Dr. John A Pavlo, DDS

As a parent, when you begin your path to find your child orthodontic care, you do not have the benefit of hindsight. I'm hopeful that this review can help provide a view with the benefit of hindsight. Stay away from Dr. Pavlo and other orthodontists that use the Damon system.   I encourage you to google the Damon system, you will find references to how the damon system offers an alternative approach to traditional orthodontic treatment. This approach promises faster results, less visits to the orthodontist, and more comfort. Does that sound like it’s too good to be true? Yes, it does and while it is true the reason this method is faster, requires less visits and is more comfortable is that the system is based on cosmetic changes not longer lasting structural changes. Structural changes that move the teeth and enable a solution that will last a lifetime cannot be done more quickly. While, I haven’t been able to find a study that looks at the movement of teeth over one’s life… after braces have been removed, I can tell you that my son’s teeth looked amazing after completing his treatment with Dr. Pavlo, but his teeth started to move back into their original position days after his braces were removed. Dr. Pavlo says this can be rectified if his patients want to wear a retainer for the rest of their lives. This is unacceptable.   Other orthodontists don’t agree with this approach and unfortunately my son is getting his braces for a second time. While the other two orthodontists I approached agreed with Dr. Pavlo’s written diagnosis, the orthodontist I chose is using a traditional orthodontic approach. My son started with a palate expander, yes this treatment is some kind of method based on medieval thumb screw design, but it works and you know that structural changes are happening to the palate as the maxillary arch is expanded in preparation for the installation of braces.   In my case the cost for both the braces treatment whether using the damon system or the traditional system was the same. So, in my case, we unfortunately paid $12,000 instead of $6,000, but hopefully this review will gives others a chance to learn from our mistake.

Worst experience of my life