Boy’s Teeth Rotted After Braces Kept On For 11 Years
How long did your kid have braces?
Two days ago, my kids went for a regular dental check-up to a new dentist. They had a cleaning and x-rays and then the dentist came in and loudly proclaimed that my son “has issues.” Being a worst case scenario thinker, I immediately thought, Lord I should have never let him have candy…ever, now he probably has 25 cavities, when the dentist grilled me on why his front top tooth isn’t in yet. It fell out a few months ago and it’s taking a little while to come in, as his baby teeth are getting loose and falling out around it. Why didn’t our last dentist catch that? he asked. I explained that the tooth hadn’t fallen out at the last visit. But he was very annoyed at this and declared that the baby teeth have to be pulled and if the top tooth does not emerge within two months, then oral surgery will be required to cut open the tooth and let it drop down. I asked what happened to nature taking its course, to which I got a huffy reply and a dirty look. You can probably imagine I won’t be going back to that dentist. His bedside manner was pathetic.
As I’ve found out over the years raising three kids, some doctors and dentists are just awful and you can’t always take their advice, especially when they suggest something that immediately sounds or feels wacky, say, for example, like leaving braces on a child for 11 years!
That’s what a 22-year-old man says happened to him and it caused his teeth to rot. The New York Daily News reports that Devin Bost, of Portland, Oregon, is now “suing his orthodontist for nearly $200,000 for leaving his braces on for 11 years, leading to irreversible tooth rot.”
Bost’s lawyer said when he was 18 years old, he received an urgent call from Dr. Brad Chvatal’s office saying he had to come in and have his braces removed ASAP. He also says that although Bost had not gone to the office as much as he should have, he did regularly go to office visits over the years and the ortho never told him the braces had to be removed.
Dr. Chvatal says the case was very “complicated” and he did the best he could.
Where were Bost’s parents in the mix? I’d think 11 years of braces would raise a red flag for most parents, but without any information on them, we can’t really speculate.
Bost is now suing the doc for $150,000 and over $30,000 to cover costs of oral surgery.
Image: iStock
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Your dentist sounds like a real dick. I know it took my 12 year old’s canine several years to erupt, and while the situation was monitored via X-rays, there was no hysteria. I sure as hell wouldn’t subject my kid to unneeded dental surgery. As for the other situation, sorry, that guy sounds like he’s full of it. His own negligence and lack compliance likely led to his problems and now the rest of society will have to pay via higher malpractice insurance premiums. When my daughter had braces, there was never a time when we went more than 4-6 weeks between visits and they were constantly on her to brush properly, floss, and use proxy brushes. It’s not rocket science. You can’t make someone show up.
Thanks Linda. I’m not doing anything further with my son’s tooth for the time being (other than looking for a new dentist).Yes, my daughter had braces, too, and like clockwork, we went to the ortho once a month, sounds like negligence on both sides.
I don’t think he went once a month with his dentist.
I had braces for 12 years, Yup, 12 entire years and I didn’t had any rotten tooth when they pulled them out.
I won’t get into details of my procedure since it is still quite painful and the bullying from junior high still haunts me. but I went every single month to my dentist’s appointment.
Your dentist sounds very money hungry and I’m glad you’re not sending your child back. If your dentist starts trying to get you to pay for multiple, very expensive procedures for something that seems unreasonable, trust your gut and don’t go back, or at LEAST to another doctor for a second opinion. Sadly, there are some dentists that try and take advantage every chance they get.
@Mints Sorry to hear about your experience- 12 years is such a long time! Your story does show that it’s possible to keep braces on a very long time and keep your teeth heathy.
@Sanriobaby That’s exactly what my mother said when I told her the story, she said it was all about money. I am a firm believer in listening to your gut every single time you make decisions, especially about
your children. Thanks for the comment.