I live in Los Angeles. For 2 years, I searched for an orthodontist for my son. I went to 2 in Santa…read moreMonica and 1 in Pacific Palisades.
The doctor in Santa Monica, told me that he would have to wear two very painful ( yes he even said the word painful) brackets on his back molars, with rubber bands to move his jaw forward, before he could even put braces on.... at the time, my son was just about to turn 11 and had not even gotten his 12 year molars! The other very very well known doctor in Pacific Palisades whom "everyone, who is anyone" goes to...meaning every star and want to be star in Los Angeles, told me, that my son would need surgery. He would wear braces, and then when he was finished growing, by age of 20 he would perform a very minimal surgery to move his jaw forward...and "make it grow bone." ( yes the doctor would have to be paid for a surgery he would perform, after the braces, and he would make his jaw grow, to compensate for the bite issue ) All my son had to hear was painful, and surgery and he was scared to death, to say the least. I opted for the second doctor, not because my son wanted to be a star, but because everyone else in Los Angeles was going to him. 9 thousand dollars later, not only did my son never wear braces, but we were in the same position for 2 years!! Meaning, nothing had changed. I told the doctor, please put braces on him, he will not wear invisalign, but the doctor would come in, and look at me, and look at my son, and say..." oh come on ol chap..!! you can do it...can't you?!" You do not really want to have braces on...right?! Now my son is 13 and we have been going back and forth with this doctor, who is very pleasant and charming, but not listening to me that my son will not wear the invisalign..I'm like come on, I can barely get him to remember to pack everything in his bag for school in the morning, let alone try to get him to wear these things. The last time we saw this doctor was in August. Now, the situation has changed. He listened to me, that my son will not wear the invisalign. (yay!!) But he states, let's give this other method a whirl....meaning wear a bionater....for those who do not know what this prehistoric device is....it is a type of retainer you put in your mouth and it has a key...to expand your bite. After doing this, then he would go back to the invisalign, and yep....need surgery to correct his jaw at age 20!!!
I had had it. Literally, at my wits end. My parents, live in the valley, and recommended Dr. Boese. Dr. Lee got us in literally the same week. He had requested all of the x rays from the doctor in the Palisades, and went over them thoroughly. He even walked me through all of them step by step. He said, I do not know why this doctor is making this a surgical case. It is not a surgical case, it is straight forward. This was the end of September 2019. We drive up, 400 miles to see Dr. Lee once a month, for him to change out his wire, etc, etc,. On our last visit, Dr. Lee said that not only would my son's braces be coming off in May, he would not need the surgery the other doctor kept telling me about. My son, is wearing good old fashioned braces. Not a prehistoric device to set up for a surgery he would never need. Dr. Lee and his staff are impeccable. The office is beautiful. I cannot stress, how nice and compassionate everyone is that works there...Dr. Lee, consistently takes time with him and me, and answers all of our questions. I cannot believe that living in Los Angeles, (home of the Hollywood elite) that there was not a competent doctor to help us., Instead I would have to drive 400 miles to get Elite Orthodontics..from a star doctor. Seriously, it is worth it, and there is nothing like peace of mind, knowing that your child will have a beautiful smile, and not be out thousands of dollars later in life, for a surgery he would not need!! In my opinion the best orthodontist is in the valley,( no not that valley!) the San Joaquin Valley. Please go see Dr. Lee Boese, and you will not be disappointed.
proud mom
Kimberly