Is it me being sensitive or the Orthodontist is on commission?

[OnceUponACat]

DD 14 has finally got an appt with the NHS Ortho (after a long waiting list and being switched from old practice to new one).

Old Ortho (who she saw for a few years but did not start treatment with) was matter of fact forward and what you expect from an nhs orthodontist: busy, knowledged, to the point.

New one was sooo nice. Told us her opinion on treatment which differed from previous and gave us private and NHS option. All good so far, except that I felt that she clearly was selling and pushing for the Invisalign option. I left Saying we need to discuss it but felt completely sold until the fog cleared a few days later and started thinking it through. I felt like I had been in one of those double glazing door to door hard sell.
I also got an email that just mentioned in details the private options plus lots of leaflet. The NHS one, for which we went there was not mentioned although I had said we had to think about it - think £0 or £5k, hardly a spur of the moment buy.

Email went back and forth asking for NHS options too.

Eventually we went back for a meeting as I was confused re the two treatments and ortho did not want to discuss by email. Wanted to double check that it wasn’t one glorious option and the other a Teenage nightmare and to observe if she really was biased or if it was in my head.
She clearly was, although done so subtly that it would be hard to prove. She told us to let her know by Jan when there would be a invisalign discount anyway.
We went back and told her we would go with the NHS anyway. As expected but hoping I was wrong her attitude changed and went from super nice to basic and even passive aggressive, not being that helpful and continuing to make the nhs treatment sound awful and also possibly not working even thought she never said that about the private option which should have the same reults, making it sound DD would come come out with a smile Worth of Ross from friends.

Sorry for the length, anyway I now have lost all trust, have a bad feeling as the treatment itself seemed to be used against the easy peasy lemon squeezy Invisalign. (Worth noting that her previous Ortho had a different easier NHS plan and would not ever discussprivate treatment during an NHS appt).

Now, shall I stick with her AIBU or get a second opinion AINBU?

If the latter how do you go about getting an NHS second opinion? We went the private route but they all seem to want to sell you Invisalign so not reliable in terms of regular braces.

All I want to know is whether the horrendous treatment she is putting her through is really needed.

Block followed by braces makes a massive difference. I don’t see how Invisalign is comparable ? If NHS treatment is available I’d go with that, the NHS braces are fine and the reality is many teens now have them so DC are quite accepting of them and it’s seen as normal.

For those with questions re twin blocks my DC had 9mm to be corrected. Trim blocks fixed this in 6 months and widened the lower bite. Followed by 12 months of braces. The difference is amazing. DC was vvvvv diligent in keeping the twin block in even in the awful early days.

Great, I thought. only he then said he had run out of funding for NHS patients for the year and our only option was to pay privately I don't think that is how that works. Certainly didn't when I was in dentistry (nurse, and worked briefly in ortho)

I think the funds come in blocks but still not a reason to push the private. Mentioning the private is one thing, pushing it is different.

@celtiethree yes I can see the advantages of the twin blocks. It make perfect sense. It is the way they were sold compared to the invisalign, which after my extensive research would not work as good even with the blocks to bring jaw forward which also IMO and my daughter’s would make it as hard as the twin block. According to ortho, no: invisalign is a walk in the park. Even basic You tube videos and personal experience tell you that it isn’t.

I think I am going to go for a second NHS opinion and poss change practice as trust is def lost especially after the passive aggressive last session. Like DD said “it’s not great not to trust your dentist when you have to be with them for three years”.

Apologies for typos and mistakes - trying to do a million things at once, in anger too.

Thank you for all your advice. It is what I’d say to a friend. I wonder why we (me!) are so hard on ourselves, accepting things we do not like.

My two kids needed orthodontics for very different reasons. With DD, her need was fairly clearcut and although the orthodontist did say that funding was never guaranteed, she had a very strong case. Private treatment options were not mentioned in her case at all.

DS was a more borderline case, still needed, but not as clear as DD. The orthodontist did talk about treatment, but in a "well if you are not successful in getting NHS funding it will cost you X". But it would have been the SAME treatment. The same blocks and fixed braces.

Your ortho sounds very unprofessional, OP.

Pineapple, yes I think the fog has cleared in my head and I can now accept it. Sometimes the journey between seeing, believing, accepting and acting is the hardest part. (Don’t mean in a toospiritual way!) Clearly some issueS on my part as others would have sailed this doubts through.

DD has been a clear cut NHS case since she was 9.

The comparison would be going to the gp and her say I can refer to the hospital but... (all dreary) or you can come to my private clinic where... (all fab). With dentistry it seems less clear cut but it really is this.

Actually, in fairness, we didn’t get the Invisalign hard sell - on the basis that they just wouldn’t work for DD’s issue.
But there was only an example of the nice discreet white brace to look at and only a picture of the NHS metal ones - as part of a ‘what can go wrong’ leaflet so the teeth looked dreadful and consequently so did the brace.
I suppose our dilemma is what price to put on DD feeling better about herself for a couple of years - albeit realistically she’d probably stop noticing the metal version within a week anyway!
I hate making decisions!!

Sorry, bit of a derail. OP, my understanding was that Invisalign is really just cosmetic stuff so unlikely to be hardcore enough to fix a medical/more serious issue.
Everyone I know who’s needed braces has said they’re glad/wished they bit the bullet and done it properly. DB had Invisalign a few years ago and happened to mention recently that his teeth have relapsed quite a bit.
Totally anecdotal of course, no substitute for expert opinion but I’d be v dubious of up selling dentist with much to gain.

@wingardium8 I got exactly the same feeling when doing my own research. And like you I hate taking this important decisions. I am angry because I trust the “expert” implicitly especially when being on the NHS there should not be this conflict of interest. I’d have been more prepared if we had gone for a private consult - there younknow there may be an agenda. So when things like this happen they throw me completely off balance.
Like you I would pay if it meant save DD from hell and ridicule at school but somehow I did not think that would be the case. if it was the right treatment and if really was necessary. The fact that ortho pushed in front of a teenager the fabulousness of one treatment against the hell of the other was so unfair. If DD was less confident it would have def been a sale. She really went down the emotional sale. Wrong.

Anyway I woke up thinking I made it all up in my head and i was being a bitch until I re-read this so thank you.

DD suffers from scoliosis and so she has had to wear a back brace. When we went to the GP he did not at all suggest any high tech braces. He gave us the NHS options. We then went private through work insurance and the consultant suggested we try some high tech brace. We did and we have been pleased with the results BUT it was nothing to do with the NHS, the results may have been due to brace or not we will never know, it was clear to us all that we were going to a private clinic with all that ensues. Of course it is their business and they are trying to sell you extra stuff etc. Had no issues there as it is clear where everyone stand and they are pushing their product.
But here it is different, it is using the NHS contract to get customers through the door and get private sales. And it is done subtly and possibly unprofessionally.

Another issue with this whole thing is that in the borough I live in one company won the NHS Ortho contract so no more independent practices just a big one with branches that has the exclusivity of the market. Who owns them is a mystery and I have a feeling they have a lot to gain from selling Invisalign. But this is political Speculation I feel so we’ll leave it there.
So another second opinion is still going to be from the same company.

Anyway I’ll keep you updated.

My teeth are perfectly straight, no major concerns, however I have a narrow bite and want to widen my smile.

I went to a private orthodontist and their opinion was like yours - Invisalign is great for basic alterations like straightening teeth. He recommended braces for me (better for widening my smile, more scope to align the teeth in a more aesthetically pleasing way etc.)

So in your case she should go for braces instead as they are better suited to your daughter’s dental issues. Braces are functional for a wide range of concerns and can give more impressive results vs Invisalign if the issues are more complicated than simple teeth straightening.

A major selling point of Invisalign are the discreet clear retainers, so if this isn’t important I wouldn’t bother. Definitely see if you can change orthodontists.

Thank Rachel. All of this makes so much sense. Will def do. What a palaver really. As if one is not busy enough