Re: switch to metal brackets?

[Guest guest]

Ray,

Thanks, it's good to know that someone else has felt like I do. I

actually have plastic brackets on my bottom teeth. My ortho did not

want to put ceramics on the bottom because he warned that with my

post surgery bite, the backs of my upper teeth would rub on the

fronts of my lowers and the ceramic would wear away the enamel.

After realizing this I called the ortho today and reminded them the

bottoms were plastic, not ceramic, and asked if they would remove

those also to be replaced with metal. They hadn't thought about it,

and said they would discuss it at today's meeting. Then the stinker

that I am I said, " Well, if the plastic brackets are fine for

surgery, couldn't we replace the ceramic top brackets with plastic

instead of metal. " " I don't know, " the lady said, " but I'll bring

that up at the meeting also. " We'll see. I don't know how many of

you are familiar with the plastic brackets, but the middle of the

plastic bracket has a small amount of metal. It's actually the

section that holds your wire, so I don't know if that small addition

makes the bracket stronger or what. Thanks again, Ray for the words

of sympathy.

Connie

>

> Connie,

>

> I had an argument with my ortho on this exact subject. For those

who know me,

> they'll probably think : " Another argument ?? " - yep! I like the

man so much...

> hehe!

>

> Ok, back to the subject. He wanted me to have all metal. But

since the anticipated

> results were such that prior to my surgery, my upper teeth would

start to show up,

> I wouldn't want for people to notice the metal before my teeth.

My upper teeth were

> so up that when I smiled, you could only see the back teeth, and

even then...

> So, I settled for lower metal, upper ceramic. It was this or no

braces at all. Though

> I was ready to suffer the consequences if one or more would have

broken during the

> surgery. My ortho was more or less happy, but he said in a mixed

environment

> such as mine, it shouldn't be a problem. Only if upper were

ceramic (there is more

> strenght put on the lower, in my case that was it).

>

> I gambled and I won. This doesn't mean it's going to happen to

you. So, I'd say

> go with your surgeon.

>

> Your health and long term well being are the most important things

you have. If the

> surgeon feels you'll be hurt in any way with ceramics, I'd say do

as he says. He's

> the health specialist you chose, he's the person you placed your

confidence in when

> you " shopped " for a surgeon.

>

> I know it's not fun to be pushed back. I had found a surgeon, and

I was expecting

> a surgery in November 2003. That guy didn't want me as a patient,

but instead

> of saying it at first, he kept pushing my date back, and made his

receptionist called

> me to tell me the truth. How much more stupid he would have got

after the surgery,

> I wonder... ? Anwyay, because of him, I lost 8 months. 8 months

parked with stalled

> braces. I finally got the surgery in June 2004. But, those 8

months weren't that bad

> because the new surgeon I found really took care of me. She even

explained the

> surgery to my friends, in terms he would understand (not knowning

anything about

> ortho stuff himself, it was kind of her to explain the process to

him!)

>

> Ray

[Guest guest]

Connie,

well, woman, what are you waiting for?!?!?! Find some bon bons and

DIG IN!!!! In my opinion, that's what the waiting is designed for...

indulge in the best of the worst until it's too late!

Kate

>

> Hi all,

>

> For those of you who know my dillema this weekend with whether to

> follow the advice of the OS and switch from ceramics to metal, or

to

> be a stubborn fool, I think I am taking the OS' advice. I know it

> seems like a small, stupid thing, and I'm sure this time next year

I

> will be glad it's over and laugh about my overreacting. Let me

tell

> you though that today the ortho's office called to schedule me for

> two weeks from now to have the brackets switched. I asked her

about

> the so called breaking in period, and she said this is because the

> ortho can never get the new brackets positioned exactly the same as

> the old ones. So I have to have my surgical wires removed, and

> possibly go back to regular thick wires, and after the finetuning

> they could replace the surgical wires and install hooks and,

VOILA!,

> a few months from now I will be in the exact same shape I am in

now,

> only with metal brackets on. It's like the saying, one step

forward

> and two steps back. Now August is the new miraculous month for my

> surgery. I'm trying to get through to all involved that I need a

> date set for my surgery. They seem to have the attitude that if I

> don't work outside the home or go to school, that I am a lady of

> leisure, and have nothing planned in my day except for watching

> soaps and eating bon bons, which by the way I have never even

> tasted. My husband is the main person who will be taking care of

> me, and he is traveling in August out of state, non-refundable

plane

> tickets already purchased. Oh well, I need to remember that the OS

> and ortho does not live, breath and dream this surgery like me.

But

> I know you guys understand that. Thanks for the venting time.

>

> Connie