Leaving NHS orthodontist before end of treatment?

Undervalued

Grumpysally said:

Its partly personality / attitude issue. The OD talks at my teen rather than to them. Teen then gets all tongue tied and even more anxious. I think OD just wants to get on to next patient and get through his work load and doesn't have time for small talk or putting teen at ease. Teen just wants to get out of the surgery ASAP.
 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.

Sounds like an unhappy mix of arrogance covering up incompetence, although that is obviously only based on one side of the story! Sadly, in my experience, five or ten percent of the medical profession are in that category. The vast majority of course are not but it is incredibly difficult to do anything other than walk away if you encounter one.

Maybe TS or Brooke could comment on whether this is something your teen could come back to in maybe five years if they were to stop now then later regret it? If they can, without significant disadvantage, then that might well be the best move all things considered.  

thepurplepixie

My experience with orthodontists was at the local hospital and the orthodontist my kids saw was very direct no nonsense and lots of kids didn't get on with her.  I know people who requested to move to one of the other orthodontists.  Is that a possibility?  Why not phone and discuss the options.

My own kids got on well with the orthodontist and were happy for the direct approach, when DD had her jaw broken and reset in correct position, can't remember what it is called, we saw the other side of the orthodontist, the soft caring side.  Her treatment was very difficult, years in a brace followed by a horrible operation but the organisation was great, she finished A levels on the Friday, operation the following Tuesday (orthodontist and surgeon promised that unless that was an emergency that was when it would happen) and then brace off 2 days before she left for uni.  I do think orthodontics is hard but my kids would definitely say it was worth it.

Toothsmith

Undervalued 

Maybe TS or Brooke could comment on whether this is something your teen could come back to in maybe five years if they were to stop now then later regret it? If they can, without significant disadvantage, then that might well be the best move all things considered.  

It would depend on what was done to the dentition for this treatment.

if teeth have been extracted to make space, and then the gaps just drift closed in an uncontrolled way - then future treatment might necessitate further tooth loss to create space again. Obviously this is far from an ideal situation, and it would need a very hard think from a very brave future orthodontist to agree to take on the risk of a second failed attempt! 

Orthodontists to tend to be the butt of general dentist's jokes for their rather eccentric personalities sometimes! They are all very nice people really, but there is something rather strange about someone who wants to go through all that training and examinations in order to shuffle little teeth by very little amounts in order to make them look more pretty

The ones who then lack the personality to make a go of their own practices, tend to end up in hospital posts!

You do have to forgive their 'ways' 

theoretica

I can see complaining about the main orthodontist would be hard, but could you try dressing it up as how well your son got on with the person he saw at X appointment and praise for that person? 

suejb2

You’ve seen another OD before can you ask to see that one next time.  There was one at my D.D surgery when she had braces that was particularly short with patients that I vowed if my D.S needed braces he would not be seen by her. I had no qualms in telling them why.
 The opportunity never arose as my son was sent to a different surgery.

thepurplepixie

theoretica said:

I can see complaining about the main orthodontist would be hard, but could you try dressing it up as how well your son got on with the person he saw at X appointment and praise for that person? 

I think there is truth in what Toothsmith says, orthodontists can be lacking in bedside manner.  The thing is the one my kids saw had the worst reputation for that at our local hospital but got the best results.  She was totally unbothered if people didn't want to see her, I've been in the consulting room when she took a call from a irate mother who wanted to change and she just said yes and then saw the other orthodontist and said another one whose mother objects to them being told to make sure they are cleaning properly coming your way.  It isn't like they need to go touting for business, referrals take months. 

 I suppose we are all different, in my family we prefer straight talking, I saw one mother sobbing because her child was told it was pointless getting her teeth straight if they were all rotten.  She was mortally offended and I'd be glad she was telling my kids the truth.

As for painful wires have you tried dental wax?  We found it a big help.

brook2jack2

The main point really should be how keen is the ops teen to continue or finish treatment anyway? 

Braces require huge commitment , both in cleaning and care , as well as diet and habits. A brace that's constantly breaking can be a sign of someone not being as careful with some habits as they could be . 

If the ops teen is not keen on continuing braces full stop no matter who is providing them then that is an entirely different conversation. Certainly swapping orthodontists may well add to the time of wearing them no matter what. 

So there are two seperate conversations that need to be had 

a 

does the teen still want the braces , are they committed to quite a few extra months or more of wearing and discomfort , and are they committed to the care and restrictions that having a brace entails 

Or do they want all brace treatment to finish

b 
if they are committed to a brace is the anxiety purely down to the present orthodontist , if so then are they happy if they change then treatment may take longer and they may end up wearing brace for quite a bit longer