Horrible Braces Story

[iaain_123]

Hey Braces Review,
Looking for some advice on my orthodontic journey which has been absolutely terrible.
Age 11, and I was fitted with my first functional appliance.
Two plastic blocks of hell that I couldn't speak or eat with.. these lasted a mere 6 months with minimal cooperation from me.
Age 12, and they were back on. This time monitored by the dental hospital even though I said I didn't want them, they insisted. I did make some progress with these braces however ended up breaking them and finishing treatment early. This lasted about a year maybe more. I think I reduced my overbite from about 12mm to 7mm or something similar.
Age 14, they were back again! Again I refused, again they insisted! Spent about another 6-9 months with these on and again not wanting them so hardly wore them.
Age 15, the train tracks begin. I was told a treatment time of 2 years - 2 and a half years.
At 19, here I am. Swollen gums beyond belief, which the orthodontist hardly even mentioned I had to google gingivitis to discover the horror ahead. Teeth ground so short because I grind my teeth at night and having a metal grater attached does not help and acid erosion under the brackets from fruit juice that made my dentist go "oh my god thats some amount of damage under here."
I wear my elastics, and I never miss appointments. This would be a lot easier if my practice was not like an assembly line where the actual orthodontist is a trainee who uses my stomach as a tray, sings to the radio loudly in my ear and is talking to the other employees about how drunk they were at the weekend! Failing to identify my gingivitis or tiny/ wobbly teeth that I can't get made a splint for until the braces come out!
I now don't know what to do because I have moved city and it takes me an hour to get to my orthodontist, missing a day of university.. not to mention the cost of going. I am now supposed to be moving to London for the Summer and I still have quite a significant gap where the 4th tooth from the right would be. But I just can't do it any more I have had 8 years of braces on and off and my teeth are a wreck, broken, ground and eroded.

any advice would be incredibly appreciated!
Thanks a lot,
Iain

[gaps]

file a complaint, if he doesn't comply to your needs because of malpractice (basically insufficient treatment) then you can sue him. but you would have to get a few consultations from other orthos to prove your claim.

[joshwinn92]

Man, I am EXACTLY in your shoes. I am 19 years old and I got my braces on when I was 11. I had a tooth exposure done on my impacted canine tooth and it still hasn't come out. I went to see a Cosmetic dentist today and she was very upset that I have had my braces on for so long. She told me having my braces on for so long will cause my teeth to become soft and I can potentially lose my teeth and will need dentures. I am also developing TMJ for having my braces on for so long. I neglected my teeth when I was a young teenager so I also have bad stains and stuff. She told me to get my braces off in the next couple of weeks so I am getting a few more consultations before I make my decision. Go get a few opinions and see what they say. I wish you the best of luck because I know exactly how you feel.