Waiting for growth to end

[Guest guest]

For whatever it may be worth... One of my colleagues has a daughter

(probably 16) who is in treatment with my own ortho and surgeon (both

of whom her family has also used several times before, with excellent

results). The daughter has been in braces for at least a couple of

years, I think, (having started out with our ortho telling her her

mouth was like " a train wreck -- she could swipe a credit card

through the front of her closed mouth, easily, without it touching

the " closed " front teeth) and the major part of the ortho work is

done. She still has her wizzies, which must be removed, but her mom

told me today that our ortho advises waiting for " several years " for

the orthognathic surgery, to be sure her growth is complete. Taking

the wizzies sooner, but not doing the surgery.

He told them that those late growth spurts don't happen often, but

they can. And that he'd rather take the braces off, put her in

retainers, and wait a few years to be sure. He had one male patient

who had the surgery, and then had a growth spurt at age 21, which

made it necessary to redo the surgery. Which he does not want for my

friend's child.

Cammie

> Thanks for the reply.

> I just realised how long it wil be till i have surgery on my jaw

(s?).

> I currently have retainer, as they removed my fixed braces as I

> wasnt old enough (then only 16), and now i have had my retainer for

a

> year, and will be getting the fixed braces back on sometime, and

then

> it will be another year or so to get my lower teeth in position for

> the surgery...... etc. etc. Oh well, I can wait, I will be starting

> uni in sept., although I did want the surgery done before that, but

> never mind. I wonder if could arrnage to watch a surgery of this

> type, since I am going to be doing a nursing degree?

>

> Oh another quick question has anyone ever had bridge put in before,

> because I am getting 2, (due to lacking cannines -long story), and

I

> wanted to know how the actually fix them, and if they work with

fixed

> braces? I am sure they must otherwise I wouldnt be getting them.

> Thanks,

>

[Guest guest]

I can vouch for this growth risk firsthand. When I was almost done

with my retainers (after 8 years of braces) at 19 or 20, the

orthodontist said I was borderline for jaw surgery. My younger

sister had already had it by that point. I flat refused to do it

after seeing my sister's process (it was lots worse 15 years ago).

My bottom jaw actually kept growing well into my mid/late 20s

(couldn't tell while it was happening but can tell looking at

pictures now). My surgeon said that if I'd had it when my first

ortho recommended it back in the 80s, I would have had to have it

again. The surgery (7 wks ago) wasn't as bad as I expected, but I'd

sure hate to have had it twice! I don't think those 20s growth

surges are predictable, but it sure pays to wait until you're sure

your growth has stopped.

> > Thanks for the reply.

> > I just realised how long it wil be till i have surgery on my jaw

> (s?).

> > I currently have retainer, as they removed my fixed braces as I

> > wasnt old enough (then only 16), and now i have had my retainer

for

> a

> > year, and will be getting the fixed braces back on sometime, and

> then

> > it will be another year or so to get my lower teeth in position

for

> > the surgery...... etc. etc. Oh well, I can wait, I will be

starting

> > uni in sept., although I did want the surgery done before that,

but

> > never mind. I wonder if could arrnage to watch a surgery of this

> > type, since I am going to be doing a nursing degree?

> >

> > Oh another quick question has anyone ever had bridge put in

before,

> > because I am getting 2, (due to lacking cannines -long story),

and

> I

> > wanted to know how the actually fix them, and if they work with

> fixed

> > braces? I am sure they must otherwise I wouldnt be getting them.

> > Thanks,

> >