Leaving NHS orthodontist before end of treatment?
Grumpysally
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We are not happy with teenage child's orthodontist. I know our only other option is to go private elsewhere. If we ask the orthodontist to remove the braces can he refuse? Will we have to pay a penalty?
Teen is 18 in a few months but has been told treatment has to continue for another 18 months as brace has broken number of times and that each break adds 3 months to treatment. Teen has severe anxiety and the stress of seeing orthodontist is adding to this. We had persevered, believing that the end was in sight but the extra 18 month news is the final straw.
Teen is 18 in a few months but has been told treatment has to continue for another 18 months as brace has broken number of times and that each break adds 3 months to treatment. Teen has severe anxiety and the stress of seeing orthodontist is adding to this. We had persevered, believing that the end was in sight but the extra 18 month news is the final straw.
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I suppose your current orthodontist could refuse, on the grounds that it is not dentally correct, but any orthodontist (or probably dentist) could remove a brace, you don't need to go to the person that fitted it.
However with the anxiety issues you describe I wouldn't have thought that compelling this orthodontist to do something he doesn't want to and/or admit he is wrong will be an easy situation for your teen.
If the decision is to end treatment (which of course the teen will be able to decide for themselves in a "few months" time) then I would have thought you ask another dentist to remove the braces.
There is surely only any point in seeing another specialist if you (for now) and the teen him / herself in a few months is likely to be prepared to continue, should that be the advice.
If you stop - no-one is going to die, but the teeth almost certainly won't be in a stable position, so they will drift around until they find a stable position which may or may not be better than the position you started off from in the first place. It's unlikely to cause anything more than an aesthetic problem though, but you need advice from dentist/orthodontist on what things would probably look like if you did abandon.
If you carry on, then it will either be with this orthodontist or a new one. Finding a new one with capacity to treat Teen may be a problem, as orthodontists are struggling to cope with patients they have under treatment at the moment anyway.
If you find an orthodontist who will see him privately, I think it's highly unlikely that treatment will be completed any quicker than the first one has said. The big flashing red lights here to me are the anxiety issues and the fact Teen has broken braces several times. My question would be how much did Teen want the treatment in the first place, and how much commitment to further treatment there is now? If treatment is successfully completed - how much commitment would there be to wearing retainers? If retainers aren't worn - there will be some relapse anyway.
Paying money to get the orthodontics finished won't solve the issues Teen has towards treatment, and breakages may well continue and frustration increase.
I think you need big chat with Teen as to what is wanted from them. Do they want to continue, or just stop?
1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.
The problems are of course getting one "professional" to openly criticise another (if indeed that is justified) or being happy to accept their assurance that OD 1 is doing a good job (if that is the case).
If it is personality / attitude than that is not realistically going to change and any complaint will make it worse. The vast majority of medical professionals are decent / kind / well meaning people but that doesn't mean that they get on with everybody. Equally, as in all walks of life, there are some right obnoxious idiots too!
Teen has had problems with the brace when this OD has adjusted it which haven't occurred on the occasional appointments when we've seen a different member of staff. Sharp ends on the brace wire, wires cutting badly into the cheeks. I know some discomfort is to be expected. I have two older, grown up children, both had braces but never problems like this.
I do think realistically it is a choice between continuing or stopping. I suspect compliance with private treatment may be just as difficult for my child. I can think of plenty of other ways to spend a couple of grand at the moment. University costs for a start.
They did want the treatment at the beginning but has had so much pain from the braces that its all gone sour.
I didn't go to the last appointment, it was my OH. I've had two conflicting versions of what went on. OH says orthodontist gave teen the option of continuing or stopping. Though he does admit he couldn't hear him properly through the mask and the radio playing. Teen says they weren't given that option and the choice given was something along the lines of,"18 months or if you keep breaking it you can carry on for years, I'll still be here". I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.
Tried talking to teen about it today but must have picked wrong moment because I hit a brick wall. Lots of other issues going on in their life at the moment.
Next appointment is in two months. I'll find out by then what they want to do and will make sure I go to the appointment.
I can't remember what was on the contract we signed at the start of treatment. Am I likely to be liable for any charges for not teen not completing treatment?
I'm not sure how the appointment system works, it seems to be pretty random. Apart from the main orthodontist I don't think we've seen any one person more than once. Its a mystery how the system works. No one is particularly approachable.
The orthodontist we see owns the practice so I do feel more reluctant to raise concerns than if they were a regular member of staff.