Bracing for braces

Can you imagine having to wear braces for nearly a dozen years? Well, that is what happened to Devin Bost, formerly of Eugene, who first got braces at the tender age of seven. He was forced to wear braces until he was eighteen. He now claims that having to wear braces for so many years cause his teeth to rot, and he is suing his orthodontist, Brad Chvatal, for just over $185,000.

Bost is now 22 and is represented by attorney David Hollander of Portland. Orthodontists generally see patients for about two years, and braces generally are not worn for longer than that. According to Hollander, Bost has accrued dental bills in excess of $35,000, and many of his teeth are completely rotten, and others must be removed and replaced with implants.

There are still some fuzzy areas to the story, however. Bost allegedly started seeing Dr. Chvatal in 1997, but Chvatal claims he did not get his orthodontist license until 2002. In addition, it is unclear how or why Bost had braces for so many years. The lawsuit seeks coverage for medical expenses as well as $150,000 for pain and suffering.

For more on this story, see this article.