Went to an orthodontist.... oy

[manlymatt83]

I had braces when I was a kid. Up until a few weeks ago, I always thought that aside from my cross bite, my teeth were *pretty* straight. People always thought I had good teeth, and the cross bite, while bad, was never really noticable unless I bit down and smiled.

In any event, there's some crowding on the bottom and this one tooth has been moving and now when I bite down, my top right tooth scrapes against it. I thought I could just get a retainer with a spring to push it back, but low and behold, the orthodontits told me I need oral surgery to break my jaw and widen it, and then full braces thereafter.

He said if I wanted, I could do a small invisalign treatment to correct the moving tooth, which would be something like $3500, or the full invisalign treatment which would be $5500, but either of those would just be "pushing teeth out" to fit over my bottom teeth and it would just be "camoflauge". I'm going to get a second opinion, but this sounds scary... why didn't my orthodontist from childhood mention any of this?

Cosmetically I'm okay with my teeth... they aren't perfect, but they're good enough from a distance. However, I am getting uncomfortable biting down and constantly hitting this one tooth. Not sure why it moved in a matter of weeks.

 

[halik]

I'd get a second opinion. Invisalign is worth the money though.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I'd get a second opinion. Invisalign is worth the money though.

Yes, get a second opinion but a retainer can do the same thing as invisalign for a lot less money.

 

[manlymatt83]

Yes, get a second opinion but a retainer can do the same thing as invisalign for a lot less money.

How?

 

[PingSpike]

An orthodonist is recommending the most expensive treatment option available? I'm shocked.

I'd get a second opinion or just do the invisalign thing.

 

[Capt Caveman]

How?

It would do the same thing as invisalign. My top two teeth were separating and creating a space. When I went to my orthodontist, I could spend $2.3k on invisalign or $700 for a retainer to move the teeth back together. The retainer would also take less time. I went with the retainer.

After the several adjustments and a couple of months, the teeth were back to their original position. She then placed a single brace on the back of those two teeth to keep the two teeth in place.

Very happy with the service by Dr. Samadani at Cambridge Orthodontics near Porter Square on Mass Ave.

 

[KoolAidKid]

Welcome to the same boat I'm in! I had braces as a kid as well, and developed a crossbite over the past 6 years or so. I have a slightly asymmetric jawbone (birth defect), so I was told when I was a kid that I would eventually need jaw surgery or I would develop debilitating jaw pain. My current dentist and three independent orthodotists all told me the same thing when I had it checked out a couple of months ago. The pain hasn't happened yet, but I'm planning to start the process in the fall. =(

 

[Gibson486]

Just scour those groupon type sites for invisilign deals. My wife got it for $1900 for the top and bottom teeth.

 

[manlymatt83]

Welcome to the same boat I'm in! I had braces as a kid as well, and developed a crossbite over the past 6 years or so. I have a slightly asymmetric jawbone (birth defect), so I was told when I was a kid that I would eventually need jaw surgery or I would develop debilitating jaw pain. My current dentist and three independent orthodotists all told me the same thing when I had it checked out a couple of months ago. The pain hasn't happened yet, but I'm planning to start the process in the fall. =(

How old are you? Yeah, I'm going to wait until the Fall, too. Do you know how long the process is?

 

[Slew Foot]

Lol. A dentists main goal is to extract money from your wallet.

 

[KoolAidKid]

How old are you? Yeah, I'm going to wait until the Fall, too. Do you know how long the process is?

I'm 37. I was told 12 months of braces, then surgery, then 4 - 5 months of more braces until the jaw is fully healed. They wire your jaw shut using the braces after the surgery. Sounds fun, can't wait!

 

[TridenT]

I'm 37. I was told 12 months of braces, then surgery, then 4 - 5 months of more braces until the jaw is fully healed. They wire your jaw shut using the braces after the surgery. Sounds fun, can't wait!

Mother of god. I hope I never incur these problems. D:

I went through 3.5 years of braces. My teeth are beyond great in comparison to what they would be without braces, but they're still miles away from anything good. I fucking pray that I don't have to go through your shit.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Second opinion. Dentists are worse than car sales people.

 

[Nintendesert]

I'm 37. I was told 12 months of braces, then surgery, then 4 - 5 months of more braces until the jaw is fully healed. They wire your jaw shut using the braces after the surgery. Sounds fun, can't wait!

I would pull the offending tooth before I did all that. The idea of breaking the jaw and wiring it shut just scares me. D:

 

[CrackRabbit]

Second opinion. Dentists are worse than car sales people.

THIS.
bold

 

[Soundmanred]

Prepost

 

[Raizinman]

Dentists and Police officers have the highest rate of divorce and suicide.

 

[Bateluer]

When I got my braces, Invisalign had a price tag 2x the traditional braces and several months longer. I went with the traditional braces.