HI,
Remember my post from awhile back?
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ult...f/2155/t/27230
Well, dd8 just had her second consult w/ an Ortho. (for a second opinion). I was trying to find a doc I liked better. In the process we ended up w/ an alternate diagnosis! [img]confused.gif[/img]
Doc #1 said she had frontal protrusion & a left crossbite. He wanted to put in a palatal expander this summer & then do braces. He is pro-active in his treatment & wants to do as much as he can early on.
Doc #2 said she has frontal protrusion & her bite is misaligned, NOT a crossbite. He say's her palate is not very narrow & he would not use a palatal expander...because she does not need it & it would be more economical & less time consuming to do traditional braces & bands around 11 years old. [img]rolleyes.gif[/img] He prefers a conservative approach. He did say she may need jaw expansion w/ (forgot the name of the appliance???)...anyhoo, it expands the lower jaw from the back to the front. It's the equivalent of what kid's used to wear as headgear, only it's an in the mouth appliance.
Who do I believe? Both have great reputations as Orthodontists. I definitely like Doc#2's personality the best. Very professional, explained x-rays & her diagnosis in detail while showing me models.
Opinions or advice? I found 2 other Ortho. in the phone book, but only listed in the DDS sections. How many times do I have to drag my dd around & have docs look at her? Dh & dd love doc #2 & his conservative approach. I am leaning towards him myself. Anyone else get varying diagnoses? What did you do?
Bren [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]
P.S. Doc #2 has two dd's & when he saw that Hannah likes AG (on her pt. profile) he told her his youngest has "all but 2 of the dolls". She gets them every Christmas. I'm guessing he meant the Historical's. She's 12 & he seemed proud of her for still getting them at that age. She wants another for Christmas. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]
Did you ask doctor #2 about Doc #1's advice? I'd say, if he addressed your concerns about the differences in the diagnoses, go with the one who you are more comfortable with personality-wise. You will definitely regret choosing an orthodontist you don't get along with well. Trust me (been there, done that.). It also sounds like this doctor can get more done with less pain...which is always a good thing [img]smile.gif[/img] Good luck!
Have you discussed both diagonises with your regular DDS? Your dentist may be able to clarify the bite issue for you.My mom talked with my dentist before going forward with the ortho, even though he was the one my dentist recommended. He agreed, and still does... whenever I see Dr Moore, my DDS (which is at the mall or at a ball game because I don't live there any more), he says, "Dr Stumbo did such a beautiful job on your mouth!"
Personally, having lived through braces and retainers and all that who-ha, I would go with a treatment that starts later than 8 years of age. So much can change as she looses her baby teeth. I got my braces at 13, off at 15. When I had a consultation at age 9, the ortho said I'd have to wear them for no less than 4 years because of all the changes that occur between 9-12. The 19 month option was far better, IMO-- and I had NO teeth pulled before I got my braces! (If it matters, my bite was EXTREMELY overshot, and my teeth were somewhat misaligned.)
One thing I will say is this: Get her wisdom teeth OUT as soon as they appear on an xray! I waited because the one I had didn't bother me. I got it out two years ago after it started to cause some problems. My bottom teeth have shifted some because I waited.
<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ May 04, 2006 01:18 PM: Message edited by: jrtmom3274 ]</font>
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Even though I have 2 in braces at the moment, I am still pretty clueless. I know my 12yo DD will have to wear rubber bands-I didn't know they still did that, either. We have appts. today, maybe I can find out something?Originally posted by trvnbrn:
It's the equivalent of what kid's used to wear as headgear, only it's an in the mouth appliance.
DD is missing two permanent teeth (as in they never existed) and we chose the option that would cause her the least trouble for the rest of her life which is also the easiest on her now, too.
If you feel comfortable talking to Doc #2, ask him why he recommends a different treatment, why does he think the other ortho diagnosed her as haing a crossbite (are they similar? or easily confused?). I guess I would keep asking questions until I understand everything to make an informed decision. And liking one Doc over the other is a part of that.
The first ortho we went to was recommended by our pediatric dentist. He was OK, but we went with the ortho recommended by friends. We asked everyone from school and DH's work for their opinions. About half our school uses this guy and that says a lot. He was also more personable, had a more modern and open office setup and was closer to our house.
Good luck, it's a huge decision! [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]
Tracy
HI,
Thanks for your reply. I did ask Doc #2 specifically if she needed a palatal expander and if she had a crossbite. He said "NO" to both. Those were the diagnoses of Doc #1. I did not tell him there was a Doc #1 & that was what he had told me. I was a Chairside Dental Assistant for 7 years total & one thing the docs never do is bad talk one another. The doc I worked for had to bite his tongue many times regarding a certain practitioner in our area, but he would never go against him. I do like the idea of less pain & less appliances she will go through. I'm leaning in the direction of Doc #2 more & more. My sil went to him (as an adult) & has beautiful teeth.
Bren [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]
Personally, I think it's very important that you, and especially your daughter, get along well with your orthodontist. If you don't like Doctor #1, don't go to him. Whether he's qualified or not, if it's unpleasant to be around him it's just not worth it. When I was young and had to have my orthodontic work done, there was only one orthodontist in town, so we ended up going to him. I HATED him, and I especially hated his assistants. Ooh, were they mean! They were all very cold and clinical, not at all friendly or reassuring to a child who had never had any major dental work done and was usually scared every time she went into the office. [img]eek.gif[/img] One particularly horrible assistant made me cry once because she was so unpleasant. I was reminded of all this last year when I went through my old desk at my parents' house. I found a sheet of paper inside where I had been venting about my hatred of the orthodontist. It said something like, "I wish I could punch Dr._______ and knock out all his perfect teeth!" I also remember writing about my hatred of him and his assistants in a writing assignment for my sixth grade English class. I held nothing back and just vented everything. I was normally a very quiet and mild-mannered student, and my teacher was shocked at the depth of my anger. At parent-teacher conferences she showed the paper to my mother because she was concerned and thought she should know how upset I was. My mom felt bad because she knew I didn't like him, but there was no one else nearby for us to go to.
Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that orthodontics can be very scary and painful for a child, and being in a good environment with a kind doctor can make all the difference to a kid. I don't know how many opinions you should get for your daughter, but I do know if you don't like the doctor and don't have a good feeling about him, find someone else. Your daughter will thank you later! [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]
Heather,
I posted before I read your response. You made a very good point about asking her DDS about her bite. She has a reg. appt. in August & I will definitely be talking to him about the two Ortho. consults. Honestly, her teeth aren't that bad. She does have protruding front teeth w/ an overbite, but overall things don't look horribly jumbled & crowded.
I totally agree w/ the wisdom teeth being extracted. My sil had her braces mainly due to that very problem. My own teeth shifted a bit as well w/ my wisom teeth, but I have a bigger mouth [img]rolleyes.gif[/img] and the shift wasn't as obvious.
Bren [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]
I read both posts, but I'm just going to put all of my thoughts here. Most people addressed everything I wanted to touch on though.
But, regarding the different orthodontists: I'm sure there's more than one way to tackle a problem that will yield the same result. Just pick the doctor you like better. If you like #2 better, go with him. He sounds a lot more personable and he seems like he'll explain exactly what's going on and why to you.
Don't worry about the pain. Sure, it hurts some, but it's mostly just sore. Give her some Tylenol and soft food (ice cream or pudding!) after her visits, and she'll be fine.
Make sure she takes care with brushing and flossing. I've always loved to brush and floss my teeth so it was never a huge problem with me (I can't fall asleep unless I've flossed my teeth! [img]redface.gif[/img] ), but the better she takes care of herself with brushing, the more beautiful her smile will be after.
As for the wisdom teeth. Don't wait for them to come in before extracting them. My dentist took a more proactive approach and had mine surgecially removed before they came in so there was no risk that they'd shift my teeth.
<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ May 04, 2006 08:17 PM: Message edited by: lacherig ]</font>
I hav worked in the dental field for 20 years. Orthodontist vary in response to palatal expanders. Most conservative Drs don't use them unless really necessary, also they will wait longer to band teeth (like until the permanant teeth are all in). A lot of Orthodontists around here band early on (phase 1) then do phase 2 after the permanant teeth are in if needed. You pay for both phases. My DD is 10 and tons of her friends are banded and they still have baby teeth. One just got her braces removed, but she may need them again! My Dentist is conservative and refers to a conservative Orthodontist. Age may play a factor in it as well, it seems the younger the Dr. the more they like to do.
Thanks again for your responses! [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] I honestly think I would rather wait on treatment than to have it done too early & it have to be repeated...or drag it out over two phases if it is not necessary. DD is thrilled at the idea of no palatal expander (which we were told would dramatically change the look/shape of her face). We are 99% sure we will be going w/ Doc #2 (Dr. B [img]cool.gif[/img] ) and will consult w/ our DDS for his opinion on her treatment. Parenting can be tricky sometimes. All these decisions to make & wondering if you are doing the right thing. We will be going through it again two more times as well [img]eek.gif[/img] Trust me, my boys both have crowded teeth & overbites w/ just their baby teeth. [img]graemlins/cry.gif[/img]
Bren [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]
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