Re: New Member, interested in Advice/Opinions

[Guest guest]

Hi Gene,

You probably do have functional impairment, but only someone who

does more investigation can tell you so.

Not all orthodontists prepare their patients for surgical options.

Mine said he had to leave it open as a final option, but in the end,

he said my case was severe and it was required (I had

upper/lower/genio for overbite/overjet and retrognathic lower jaw 3

years ago).

My ortho also does a special kind of treatment using ALF lightwire

appliances and, in many cases, does not need to use fixed braces.

It really depends on which ortho you choose, and how severe your

condition is, whether or not you'd need to have surgery or not. I do

think there are orthos out there who will move teeth to be more

cosmetically pleasing but which will not do you benefit in the long

run. In other words, if you have a functional problem now, you'll

still have it later in life, and it may get worse.

More investigation in my case: an xray showed that one of my joints

was starting to wear down. The teeth (bite) had adapted pretty well,

according to my ortho, but it was certainly something that he could

help, and hopefully prevent from getting worse.

You need to find an ortho for an opinion, and possibly a surgeon,

depending on the ortho (or orthos) opinions.

Hope that helps,

> Hi folks,

>

> New member here. My name is Gene and I'm 25 years old.

>

> I have always had an underbite (class III malocclusion) but never

had

> any pain or functional impairments that I'm aware of. At the age

of

> 17, to see what cosmetic improvements were possible, my parents

and I

> went to an orthodontist and he did a full analysis of my bite.

>

> Briefly, here were (and are) the problems -

> 1) there is an underbite, probably not too severe (I'm able to

bring

> my teeth together so they at least touch)

> 2) the upper front teeth are angled up and away, to compensate for

> bad bite - don't look straight

> 3) when I bite, there's a little less space between upper/lower on

> the right side than on the left side

> 4) there is a gap between the front teeth

>

> I was told this would require surgery and extensive pre/op

treatment.

> Both I and my parents got scared by how invasive and complicated

the

> surgery would be, not to mention the risks, so... I did nothing.

>

> Fast forward 8 yrs - at the latest checkup, my dentist told

me " Gene,

> there's gotta be something than can be done about your teeth

without

> the extreme surgery option. " Being a dentist, he obviously noticed

> the shape/position of my teeth, but I've never in my entire life

had

> anyone point this out or ask about my bite, so people probably

don't

> notice this too much.

>

> So my question is, what are some non-invasive and relatively

simple

> options for making my teeth look better (closing gap +

straightening

> them) WITHOUT the bite change, given the above.

>

> As for the bite, is this really something you feel should be

> corrected? And are there any reasons why you feel it should be

> avoided, if possible? Look at Jay Leno or Bill Clinton, I'm sure

> those guys have underbites but they're celebrities. My problem

with

> some orthodontists is they try to hide the negatives of drastic

> surgery while accentuating the positives, when in fact the

negatives

> may outweigh the positives. in some cases.

>

> Questions/comments welcome.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

My name is Val and I'm 18. I'm about 2 months post op from a lower

jaw advancement. The surgery was completely optional, they only had

to move my jaw 5mm and my overbite wasn't really noticeable to anyone.

I decided to go for the surgery because of the risks of problems when

I get older. It is always possible that I would have been totally

fine without the surgery but I didn't want to take that chance. Being

young and having a really positive attitude really helped the recovery

process and I had no problems whatsoever. I'm really glad that I had

the surgery. So just know that even if the orthdonists can fix your

teeth so they look straight and close up gaps, they can't stop the

potential problems that can arise from bite problems. So, for me, I

thought surgery was worth it, and I would do it again. Even with no

current jaw related problems, no cosmetic problems, nothing. Hope

this helps, good luck with whatever option you choose.

Val

> Hi folks,

>

> New member here. My name is Gene and I'm 25 years old.

>

> I have always had an underbite (class III malocclusion) but never had

> any pain or functional impairments that I'm aware of. At the age of

> 17, to see what cosmetic improvements were possible, my parents and I

> went to an orthodontist and he did a full analysis of my bite.

>

> Briefly, here were (and are) the problems -

> 1) there is an underbite, probably not too severe (I'm able to bring

> my teeth together so they at least touch)

> 2) the upper front teeth are angled up and away, to compensate for

> bad bite - don't look straight

> 3) when I bite, there's a little less space between upper/lower on

> the right side than on the left side

> 4) there is a gap between the front teeth

>

> I was told this would require surgery and extensive pre/op treatment.

> Both I and my parents got scared by how invasive and complicated the

> surgery would be, not to mention the risks, so... I did nothing.

>

> Fast forward 8 yrs - at the latest checkup, my dentist told me " Gene,

> there's gotta be something than can be done about your teeth without

> the extreme surgery option. " Being a dentist, he obviously noticed

> the shape/position of my teeth, but I've never in my entire life had

> anyone point this out or ask about my bite, so people probably don't

> notice this too much.

>

> So my question is, what are some non-invasive and relatively simple

> options for making my teeth look better (closing gap + straightening

> them) WITHOUT the bite change, given the above.

>

> As for the bite, is this really something you feel should be

> corrected? And are there any reasons why you feel it should be

> avoided, if possible? Look at Jay Leno or Bill Clinton, I'm sure

> those guys have underbites but they're celebrities. My problem with

> some orthodontists is they try to hide the negatives of drastic

> surgery while accentuating the positives, when in fact the negatives

> may outweigh the positives. in some cases.

>

> Questions/comments welcome.

[Guest guest]

HI Gene,

I was born with a cleft lip and palate and my upper jaw stopped growing which

meant I needed the surgery I also had a class three III malocclusion too. I also

had a very small and flat nose due to my cleft.

I had my surgery May 2005 I had my upper jaw moved forwards, down and to the

side, my nose done and a bone graft. It was a major op but well worth it. I

still need more surgery but I am glad I went through with the surgery.

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Yes, there are things that can be done -- but surely your dentist

knows about them.

One is porcelain veneers - those can get rid of the gap, as can

orthodontia, I'd bet.

The problem may be, though, how well these procedures will serve you.

The veneers are expensive -- my docs want me to get them, but I

cannot afford the $$$$ they would cost, nor would I chose to spend

the funds we have available on something that's purely cosmetic. (I

don't condemn those who do; it's just that I'm pushing 60, and am not

so eager to look glamorous.)

One problem may be what eventually happens with your joints. I'm glad

you don't have trouble with them now, but how about the future?

Another may be the way your teeth are wearing.

And yet another may be whether you're able to keep the changes an

ortho or cosmetic surgeon makes, without having the surgery. Long-

term retention of the ortho changes (and the ability to decrease gum

disease) were the factors that made my mind up for me.

I had surgery that was probably different from what you'd have -- a

lower advancement, with a bit of sideways movement, was what my

surgeon did in 2005. I won't fib to you, even lower alone was a big

operation.

But for me, anyhow, I would not describe anything about it

as " drastic " except the general anesthesia. That's always something

to give thought to, and be sure you think the changes you'll get are

worth the risks. For me, they were.

It's completely reasonable to make whichever decision serves you

best. Just be sure you know all the factors to be considered, which

may take more than one consultation with more than one

dentist/surgeon/ortho.

Best,

Cammie

> Hi folks,

>

> New member here. My name is Gene and I'm 25 years old.

>

> I have always had an underbite (class III malocclusion) but never

had

> any pain or functional impairments that I'm aware of. At the age of

> 17, to see what cosmetic improvements were possible, my parents and

I

> went to an orthodontist and he did a full analysis of my bite.

>

> Briefly, here were (and are) the problems -

> 1) there is an underbite, probably not too severe (I'm able to

bring

> my teeth together so they at least touch)

> 2) the upper front teeth are angled up and away, to compensate for

> bad bite - don't look straight

> 3) when I bite, there's a little less space between upper/lower on

> the right side than on the left side

> 4) there is a gap between the front teeth

>

> I was told this would require surgery and extensive pre/op

treatment.

> Both I and my parents got scared by how invasive and complicated

the

> surgery would be, not to mention the risks, so... I did nothing.

>

> Fast forward 8 yrs - at the latest checkup, my dentist told

me " Gene,

> there's gotta be something than can be done about your teeth

without

> the extreme surgery option. " Being a dentist, he obviously noticed

> the shape/position of my teeth, but I've never in my entire life

had

> anyone point this out or ask about my bite, so people probably

don't

> notice this too much.

>

> So my question is, what are some non-invasive and relatively simple

> options for making my teeth look better (closing gap +

straightening

> them) WITHOUT the bite change, given the above.

>

> As for the bite, is this really something you feel should be

> corrected? And are there any reasons why you feel it should be

> avoided, if possible? Look at Jay Leno or Bill Clinton, I'm sure

> those guys have underbites but they're celebrities. My problem with

> some orthodontists is they try to hide the negatives of drastic

> surgery while accentuating the positives, when in fact the

negatives

> may outweigh the positives. in some cases.

>

> Questions/comments welcome.

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure what could be done that would be non-invasive. I also

have a Class III. I have know about this since my teens as well, but

did not have any problems (other than grinding my teeth at night) at

25. However, at 32 I am having a terrible time. I guess what I am

saying is that I wish I would have done the surgery before it got

this bad, but we never know if it will cause problems later. I think

this is a very personal choice, but the risk is well worth it to me

at this point. Good luck!

> Hi folks,

>

> New member here. My name is Gene and I'm 25 years old.

>

> I have always had an underbite (class III malocclusion) but never

had

> any pain or functional impairments that I'm aware of. At the age of

> 17, to see what cosmetic improvements were possible, my parents and

I

> went to an orthodontist and he did a full analysis of my bite.

>

> Briefly, here were (and are) the problems -

> 1) there is an underbite, probably not too severe (I'm able to

bring

> my teeth together so they at least touch)

> 2) the upper front teeth are angled up and away, to compensate for

> bad bite - don't look straight

> 3) when I bite, there's a little less space between upper/lower on

> the right side than on the left side

> 4) there is a gap between the front teeth

>

> I was told this would require surgery and extensive pre/op

treatment.

> Both I and my parents got scared by how invasive and complicated

the

> surgery would be, not to mention the risks, so... I did nothing.

>

> Fast forward 8 yrs - at the latest checkup, my dentist told

me " Gene,

> there's gotta be something than can be done about your teeth

without

> the extreme surgery option. " Being a dentist, he obviously noticed

> the shape/position of my teeth, but I've never in my entire life

had

> anyone point this out or ask about my bite, so people probably

don't

> notice this too much.

>

> So my question is, what are some non-invasive and relatively simple

> options for making my teeth look better (closing gap +

straightening

> them) WITHOUT the bite change, given the above.

>

> As for the bite, is this really something you feel should be

> corrected? And are there any reasons why you feel it should be

> avoided, if possible? Look at Jay Leno or Bill Clinton, I'm sure

> those guys have underbites but they're celebrities. My problem with

> some orthodontists is they try to hide the negatives of drastic

> surgery while accentuating the positives, when in fact the

negatives

> may outweigh the positives. in some cases.

>

> Questions/comments welcome.

[Guest guest]

Hey Gene,

I'm a new member too. I'm 39 with an underbite and also my lower

jaw is rotated or cocked some. I'm scheduled for surgery on Sept.

20th. My story started with grinding of the teeth which came and

went for years. The grinding wasn't severe, and I'm not a nervous

person. Around eight years ago, I started having bad headaches

and " aches " in my jaw. I had no idea what it was and never really

reported it to my doctor. I had never had braces. Over the years,

my headaches and jaw pain grew worse. I would get facial massages

and take anti inflammatories. My dentist fianlly recommended that I

go to the OD. Immediately upon examining me and doing xrays, he

recommended braces. He also sent me to a oral max.facial surgeon.

It was determined that the length of my mandible and the fact that

it is cocked, was contributing to my TMJ. Long story here....but, I

now have braces at 39 and am scheduled for surgery on 9/20. My pain

and escalated so much that there are days that I can't perform my

normal duties. I'm a stay home mom and there have been times that

I've had to call my husband home from work so that I could take pain

meds and go to bed with heat on my jaw. I was told by my surgeon

that as the years go by, it is probable that the severity of pain

and damage to the joint will only get worse. If you think of a hip

joint going out and not having it replaced, it makes since. I can't

speak for anyone but myself but I know that I have to try the

surgery. Eventhough it is not 100% proven to " cure " my jaw, it is

better than where I am now. I would hope that you maybe won't get

to the point I'm at and you won't have to make this decision. But

this is my journey to surgery. Thanks,

[Guest guest]

Wow! You're case sound so much like mine. I have severe grinding

though. My mother says that I have done this since early childhood.

I miss a couple of hours a week due to headaches. I can no longer

take anti-inflammatories and that makes it worse. Sometimes they are

just too severe to stay. I feel like I have to try this too. It's

really the only option I have left.

> Hey Gene,

> I'm a new member too. I'm 39 with an underbite and also my lower

> jaw is rotated or cocked some. I'm scheduled for surgery on Sept.

> 20th. My story started with grinding of the teeth which came and

> went for years. The grinding wasn't severe, and I'm not a nervous

> person. Around eight years ago, I started having bad headaches

> and " aches " in my jaw. I had no idea what it was and never really

> reported it to my doctor. I had never had braces. Over the years,

> my headaches and jaw pain grew worse. I would get facial massages

> and take anti inflammatories. My dentist fianlly recommended that

I

> go to the OD. Immediately upon examining me and doing xrays, he

> recommended braces. He also sent me to a oral max.facial surgeon.

> It was determined that the length of my mandible and the fact that

> it is cocked, was contributing to my TMJ. Long story here....but,

I

> now have braces at 39 and am scheduled for surgery on 9/20. My

pain

> and escalated so much that there are days that I can't perform my

> normal duties. I'm a stay home mom and there have been times that

> I've had to call my husband home from work so that I could take

pain

> meds and go to bed with heat on my jaw. I was told by my surgeon

> that as the years go by, it is probable that the severity of pain

> and damage to the joint will only get worse. If you think of a hip

> joint going out and not having it replaced, it makes since. I

can't

> speak for anyone but myself but I know that I have to try the

> surgery. Eventhough it is not 100% proven to " cure " my jaw, it is

> better than where I am now. I would hope that you maybe won't get

> to the point I'm at and you won't have to make this decision. But

> this is my journey to surgery. Thanks,