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POSTED UNDER Lingual Braces Reviews REVIEWS

Lingual Braces -- One of the TOP THREE UGLY MISTAKES of MY LIFE - Midlothian, VA

ORIGINAL POST

I walked into this guy's office in August of 2008...

wrivermeerJuly 18, 2014
$5,000
I walked into this guy's office in August of 2008 for a consultation on Invisalign vs. lingual braces. I chose lingual braces. I should never have pursued this craziness for a few teeth I wanted corrected, one front top and two front lower. I wound up having lingual braces behind six front upper and lingual braces behind six lower. The bottom never bothered me. The top were always PAINFUL. I had a speech impediment while I wore them, and I still have a speech impediment. I've been told by a dentist recently that my bite is deep. My upper teeth always feel like they're in a vise, the back of these same teeth feel like sandpaper, and the roof bordering the upper teeth feel like sandpaper. I would have jumped off my balcony by now if chewing gum and taking nerve pain meds didn't somewhat relieve the always tight feeling of the teeth. They have never felt right since I had this barbaric procedure, and I rarely feel good.

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Dr. C. William Dabney

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Again, I wish I had never walked into his office in August of 2008 for a consultation on Invisalign vs. lingual braces. If you're going to go this dreadful route, then make certain that your orthodontist has had plenty of experience applying these sadistic devices. One of the top three most regrettable and misguided decisions I’ve ever made that has had a negatively pervasive impact on my life. I was in utter misery during the bracing, and I’m still in misery six years later. Think twice about getting barbaric lingual braces, particularly after decades of your teeth and bones and nerves having been set. Torture. I was way too old for this.

Replies (5)

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TwoPlusOne
July 19, 2014
Hello…I'm sorry to hear that your experience with lingual braces was so painful.  Did it at least straighten your teeth?  Also, do you have any plans to seek some sort of treatment to alleviate the discomfort you're still in, other than medication?  Like seeing a different doctor to see if something wrong was done?

Also, do you remember why you chose lingual instead of Invisalign at the time?
wrivermeer
July 20, 2014
Hello. Trying to get an authentic assessment from another orthodontist is impossible, at least in this same town. I'm making an appt. with Johns Hopkins. The only relief I have is from chewing gum. When I'm not chewing gum, the upper teeth-in-a-vise sensation, the sandpaper feeling behind the teeth (my dentist said my bite is too deep now and the dentin behind the teeth has worn away), and the sandpaper sensation of the roof of the mouth near the teeth are unbearable. I think the brackets behind the teeth and glue ruined the back of my teeth and roof border. No, the teeth don't look better. In fact, none of my relatives or friends have ever complimented me, and if I posted photos, no one would concur that the teeth look better. I certainly don't think the minor changes I wanted are evident. There were minor changes I wanted done, and this definitely wasn't the way to go. I stupidly decided on lingual braces based on how this "orthodontist" responded to my written questions during the consultation.
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TwoPlusOne
July 22, 2014
Another alternative would be to ask a question of the doctors here on RealSelf. It's very difficult to show tooth issues in pictures, but if you have good pictures, you can submit them to the doctors using this link.  Questions with pictures get priority and, of course, they can't really answer specific questions without seeing damage.  Some people even submit x-rays, which I suppose they get from their dentists instead or something.  Just an option.  But it sounds good that you're going to Johns Hopkins as well.  Good luck, and I hope you'll keep us posted if you manage to find a solution or get another consultation.
wrivermeer
July 23, 2014
Thanks! I will definitely keep readers posted after I see an orthodontist at Johns Hopkins as well as in Henrico County, VA.
krnrn
February 19, 2016
Ummmm.....they're braces. Sounds pretty much true to form whether they are on the front or the back. I had braces on the front of my teeth as a teenager and it was as awful as you describe....but others could see them! At least these cant be seen. There are pros and cons to everything in life. If you want/need something bad enough....the pain is worth it.
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