Haha, I feel this so much. My ortho kept saying "just a couple more adjustments" for what felt like forever. Honestly, I think they just say that to keep us from losing hope and running away screaming. 😂
I did ask about it once, and apparently underbites can be trickier because they're not just moving teeth around—they're shifting your whole bite alignment. Mine involved elastics, springs, and even some weird appliance thingy I had to wear at night (super attractive, btw). Each step seemed to add another month or two onto the timeline.
Switching orthos crossed my mind too, but then I thought about all the paperwork, new molds, x-rays...ugh. Plus, what if the new ortho has a totally different plan and sets me back even further? At this point, I'm just riding it out and hoping my teeth cooperate soon. Hang in there—at least we'll have great smiles by retirement age. 😅
"Honestly, I think they just say that to keep us from losing hope and running away screaming."
Haha, exactly my thoughts! My ortho kept promising "just a few more tweaks," and here I am, years later, still rocking elastics like they're the latest fashion trend. At this rate, I'll be flashing my perfect smile at bingo night. But hey, at least we're all in this together—misery loves company, right? Hang tight... retirement smiles incoming.
I feel this. My ortho kept saying "almost there" for months, and I finally got suspicious enough to get a second opinion. Turns out my original plan wasn't really working, and the new ortho suggested a different approach. Wish I'd done it sooner—would've saved me a lot of frustration (and elastics). Sometimes it's worth checking if you're stuck in a loop... just my two cents from someone who's been there.
Had a similar experience myself—my ortho kept reassuring me we were "on track," but after nearly two years, I started questioning things. Decided to get another opinion, and turns out my original treatment wasn't addressing the underlying jaw alignment properly. Switching strategies made a huge difference in both comfort and progress. Makes me wonder how often patients end up stuck in routines that aren't really effective... Glad you found clarity, too.
"Makes me wonder how often patients end up stuck in routines that aren't really effective..."
This resonates so much with me. I went through something similar with my underbite treatment. My orthodontist initially seemed confident that braces alone would fix everything, and I trusted the process for a good year and a half. But as months passed, I noticed minimal improvement in my bite alignment, and chewing was still uncomfortable. Honestly, it felt like we were just spinning our wheels.
Eventually, frustration got the better of me, and I decided to get another opinion from a different ortho. Turns out my jaw alignment was more complex than originally thought, and braces alone weren't going to cut it. The new orthodontist explained clearly why surgery or at least some additional appliances might be necessary to truly correct the underlying issue. It was a bit overwhelming at first—no one wants to hear "surgery" after investing so much time already—but it finally made sense why progress had stalled.
Switching strategies wasn't easy, but it made all the difference in terms of comfort and actual results. Within months of adjusting the approach, I could feel noticeable improvements in my bite and overall jaw comfort. It really opened my eyes to how important it is to advocate for yourself if something doesn't feel right.
I think sometimes orthodontists get stuck in their own routines or preferred methods without fully considering individual complexities. Not saying they're intentionally neglectful or anything—just that it's easy for them to rely on familiar treatments rather than reassessing when things aren't progressing as expected.
Glad you found clarity too; it's reassuring knowing others have navigated similar frustrations successfully.
