Hope this may help...

Really sorry about your bad experience. As a general dentist practicing in California, I'd like to make a few comments:

1. Don't go to that dentist again. The dentist you had was not competent. Move on to another general dentist or orthodontist, and frankly at this stage, only a good orthodontist may be helpful.

2. Send a registered written request to the dentist for a copy of your patient chart, and the dentist has to honor that within two weeks although you may be charged a nominal copying fee about $5-20. I don't know where you are and every state is different, but it's against the law if no respose after two weeks in California.

3. The records and some expert witness, ie. second opinions from your new dentists, may not give you much money but should be enough for a nice retreatment and later a nice and more confident smile!

Good luck :-)