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*Treatment results may vary
Bracket detached, repared with DIY, tongue problems, still not happy
The loose bracket is still loose because my next appointment is in less than two weeks and I do not have the time to go any earlier. Besides, I have a problem for paying extra for each extra visit I must have to repair badly done work.
I am not stingy and do not mind paying for a well done job. I also knew my insurance was not going to cover this, but I already had to have two "emergency session" for what looks like badly done work and it seems unfair I have to pay for that. I'll bring it up to Ortho n.2 during the next visit.
In the meantime, I took a picture of my DIY job. I tied the bracket to the wire with dental thread because it was sliding around and bothering me. So far so good. It is slightly bulky, but not bothersome. In fact, the thread is smoothing the surface of the bracket and making it less annoying than the others.
I also developed more tongue problems, because I cannot stop rubbing it against the braces. I added rinsing the mouth with warm salted water at the end of my evening cleaning routine... as if it did not take long enough.
The only good news is that apparently the teeth are moving, but this made it more noticeable a chip on one of the frontal teeth. I guess some bonding will be need, together with cleaning and whitening once braces are off.
Also started to worry about the retainer. I was already told I need a permanent one and I read that it can also be annoying and hurt the tongue. I doubt it can be more annoying than this, though....
I am not stingy and do not mind paying for a well done job. I also knew my insurance was not going to cover this, but I already had to have two "emergency session" for what looks like badly done work and it seems unfair I have to pay for that. I'll bring it up to Ortho n.2 during the next visit.
In the meantime, I took a picture of my DIY job. I tied the bracket to the wire with dental thread because it was sliding around and bothering me. So far so good. It is slightly bulky, but not bothersome. In fact, the thread is smoothing the surface of the bracket and making it less annoying than the others.
I also developed more tongue problems, because I cannot stop rubbing it against the braces. I added rinsing the mouth with warm salted water at the end of my evening cleaning routine... as if it did not take long enough.
The only good news is that apparently the teeth are moving, but this made it more noticeable a chip on one of the frontal teeth. I guess some bonding will be need, together with cleaning and whitening once braces are off.
Also started to worry about the retainer. I was already told I need a permanent one and I read that it can also be annoying and hurt the tongue. I doubt it can be more annoying than this, though....
I always had healthy, strong teeth (only one...
I always had healthy, strong teeth (only one cavity in 53 years...) and I took good care of them. They never looked particularly good, always a bit crooked and a shade of ivory close to C1/C2 (according to the chart I am checking). I had them cleaned and whitened at the dentist once a year and that was enough for a long time. I did not care about super-white, perfect teeth anyway, as long as nothing was rotting.
Unfortunately, a couple of years ago the bottom teeth started to get crocked. I am told it happens because of crowding and genetic reasons. I had one wisdom tooth removed at 18 and hoped that would solve the crowding problem, but unfortunately it did not.
Withing a few months the situation degenerated to such an extent that I decide to take the plunge and get the lower teeth fixed. I consulted three dentists: the first one suggested to file down the four incisors and get crowns. Maximum 20 days of work at U$3600. I do not get any insurance of this, so I had to pay everything myself. However, I though I could afford it and seemed a fast solution. Besides, this was the advice of my "regular" dentist. He treated all my family with excellent results.
Orthodontist n.2 and n.3 were horrified at the idea of filing down perfectly healthy teeth and suggested braces. They both said for me normal braces were better and cheaper than Invisalign. They quoted both around U$1600 (Invisalign would have been U$2700), plus U$45 per visit/change of wire.
I chose Ortho n.2, a female in her early 40s. She suggested "clear" braces, because less visible than metal (which would have been cheaper) and only the 4 most internal one in metal. The first wire was applied Jan 28. It took one hour and it was mildly unpleasant but not painful. I got a bracket on each lower tooth for a total of 13.
I was horrified when I saw how crocked the wire looked. The situation looked much worse than I though, with one molar collapsing and the incisors completely misaligned. However, the true horror story started at meal times. My first dinner was an ordeal and I thought I was going to spend the next months drinking through a straw and getting very, very thin losing lots of weight.
Ortho n.2 told me the treatment is supposed to last 12 to 16 months, but from day one I decided to have the braces removed in December at the latest, regardless of result and still haven't changed my mind.
On March 8, I started having my first problem: one of the metal brackets detached (I almost ate it) and the wire "escaped" from the crocked molar. Besides, I could not stop moving my tongue over the teeth and got a huge bruise, not to mention several mouth ulcers. I finally got an emergency meeting with the Ortho, who fixed the problem for free.
On March 20, a bracket detached. Yet another emergency meeting, which was charged at U$43 (not refundable). The wire was also changed. After less than a week from the "fixing", the very same bracket detached again. At this point, I decided to fix it myself using dental thread, both because I don't have the time to go to the Ortho every week and because I am annoyed at having to pay extra for her bad work.
At this stage, this is the situation:
- one bracket "fixed" at home with dental thread, until next appointment Apr. 23
- I can eat slightly better than one month ago, but I still have problems
- I developed a major case of OCD and bought a truckload of stuff to keep my teeth clean
- since the lips get very dry, I also bought a truckload of moisturizing lip balms, which I keep all over the house and the office
- mouth ulcers situation improving, but still using tons of was, at the cost of U$6.5 per box
So far I pad U$ for the braces + U$129 for three visits and over U$ for wax, lip balms, extra cleaning products, etc... On a scale from 1 to 10, the pain is perhaps 2 (minimal), but discomfort is 10 (or even 11...). Still some months to go and at my age, I think perhaps the quick fix would have been a better option. To be updated.
Unfortunately, a couple of years ago the bottom teeth started to get crocked. I am told it happens because of crowding and genetic reasons. I had one wisdom tooth removed at 18 and hoped that would solve the crowding problem, but unfortunately it did not.
Withing a few months the situation degenerated to such an extent that I decide to take the plunge and get the lower teeth fixed. I consulted three dentists: the first one suggested to file down the four incisors and get crowns. Maximum 20 days of work at U$3600. I do not get any insurance of this, so I had to pay everything myself. However, I though I could afford it and seemed a fast solution. Besides, this was the advice of my "regular" dentist. He treated all my family with excellent results.
Orthodontist n.2 and n.3 were horrified at the idea of filing down perfectly healthy teeth and suggested braces. They both said for me normal braces were better and cheaper than Invisalign. They quoted both around U$1600 (Invisalign would have been U$2700), plus U$45 per visit/change of wire.
I chose Ortho n.2, a female in her early 40s. She suggested "clear" braces, because less visible than metal (which would have been cheaper) and only the 4 most internal one in metal. The first wire was applied Jan 28. It took one hour and it was mildly unpleasant but not painful. I got a bracket on each lower tooth for a total of 13.
I was horrified when I saw how crocked the wire looked. The situation looked much worse than I though, with one molar collapsing and the incisors completely misaligned. However, the true horror story started at meal times. My first dinner was an ordeal and I thought I was going to spend the next months drinking through a straw and getting very, very thin losing lots of weight.
Ortho n.2 told me the treatment is supposed to last 12 to 16 months, but from day one I decided to have the braces removed in December at the latest, regardless of result and still haven't changed my mind.
On March 8, I started having my first problem: one of the metal brackets detached (I almost ate it) and the wire "escaped" from the crocked molar. Besides, I could not stop moving my tongue over the teeth and got a huge bruise, not to mention several mouth ulcers. I finally got an emergency meeting with the Ortho, who fixed the problem for free.
On March 20, a bracket detached. Yet another emergency meeting, which was charged at U$43 (not refundable). The wire was also changed. After less than a week from the "fixing", the very same bracket detached again. At this point, I decided to fix it myself using dental thread, both because I don't have the time to go to the Ortho every week and because I am annoyed at having to pay extra for her bad work.
At this stage, this is the situation:
- one bracket "fixed" at home with dental thread, until next appointment Apr. 23
- I can eat slightly better than one month ago, but I still have problems
- I developed a major case of OCD and bought a truckload of stuff to keep my teeth clean
- since the lips get very dry, I also bought a truckload of moisturizing lip balms, which I keep all over the house and the office
- mouth ulcers situation improving, but still using tons of was, at the cost of U$6.5 per box
So far I pad U$ for the braces + U$129 for three visits and over U$ for wax, lip balms, extra cleaning products, etc... On a scale from 1 to 10, the pain is perhaps 2 (minimal), but discomfort is 10 (or even 11...). Still some months to go and at my age, I think perhaps the quick fix would have been a better option. To be updated.
Provider Review
Dr. Van den Velde
She seemed professional enough, but within less than two months I already had three brackets detaching, and three times wire coming out of brackets (although twice coming out of the first lateral one, which I am told is quite common). I got one fixing for free, but I had to pay for the other two, which does not seem fair. At this stage, I am not sure she is doing a good job. Also got only minimal advice about dental care. She answers questions, but does not provide any information. One saving grace is that the clerical staff is quite helpful and always tried to arrange for extra appointments.