're right about the second opinion. Thanks again!