underbite & braces

[Guest guest]

for those with an underbite, was it possible for the dentist/ortho

to move back your lower jaw to the normal with his hands? The reason

being that I have a slight underbite that the ortho can move into

the correct position and has recommended that I opt for braces

rather than surgery to fix it permanently. I also prefer this

option, has anyone else gone through with a similar procedure?

thank you

[Guest guest]

My understanding is that braces alone do not correct underbites, as that

has to do with your jaws. Braces only correct your teeth.

wendy

Re: underbite & braces

Hi,

I have similar problem as you. When I 1st saw my ortho, I told my

ortho that I did not want to have the surgery, & my ortho had

suggested that braces may work, not to really correct the underbite

but to position teeth in such a way that they would meet more

properly. I went ahead with the suggestion, and after 2 years of

braces my bite seemed to have improved a little but my underbite

problem is not solved & I've later been referred to an oral surgeon.

I'm at pre-op stage, haven't decided whether to go for orthognathic

surgery or not. But according to the surgeon during consultations,

I need to have braces for another time if I were to have the op.

However, this would not have been the case had I decided to have the

op right from the beginning. This is because my newly-positioned

teeth will not fit at all without realigning them all over again at

post-op.

Perhaps, if you would like to opt for braces, it should be fine if

it is certain that braces alone are sufficient to correct your

underbite. As in my case, my ortho did not guarantee that my teeth

will turn out fine, but I took the risk.

In any event, your ortho should be able to advise you as to the best

options you have.

Cheers

[Guest guest]

My understanding is that the problem here is long-term retention. If

the ortho has enough room to match up the opposing bites, you get a

better chance of keeping the changes he has wrought. If not, it's

sort of a crap shoot. Perhaps retainers forever (which I'm in anyhow)

will solve the problem.

And yes, the positioning of the bite for surgery is different than

the positioning of the bite if you're not to have surgery, best I

know.

I can tell you that my surgeon, in the first interview, told me that

I had, at age 56, a legitimate option of having my ortho do the best

he could, and staying in retainers for the rest of my life. I told

him I didn't mind the retainers. But almost every dentist I talked

with (four out of five, in different specialties) suggested that

surgery was the best choice, to keep the changes. One was worried

that my tmj troubles might be aggravated by the surgery. I took the

majority opinion, and have not regretted it. Your choice may be

different, and that, too, is completely respectable.

I did have an overbite, not an underbite, which may make a major

difference. But I would encourage multiple opinions, and then suggest

that the choice is the patient's.

Cammie

> My understanding is that braces alone do not correct underbites, as

that

> has to do with your jaws. Braces only correct your teeth.

>

> wendy

>

> Re: underbite & braces

>

>

> Hi,

>

> I have similar problem as you. When I 1st saw my ortho, I told my

> ortho that I did not want to have the surgery, & my ortho had

> suggested that braces may work, not to really correct the underbite

> but to position teeth in such a way that they would meet more

> properly. I went ahead with the suggestion, and after 2 years of

> braces my bite seemed to have improved a little but my underbite

> problem is not solved & I've later been referred to an oral

surgeon.

> I'm at pre-op stage, haven't decided whether to go for orthognathic

> surgery or not. But according to the surgeon during consultations,

> I need to have braces for another time if I were to have the op.

> However, this would not have been the case had I decided to have

the

> op right from the beginning. This is because my newly-positioned

> teeth will not fit at all without realigning them all over again at

> post-op.

> Perhaps, if you would like to opt for braces, it should be fine if

> it is certain that braces alone are sufficient to correct your

> underbite. As in my case, my ortho did not guarantee that my teeth

> will turn out fine, but I took the risk.

> In any event, your ortho should be able to advise you as to the

best

> options you have.

>

> Cheers

>

>

>

>

>

>

>