Metal Mouth Message Board

Am I right when I see your canines about point to point in your relaxed
bite ? Then it is almost what my better side looked like before braces. On
my right side, canines where point to point. On my left side my upper
canine was even more in class 2. I am just guessing here, but I think
reprox between your uppers, maybe all the way to your molars may be
sufficient to correct your overjet. Advantage is you do not need class 2
elastics for that, only a powerchain and maybe elastics from upper canines
to upper molars. Again, I am just guessing here. It is astonishing though
how much of my own bite I see in yours. And I too have a much better
occlusion when I bring my lower jaw forward.

But like jcdamon3 said, I too see very nice teeth when I look at your pics.
If only your ortho could now create a better bite ...

That stinks Chris Sorry that you got bad news. I hope it gets sorted out.

There's not much I can say apart from add my support to what everyone else has said. Hang in there

luv Lisa x

Hi Chris,

Nobody is going to argue that this must be a let down for you, but it presents an opportunity to solve a problem Anytime you are dealing with the human body there are no guarantees. You don't need to start thinking about extractions just yet, there are ways to correct this otherwise and you may simply compromise "an ideal" bite for one that is functional and stable. But you can cross that bridge when the time comes. Unfortunately treatment doesn't usually happen perfectly and roadblocks arise. But you deal with them when they appear and make the best of the situation.

What teeth are you missing? Just the lower right 2nd PM and 1st molar? Do you have all other teeth except 3rd molars?

Then I want you to go in front of the mirror and try something. Open your mouth wide and keep it open for a second. Relax and take a deep breath. Move your tongue to as far back as you can and touch the roof of your mouth with it (place the tongue right in the center of your palate as far back as you can go comfortably) and then relax your jaw and close. Keep your tongue there and slowly close until you feel your teeth touch. Does it look close to the picture where you are in Class II?

Also, why can you not use your 2nd molar for elastics? Is this pain something new? Or do you have a condition preventing this?

Let me know and hang in there.

Best,
Rory

Rory, ok I did your "tongue manuever" exercise. What I got was Photo #1, where I get this huge overbite and only the outside tip of the lower bicuspid hits the inside upper bicuspid.

Yes, gone are the 2nd Premolar and 1st Molar (right side only) and wisdom teeth, and the 2nd molar has been giving too much pain when engaged to the archwire and pressure. Its ok if I just leave it alone. Of course I can't eat on that side anyway. He tried to take off the molar band thinking he would try a lingual arch band (wish he used that earlier it might have lessened the stress on the tooth), but left it because it was too painful. The tooth has a deep filling and is tipped somewhat caused by the archwire. Pain came because of the stress of the archwire I"m sure of it.

My 1st premolar on that side is crowned and has been giving me pain throughout treatment and now its off the archwire as well. SOOOO, there is nothing left to attach an elastic to back there.

I have no idea what he is going to do. I think I left him speechless. I think he hopes that the 2nd molar "settles down" and then can attach the elastic. I'm NOT going for that idea! Reproxing the uppers is what I want if it can give me enough pull back and still allow my molars to touch (which they aren't much unless I slide my jaw to the left like when I had an elastic from upper molar to lower canine to correct midline).

Am I right when I see your canines about point to point in your relaxed bite ?
I am just guessing here, but I think reprox between your uppers, maybe all the way to your molars may be sufficient to correct your overjet. Advantage is you do not need class 2 elastics for that, only a powerchain and maybe elastics from upper canines to upper molars. Again, I am just guessing here. ...

Yes, your right. And I hope your "well educated" guess is right!
Whats different from your bite is I originally had a deep bite and they opened it up. Well, it opened up in the back as well.

Hi Chris,

Your exercise is showing your natural relaxed bite (actually really close to a position called Centric Relation). So you do have some work to do and often times a functional bite is different that the natural as you have seen. Sounds like you have a bit of a challenging setup in there. But your 2nd molar will eventually settle down enough to either go the arch route or use elastics.

I am currently in a similar situation going cusp to cusp but class III rather than class II. I do not plan or expect to correct it with anything other than elastics. Elastics don't always work, but i'll deal with that if needed.

Don't lose your patience when you have come this far. I personally would avoid more IPR unless there are no less invasive options (just my personal opinion). Give it a little time and you will achieve good results.

Best,
Rory