I think I know the answer to this, and didn't want to start a whole thread, but I'm wondering if it's rude or somehow not acceptable to schedule consultation appointments with two different orthodontists I am considering seeing.
I had braces as a kid, but some of my top teeth have shifted (largely because, like a little idiot, I didn't wear my retainer consistently or long enough post-braces). I had a dentist appointment this morning and finally decided to ask for a recommendation to an orthodontist to see what it would take to get my teeth straightened out again, and how much it would cost.
My dentist gave me two different names, both of whom are within a few miles of my house, accept my insurance, specifically advertise that they treat adults, and have more than one treatment option (depending upon what you need done). They also both offer a free initial consultation (which I imagine is the case for all orthodontists).
So it's not rude to set up consultations with both and decide which one to go with afterwards, right? I'm not even 100% sure that I will be having any orthodontic work done at this time anyway. My husband still needs to be convinced this is a good idea, based largely on the overall cost. And for that matter, since at least some of my motivation is cosmetic and I've lived with this particular flaw in my teeth for 15 years already, I still need to be convinced it's affordable right now.
I know I will be taking up an hour of each orthodontist's time (and creating at least some work for their respective staffs), but at the same time, they have so few differences on paper that it probably will come down to a decision about cost (if that's different) and personality or other similar considerations that would be impossible to assess except in person.