Will my overbite ever improve?

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#1 Post by **tootsipink** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 7:33 pm

I'm about a year or so into my treatment my teeth are pretty straight, which is great, but my bite has worsened. Not only is my bite deeper but I also have an overjet and my lower jaw is pushed even further back, sort of like it's caged in by the upper arch. I hope that makes sense. Any one having the same experience? I'm hoping that it'll get better, and that this is just part of the process, but it's hard to keep the faith. Thanks for listening to my vent. Any input is appreciated!!!

#2 Post by **Teigyr** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:09 pm

Hi there -- will you be having surgery? I think not or else you would've said. I will be having surgery and I have the same problem you are having.

Have you spoken to your orthodontist? Maybe he/she is lining things up to move them to where they should be. I've heard that the overjet gets worse while other things are getting fixed.

#3 Post by **tootsipink** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 9:20 pm

Hi Teigyr, Thanks for your reply. No, I won't be having surgery. I started with a deep bite and was told by a few orthos before I started treatment that most likely surgery would not be neccesary. I have read that some patients are given an exaggerated overbite to accomodate surgical forward movement of the lower jaw. This may be why you are seeing more of an overbite. In my case, I don't know why there is so much forward movement. My ortho doesn't seem to like my questions on this matter and usually tells me that the arch is about where it should be and then drops the subject. Very frustrating!

I do hope you're right and this is just allowing movement elsewhere. One thing I have learned from all of this is, it is crucial to pick an ortho that very communicative. I had no idea how worrisome being left in the dark would be.

Good luck with your journey towards surgery. Years ago my friend had her lower mandible moved forward. She's looks gorgeous!

#4 Post by **Teigyr** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 9:36 pm

Tootsipink,

Thank you

I am not even aspiring to gorgeous, rather unswollen and finished with this whole ordeal. I always faked it by moving my jaw forward so nobody even knew it was as bad as it is.

Before braces, were your teeth tilting toward your cheek? Mine were and I didn't realize how much so until I saw the molds. I think the first priority was to try to bring them in and when that happened, the overbite seemed more pronounced.

I suppose there are a couple of different options. Is there a good tech person at your orthodontist's office? My ortho isn't the best communicator in the world but one of the technicians tended to tell me what she thought. Turns out, she was right. Another thing, I guess, is to just confront your orthodontist. You are paying him/her to do a service. If they say the arch is looking good, then ask about the overbite. I think there tends to be an intimidation factor in regards to those in authority (ie doctors) and really....it is your mouth and you are paying them. You could be polite but firm in wanting an answer.

How much longer will your treatment be??

Jane

#5 Post by **Chris** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:54 am

tootsipink wrote:I'm about a year or so into my treatment my teeth are pretty straight, which is great, but my bite has worsened. Not only is my bite deeper but I also have an overjet and my lower jaw is pushed even further back, sort of like it's caged in by the upper arch. I hope that makes sense. Any one having the same experience? I'm hoping that it'll get better, and that this is just part of the process, but it's hard to keep the faith. Thanks for listening to my vent. Any input is appreciated!!!

Same sort of thing here. My teeth were originally pushed in and I have a deep bite. I am almost at the 2 year mark and I have overjet and my lower jaw seems farther behind, bite not good. Ortho says all will be addressed with final elastics and power chains.

#6 Post by **tootsipink** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:51 pm

Hi Teigyr,
That's so funny that you faked it, too. I used to be able to move my lower jaw forward to camouflage my deep bite/recessed chin. Unfortunately, that's no longer possible, as my uppers are way out there! As for bottom teeth tilting, I don't think they were. I did, however, have top and bottom expanders in the beginning. That's when I noticed a huge difference, in a negative way. Basically, my uppers are considerably more expanded compared to my lowers and there was a lot of forward movement.
I plan on having a sit-down with my ortho about my concerns. In the meantime, I've set up a consult with another ortho to discuss my options. I know, how sneaky. Hopefully, this will ease my mind and/or give me a better understanding re: course of treatment. As for treatment length, I think I have another 12 months or so. Too long, if you ask me.
When are you scheduled for surgery? Are you going for mandibular advancement only?

#7 Post by **tootsipink** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:59 pm

Hi Chris, I'm hoping and praying that elastics and powerchains will do the trick. I wonder if moving my uppers would be possible, as the teeth in my upper arch are sitting tooth to tooth and there doesn't appear to be any spaces to close. Fingers are crossed. I do thank you for giving me a little hope

.

#8 Post by **pokergirl** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:24 pm

I also have a deep overbite. My ortho told me that if I didn't have surgery on my lower jaw to bring it forward that the braces would actually make my bite worse. I'll be in braces for a year, surgery after that, and then braces for another 3-6 months. I am also guilty of "faking it."

#9 Post by **Chris** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:24 pm

pokergirl wrote:I also have a deep overbite. My ortho told me that if I didn't have surgery on my lower jaw to bring it forward that the braces would actually make my bite worse. "

Wow...I never heard that! Mine told me, actually, all the consultations I had said that without surgery (and not all recommended it my case) that my bite would be improved but not 100%. Deep bites are difficult to correct everyone says.

Did you get other opinions about your situation and did they come to the same conclusion?

#10 Post by **Chris** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:27 pm

tootsipink wrote:Hi Chris, I'm hoping and praying that elastics and powerchains will do the trick. I wonder if moving my uppers would be possible, as the teeth in my upper arch are sitting tooth to tooth and there doesn't appear to be any spaces to close. Fingers are crossed. I do thank you for giving me a little hope .

Even if there is no space, they can do some "sanding" between the teeth and get some more room to move teeth. The ortho is going to do some sanding to get some gaps closed tighter...yeah, I know it sounds weird, but I have this one tooth that will have a nice triangle at the top and he says he will try to close as much as possible by (oh what do you call the technical term for "sanding"

#11 Post by **pokergirl** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 7:56 pm

Chris,

He told me that I had another option of having some teeth extracted but that it could possibly cause my face to look sunken in, which at the ripe 'ol age of 39.9, I don't need anything else looking sunken in. LOL! Anyway, he recommended that I have the surgery but was in no way pushing me toward it. He said that basically there was only so much in my case that braces could do. They could align my teeth but my bite would still be off significantly. My top teeth are fairly straight, but my bottom teeth are tilted out a little bit, and he said if the bottom teeth are straightened like they should be that my bite would look much worse.

#12 Post by **Chris** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 8:27 pm

Since your bottom teeth move outwards, is he bringing them inward or the top teeth outward more?

#13 Post by **pokergirl** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:14 pm

Chris,

From what I understand, he is planning on bringing the bottom teeth inward some. I go for my first adjustment and to be braced on my bottoms next week. I will definitely ask more questions this time instead of sitting there with the deer-in-the-headlight look.

#14 Post by **Chris** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:19 pm

Well, you have a different problem than me...I had my teeth leaning inward to begin with and had to have them flare outwards.

I know what you mean about asking questions...orthos as well as doctors can be intimidating. I always have a million questions, but he always has his hands in my mouth

, then he's off and running to the next patient while the assistant puts her hands in my mouth.

I've been tempted to bite down accidentally just to get a word in edgewise.

#15 Post by **tootsipink** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:28 pm

LOL, Chris! I've bitten my ortho once by accident. Or was it an accident?

Yep, I get rushed through, too. I think my bottoms will be flared forward as well. I can kind of see how flaring bottoms, at least in my case, could push the mandible back more, since my uppers push the bottoms back when I bite down. Might increase the prob if there more flaring or contact with uppers. Hope that makes sense.
I would absolutely go for sanding in between teeth to pull these uppers back. Definitely something that I'll ask about!

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Will my overbite ever improve?

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