Looking for advice for open-bite

[Guest guest]

I'm 29yrs and I developed an anterior open-bite at 19yrs. Over past

ten years the gap had spread to about 3/8 of an inch. It's been a

going concern of mine for years and has driven me very self-

conscience because of it. So, I went to well-known oral surgeon in

the SNJ/Philly area to get an opinion on what could be done. He

suggested upper jaw surgery to correct this and initial orthodontic

treatment to align my bite.

I'm still very hesitate to proceed with this surgery. I want my bite

to be corrected, but I don't know if the surgery is worth it. My

medical insurance isn't an issue, but the pain and longtime effects

of having the surgery are. Has anyone here had this upper jaw

surgery to correct an open-bite and if you have was it worth all the

pain?

Thanks to anyone who has any good advice,

Denny

[Guest guest]

Five weeks ago I had upper surgery to correct an open bite. It was

not painful. Getting your braces tightened is much worse than

surgery pain. For me, having the surgery wasn't about, " Can I make

it through the six weeks of recovery? " It was more, " Can I make it

through the rest of my life with my jaw joints deteriorating or

getting arthritis because my open bite will slowly destroy them? "

If you wait until your joints have damage, the surgery becomes a

much worse and less able cure - meaning, once the joints go, this

particular surgery may not be enough to cure your pain and let you

eat again. There are plenty of others here who can tell you about

additional procedures they had or are having done to repair their

joints.

If pain and longterm effects are you only concern, I think that not

having it would be much more painful and long-term than having it.

As I said, it's not necessarily a painful surgery (there are some

here who disagree) and the longterm effects are mostly positive

ones. I think lasting numbness is one of the only common complaints

I've heard here - although there are a small percent of people who

have more pain than before. Ask your surgeon the chances of

longterm pain with surgery verses without, and see which is more

risky for you. In fact, go over with your surgeon ALL of the risks,

both if you have it and if you don't. The first three people to

tell me I needed surgery got a very firm NO. I wouldn't even

consider it. Then the OS very calmly explained what would happen to

me if my bite was not corrected. My no turned to a yes. That

initial emotional battle was harder than the surgery itself.

My surgery experience is in message 74976 if you want to read the

details. Many others here have posted theirs as well.

Kris

> I'm 29yrs and I developed an anterior open-bite at 19yrs. Over

past

> ten years the gap had spread to about 3/8 of an inch. It's been a

> going concern of mine for years and has driven me very self-

> conscience because of it. So, I went to well-known oral surgeon in

> the SNJ/Philly area to get an opinion on what could be done. He

> suggested upper jaw surgery to correct this and initial

orthodontic

> treatment to align my bite.

> I'm still very hesitate to proceed with this surgery. I want my

bite

> to be corrected, but I don't know if the surgery is worth it. My

> medical insurance isn't an issue, but the pain and longtime

effects

> of having the surgery are. Has anyone here had this upper jaw

> surgery to correct an open-bite and if you have was it worth all

the

> pain?

>

> Thanks to anyone who has any good advice,

> Denny