SDFD TSchott Re-Brace Journey

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#1 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 6:35 pm

Welcome to Tim’s Orthodontic journey. It all started on Tuesday July 06th when he walked into his old orthodontic office from his first journey in treatment; just as he walked into the office he signed in on the computer system and waited to get called. While waiting, Tim pulled out his cell phone and started checking and responding to his work e-mail. Five minutes into the wait the assistant came out and called his name. So Tim got up and went into the room sat his gear down on a chair and sat in the exam chair waiting for the Orthodontist to come in.

Soon after the wait was over in the chair the Orthodontist comes walking in and says, “Hi there haven’t seen you in a while. What brings you in today?” “I’m a little concerned of the molars in the back not making contact, the twisting and turning of this molar back here and the spacing in the front of the mouth. I know I was prescribed life time in my retainers but they happen to get busted and lost about a year ago. I was also living in Texas with a friend of mine at the time so I didn’t go to an orthodontist to get a replacement retainer.” Tim says in a concerned tone of voice. “Alright let’s take a look here, open your mouth, close, open, close. Let’s see here we have mild crowding here and here, a mild open bite here, spacing here and there. You’re looking at full braces for six to eight months. Since this is going to be your second time in braces I will make a deal for you.” So the Orthodontist walks out of the room and into another room to calculate my cost for treatment; five minutes goes by and the financial manager comes in and says, “Hi there I haven’t seen you in a while, what brings you back here to our office?” Well it’s odd but whatever I respond back to her question, “I’m just slightly concerned of the way my bite is turning out and lost/broke my retainer about a year ago so I expected a case of re-lapse and was wondering what can be done about this.” “Oh alright well here is what the deal is, the doctor is looking at re-bracing you for six to eight months at a cost of $2,600” Says the finance manager.

Alright fast forward in time, two days goes by and I get a call from the finance manager and was told that my insurance will not cover a dime of my treatment and that the actual total including beginning records, braces, adjustments, final records and retainers will cost me $2,850 but still in a treatment time of six to eight months. I thought about it for a minute and told her that I will go get a second consult to see if they say the same thing. She replies back to me saying that is not a problem just give us a call if you would like to start treatment.

Moving along Wednesday July 14th I had a second consult with my now current dental office about 10 miles from my home. Had a scheduled appointment for both my general dentist for a cleaning/check-up and an appointment to seek the second opinion from the new orthodontist that was there in the same office. Appointment was at 10:00 for the Ortho appointment and 10:30 for the general dentist appointment check-up. After getting there at 09:45 and filling out the required paperwork I was then called into the back for x-rays for the general dentist. X-rays were done and I was then seated in the back office where they examined me for oral cancer and did the cleaning. After that was done they asked if I had any concerns and or questions and I replied back, “No not at this time I do know that I had an orthodontic evaluation at 10:00 so I was just wondering if I was still going to see the Ortho?” Right after that they sent me back to the waiting room and I waited there for five minutes with a room full of 15 people or so. “Down fall of having a dentist and orthodontist all in the same office.”

Few minutes pass by and I’m now sitting in the chair for exam completed by orthodontist. After a very brief wait for the doctor to enter the room he asks, “How are you doing today Sir?” “I’m good. Just have a slight concern with my bite and am here for a second opinion. The previous orthodontist I went to was telling me that we can correct this and that in six to eight months at a cost of $2,850. So I figure that I would come and get a second opinion” I responded. “Well you’ve come to the right place; now let’s have a look to see what concerns you have. Open wide, ahh I see your missing a molar here were going to have to have an implant put in there, this molar is shifted and twisted, you have a mild open bite causing minor gaps in the front teeth. Let’s have a look at your x-rays.” “Oh my you’ve got an impacted wisdom tooth coming in the back and it looks like your missing this tooth, this tooth, this one here and this one here. I think we can utilize braces and pull these teeth in and make room for the wisdom tooth to come in, there’s no real need to extract it.” The orthodontist replies. “I’m going to recommend full braces for 18-24 months at a cost of $2,650, we have already verified your dental insurance and you’re covered for the other half.”

So now after some thought about the whole ordeal I think I’ve finally come to conclusion. I’m going to seek treatment starting in August since I will be leaving town for Reno, NV on July 29th and won’t be back home until August 2nd. I’m also going to make an appointment to have a consult and talk to the oral surgeon specialist that is going to be doing my implant and hopefully it won’t be that big of an ordeal. I do know that my insurance also has been verified for the implant and that my cost is going to run about 1,000 but that is also before the new patient discount of $600 or so I was told. I will find out more information about that as soon as I do I will inform you all of my final cost for the implant and braces.

Thanks for reading this lengthy blog and please look forward to seeing my newest updated “current” pictures without braces and my concerns of why I’m seeking treatment for the second time.

#2 Post by **shinyRiver** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:09 pm

I'm a little confused. You're missing a molar but you have wisdom teeth coming in? Why not just pull the wisdom teeth you don't have room for and let the one wisdom tooth come in to fill the space of the missing molar? Or do you not have a wisdom tooth coming in somewhere behind the missing tooth? (I know that third molars aren't the exact size and shape of the first and second molars, but I had asymmetrical extractions and my smile turned out fine- and my sister had her lower second molar pulled and her third molar came in and took its place without any orthodontia or any problems.)

#3 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:22 pm

shinyRiver wrote:I'm a little confused. You're missing a molar but you have wisdom teeth coming in? Why not just pull the wisdom teeth you don't have room for and let the one wisdom tooth come in to fill the space of the missing molar? Or do you not have a wisdom tooth coming in somewhere behind the missing tooth? (I know that third molars aren't the exact size and shape of the first and second molars, but I had asymmetrical extractions and my smile turned out fine- and my sister had her lower second molar pulled and her third molar came in and took its place without any orthodontia or any problems.)

Will post pictures later this evening but as far as the confusion of the wisdom tooth. There is already a missing molar from an extraction about a year ago and the wisdom tooth that is impacted is coming in impacting on the molar next to where the extraction site is. So the orthodontist is going to make sure there is room and let that wisdom tooth come in to replace that missing molar.

Easier to explain with pictures so I will get them online shortly.

#4 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:43 pm

- Front View, you can see where there is some spacing between the upper and lower jaw.

- Bottom, you can see everything looks relatively straight but as you can see the molar that is missing on the left of the picture actually right side in mouth the molar that is by itself is where the wisdom tooth is impacted. So game plan is to make room for the wisdom to come in and they also going to put an implant in.

- Couldn't picture it well but there is a couple molars that are tilting in directions that they not supposed to tilt and there are some molars that are rotating. You can actually tell it in person over the picture.

- Left side molar, you can see in picture that molars don't make contact.

- Right side molar, you can see in picture that molars don't make contact.

#5 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:53 pm

Updated Information:

Alright so here's the latest information. I have an appointment on August 2nd for a cleaning with my dentist. I have noticed recently that I have some irritation or something going on with the gums in the back upper region where my molar is that seems to be heading in the wrong direction. Looks like it's red and irritated. So I will get that looked at on Monday and hopefully get the problem with that solved ASAP.

I'm scheduling my re-brace journey for August 12th so I will update that as soon as I find out for sure.

As for the implant that I'm going to need I have an on-call appointment scheduled for September as soon as they find out the specialists schedule since he apparently is only in once a month.

That's all for now and I look forward to getting my website up and running by the beginning of August.

SDFD TSchott

PS: Attached is a picture of the puffiness/redness I was talking about, not the greatest quality picture. Will retake tomorrow when there is more light outside and I don't have to rely on florescent lighting.

#6 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:53 pm

Updated Information:

August 02, 2010 I had yet another dentist appointment this time it was a deep clean and regular cleaning combined. Turns out the red puffiness I had back on July 28th was a moderate infection they cleaned it out and prescribed me prescription strength mouth rinse that I'm supposed to use twice a day. I have to go back on August 30th for a check-up to see my progress of keeping things cleaned and in tip top shape.

As far as the Ortho treatment I'm still working on gather up a little extra cash to support the cost of treatment but I'm looking at possibly getting braced next week or the week I'm supposed to go back for a check-up but sometime this month I may get re-braced and get things back in order. Will be making a phone call to the Ortho tomorrow to ask a few questions and then get back to considering things.

In the mean time that's all for now. Happy brushing!

#7 Post by **zeira** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:42 pm

You seem very positive despite having to go through this again! How was your first experience in braces?
It seems like the new ortho will do a nice and thorough job this time. Good luck!

#8 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 5:19 pm

zeira wrote:You seem very positive despite having to go through this again! How was your first experience in braces?
It seems like the new ortho will do a nice and thorough job this time. Good luck!

First experience in braces was alright. It wasn't great and it wasn't bad it was just alright. There was times that I had difficulty trying to get ahold of the orthodontist and then there was a time when I was nearing the end of my treatment that I had ended up in a motorcycle accident and was in a leg cast, now being that my ortho office was upstairs it made it difficult for me to get up to there office for my appointment.

After braces were removed I enlisted in the air force but was soon medically discharged (Boo that sucks) and I lived in Texas for some time where my retainers broke. After being out there for some time I moved back home to San Diego and found that my old office had closed there doors due to some building lease issues and they were in the fight of a lifetime but soon re-opened as soon as they got the lease issue fixed. Now I'm no longer with that ortho and with a whole new one that seems to have many more years experience then the previous one. This one I'm with now is very caring and willing to work with there patients.

Time will only tell.

#9 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:35 am

Update Aug 26

So after trying to train myself to bite normal (making my molars contact each other) I have and think I have caused my bite to hopefully for the most part correct itself but we will see with the third consultation and getting the third opinon!

So I went to a third consult to get my mind set off of things and try to figure the best route for my treatment plan. I get there to this really nice office and start the treatment consultation.

Walk into the office and sit down, looking at the photos on the wall of patients I realize that one of my co-workers daughters picture is posted on the wall. Anyways I get called to the back chair and was told that we were going to take some pictures of my bite (Six Pictures Later) I walk back to the waiting room to see the orthodontist.

After about thirty to thirty five minutes of the Ortho looking in my mouth at my bite she starts writing down a grip load of things on the paper she has in front of her. After about 10 minutes of laying back she finally speaks and says she will be right back she needs to hand the information to the financial person and then she will discuss treatment options.

She returns with a smile on her face ready to give me the news of torture. Here is the minimum outcomes of what she's talking about. Obvious I have spacing but also she noticed a missing molar (Molar extracted due to dental health issues and molar couldn't be saved.) I have a few moderate open contacts (molars that don't make contact with one another), individul teeth misalignment (molars again) and she recommends treatment now or in the near future.

She also thinks that she can do all this with "Partial Braces", fixed (cemented or bonded appliance) possibly holding arches on lingual side if partial braces, and retainers. Recommended treatment time is unknown but she did give a very rough estimate of 9 months to 24 months depending on a few things.

She doesn't know exact treatment time, treatment cost or anything due to the fact that she needs to get ahold of my general dentist and any other specialists involved "Implant Specialist" which I don't go see until September and I'm not even sure I will be approved for that.

But she does want me to make an appointment to take x-rays and molds of my mouth so she can further figure treatment plan and coordinate with my general dentist the plan of action but that's going to cost me right up front out of pocket $465 bucks. Wish I had that kind of money to throw out there but I don't at this very moment. So I'm unsure of where my plans of treatment are going to head into but I will talk to the general dentist and maybe talk to Ortho number 2 and ask some questions and figure out from there.

Oh by the way Ortho number 3 did confirm I have TMJ!!!

That's all for now hope to have more information Monday after the next torture of appointments.

#10 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Thu Aug 26, 2010 11:59 am

Initial Pictures Sent in From Orthodontist!

#11 Post by **alimommy1** » Sun Sep 05, 2010 10:28 am

What do you think? After 3 consults which one do you feel more willing to go with? If she doesn't believe the problems you have will get worse if you wait, why not wait a bit till you've put aside the $500 - or does the office do any type of financing?

#12 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Sun Sep 05, 2010 10:44 am

alimommy1 wrote:What do you think? After 3 consults which one do you feel more willing to go with? If she doesn't believe the problems you have will get worse if you wait, why not wait a bit till you've put aside the $500 - or does the office do any type of financing?

alimommy1, I'm going to be putting the whole thing behind for now until I can go get a consult with the implant specialist in the mean time I have already started to put some money off to the side for ortho number 3 as I felt the most confident and comfortable with them.

#13 Post by **opera^gal** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:08 pm

How did the implant consult go?

#14 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:12 pm

I'm currently out of town and away from computer so I won't get to detailed with this post since it's all done via cell phone internet

The consult was alright, probably got radiation poisoning (just kidding) had taken one panorama xray and that turned out horrible, took a second one and the xray machine wasn't working properly so had to take a third. At this time I'm telling the dentist I better only get charged for one xray. Third finally came through, they had me sit and watch a boring 15 minute video about implants and then asked if I had any questions at that time. (Yeah what's this going to cost me?)

After a short review of xrays I have been determined were borderline from needing a bone graft. Only way to tell is rip my gums back and explore. But if I do need a bone graft then I'm seeking a very painful outcome! $4,650 for a bonegraft + implant. Then $2,650 for braces round two also the orthodontist wants me to get a second implant done to solve a spacing issue in back of mouth.

We shall see where this goes to after a bit.

#15 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 5:12 pm

2nd Appointment with an implant specialist to get his/her opinion scheduled and also another consult with both a new orthodontist and my doctor in the same room to talk about the TMJ issues that has occured... All scheduled for Tuesday Oct 26th.