Braces

Poppy9

Toothsmith wrote: »

Although you can go and see an orthodontist off your own back - I would advise doing it through your dentist.

Yes I agree. What I meant was that you don't have to go to the orthodentist your dentist refers you to (just in case they have a special relationship), you can shop around by asking other people what they thought of their treatment, appointment system etc.

My DD was referred to a practice that has 4 orthodentists and two of them had best feedback so I had one of those.

I did find there were limited clinics offering private children's services and some would have involved a big committment to travelling which again is an issue when you have to go every 6 weeks and as an emergency if the brace breaks.

poppyolivia

Hi there

got my brace of last month....I have an appointment with normal dentist this month and ortho in June/July time,

Now my teeth are so sensitive its unreal...really bad and a few teeth have gone slighly different colour.....has this to do with the brace or could it be that I was using whitening toothpaste???? I have stopped using that toothpaste now but its still killing me!

oh yeah and I am left with a hairline crack on one tooth, will this get worse and I will lose the tooth or will it be ok?

I know I will ask all these questions at my appointments but after 2 years in braces I have visions of me with false teeth here and there!

Toothsmith

There are all sorts of reasons for these things, and to go through them all would take pages, and almost certainly needlessly worry you.

You need to talk to your dentist, who can see what you mean exactly, and advise you accordingly.

poppyolivia

Toothsmith wrote: »

There are all sorts of reasons for these things, and to go through them all would take pages, and almost certainly needlessly worry you.

You need to talk to your dentist, who can see what you mean exactly, and advise you accordingly.

Yes, thank you....just worried that Im going to have to get at least 2 teeth out because of root damage from the brace....I shouldn't read things on the internet, its a danger lol!

x

positivelymummy

i posted on this forum back in november 2007, i was excited about being referred to the orthodontist (something i'd been asking my dentist for a long time) i gave up smoking feb 2006, been looking after my teeth ever since, flossing daily etc,
but he still hasn't referred me, every time i go (which is my 6 month check up) he stalls me, he's indicated i am too old (i'm 37) he said he wants to check i can look after my teeth (i'm just your average person..no bad teeth/gum disease etc, never had a new filling since i was about 12..just old fillings replaced) hygenist is always pleased...i'm getting really fed up..there is only 1 orthodontist here (i'm on an island:rolleyes:) any suggestions?

i presume i cant contact the orthodontist myself as they work from the hospital so i presume they only take referrals?? i hate my crooked teeth, and i dont know what you call it, but when i shut my mouth my front teeth overlap my bottom set (is that overbite??)

just wondered if anyone can offer any advice as to what i do next? my next check up with dentist is in october..i dread to ask again for fear of yet another fob off

Toothsmith

If there's only one, it might be worth ringing the orthodontist direct, and seeing if you can make an appointment.

37 is not too old at all.

Giving up smoking 2 yrs ago might have left you with some sort of damage that the dentist is still wanting to monitor for a while longer yet, but sometimes it's a fine line between caution, and completly losing your patients motivation.

Are there other general dentists on the island? In case you need another opinion/want to change?

positivelymummy

Toothsmith wrote: »

If there's only one, it might be worth ringing the orthodontist direct, and seeing if you can make an appointment.

37 is not too old at all.

Giving up smoking 2 yrs ago might have left you with some sort of damage that the dentist is still wanting to monitor for a while longer yet, but sometimes it's a fine line between caution, and completly losing your patients motivation.

Are there other general dentists on the island? In case you need another opinion/want to change?

thanks for the reply, only a few dentists here and the past couple of years have been bleak for people needing a dentist, but things are looking up now and a new dentist has opened up, and has vacancies:eek:..i see that this new dentist does invisalign (sp?) i've read up on that and i think i'd prefer the fixed bog standard braces (just a personal decision, from what i've read invisalign is much better for people with only slightly crooked teeth?) anyway, do you think it would be worth nipping to see this new dentist and asking his opinion? although this new practise says they do invisalign they do not say he is an orthodontist..just a dentist etc.

Toothsmith

You don't have to be an orthodontist to do Invisalign. You just send off impressions and the labs make the series of aligners that do the job.

In a way that's good, but in other ways that's very bad. Good in that anyone can do it (dentist that is!) but bad in that the dentist doing it doesn't really have the knowledge to spot cases where it might not be the best option, and the manufacturers are only going to say 'No' if it really is hopeless.

This means there could be a fair few cases for who it's probably not the best way slipping through the net. I would sooner a proper orthodontist planned the treatment rather than someone in a dental lab.

There's nothing to stop you popping in to see the new dentist and getting a fresh pair of eyes to look at your case. It sounds like you've made big srides in your self care, but if this one says you're not ready yet, then you know your original guy really did have your best interests at heart. DON'T let him talk you into invisalign though. I would go for the ortho opinion or nothing - but you could tell him that if the orthodontist thought invisalign was suitable for you, you'd come back and let him do it! That should get you out nicely.

positivelymummy

Toothsmith wrote: »

You don't have to be an orthodontist to do Invisalign. You just send off impressions and the labs make the series of aligners that do the job.

In a way that's good, but in other ways that's very bad. Good in that anyone can do it (dentist that is!) but bad in that the dentist doing it doesn't really have the knowledge to spot cases where it might not be the best option, and the manufacturers are only going to say 'No' if it really is hopeless.

This means there could be a fair few cases for who it's probably not the best way slipping through the net. I would sooner a proper orthodontist planned the treatment rather than someone in a dental lab.

There's nothing to stop you popping in to see the new dentist and getting a fresh pair of eyes to look at your case. It sounds like you've made big srides in your self care, but if this one says you're not ready yet, then you know your original guy really did have your best interests at heart. DON'T let him talk you into invisalign though. I would go for the ortho opinion or nothing - but you could tell him that if the orthodontist thought invisalign was suitable for you, you'd come back and let him do it! That should get you out nicely.

brilliant, thankyou very much, i totally agree about the invisalign, i really want an orthodontist to straighten my teeth for me. i will go along next week and see if i can get to chat to him and ask him what he thinks...i keep thinking things like, "maybe my dentist can only refer so many people a year? etc" and i will also try and phone the hospital where the ortho is and see what the situation is with referrals etc.
i'll post back on here when i have some news..many thanks toothsmith:beer:

Zoology_Dragon

Argh, I just wrote a very long reply and the computer ate it. I don't have time to type it all again but the gist is as follows:

Toothsmith is wrong about jaw surgery. It's not a rare procedure (and definitely not radical), it's not dangerous (beyond the usual risks associated with a general anasthaetic), it's not particularly painful, it's not a long recovery (six weeks average) and you don't have to have your teeth wired for three months (they don't wire teeth together at all these days). It also doesn't cost 10000s of pounds. Oh and jaw surgery isn't carried out by plastic surgeons.

I'm sure you (Toothsmith) are an excellent dentist but please don't give out inaccurate and alarmist information on something that you are clearly not qualified in. So much of what you have said is simply not true. It's not fair to be scaremongering and worrying people who may be considering this surgery.

I also second (third?) the recommendation of the Archwired site. It's an excellent resource for people considering/having either jaw surgery or just braces.

ZD

Also an orthognathic surgery survivor (double jaw surgery + genioplasty). Not an orthodontist or surgeon but does have a PhD in evolutionary biology so knows a thing or two about research and understanding statistics.