Okay, people, well I just had my ortho appointment --some important information here:
I brought my father by the way and very calmly explained my issues to my ortho. The ortho hardly let me speak and he completely flipped out.
I mean he like began yelling at the top of his lungs. "you've been questioning my plan from the beginning! i'm threw with this! you don't pay me enough to constantly have to be explaining things to you! these people (i.e. Schendel/Jacobson/Arnett/Keller at the Mayo clinic/Dr. C chair of a top university dept. ) who say you didn't need extractions don't know what they're talking about! Your gum recession is caused by poor oral hygiene not the braces! (I floss, brush twice a day, full dental cleaning every 3 months))"
I mean he caused a scene. My poor father or I couldn't get a word in edgewise.
After some back and forth I tried to pin him down on specific questions.
Me: "will these dark spaces that I never had between all my teeth actually close and be filled with gum tissue. I never had this before braces or extractions, they've only developed in the last year despite immaculate oral hygiene."
Ortho: "No, that's gum recession. How old are you again? It's completely normal to have that much gum recession, I have it as well."
Me: "no you don't I can see you don't."
Ortho: "well I don't have it as much as you. blah blah"
Me: "Okay, I just want straightforward answers to my questions. First, you can't close the dark spaces?"
Ortho: "No a periodontist will have to try and fill them with gum grafts, after surgery."
Me: "Okay, when will I be ready for surgery. The last surgeon I spoke with said it's ridiculous that I've been in braces for 2.7 years"
Ortho: "You should be ready in a couple of months."
Me: "How long will I have to be in braces after surgery?"
Ortho: "2-3 months"
Me: "
What!? Everyone says 6 months minimum!!??Ortho: "No not at all. Since we're setting up the teeth correctly now. You'll only have to be in braces for 2-3 months afterwards."
Me: "What if I have an expander put in?"
Ortho: "That will be in for a couple of months, tops. We can also do nonsurgical expansion."
Me: "What!? I didn't know there was a thing as nonsurgical expansion for adults!? How many cases of double jaw advancement have you actually done?"
Ortho: "It's been in testing for 2 years, I know now that it works. We can expand without surgery. Whatever we do we'll have you out of braces in 4-6 months from now. I've done tons of cases."
So do with this exchange what you will. I mean I am completely flabbergasted and confused. Non-surgical expansion is now available!!!?
Gives a ton of f**king credence to all those orthotropic or whatever they're called alternative guys who say they can do nonsurgical expansion. Apparently it can be done.
What I am especially astounded by is this ortho's completely outlandish claims that he will debrace me 2-3 months after surgery!!! What the f**k!? I mean I want this to be true.
On July 4th I see the surgeon here, he's an okay guy and good surgeon from all accounts even though I'm not necessarily going to have surgery with him. He does work with this ortho consistently. I'll bring this all up with the surgeon. If anything he says contradicts the ortho I mean then I've been dealing with a complete f**king psychopath.
Again, my ortho is not some stripmall guy. He's suppossed to be one of the best in our province. But if he's wrong on these very specific things he's been saying well then he's a complete quack. Let's see.
