Metal Mouth Message Board

I've booked a new appointment with another ortho for a few weeks time.

So, from posts i've read, some people (adults) have perfectly straight teeth, but have a severe overbite.
In that situation, i'm confused as to how braces would help. i.e - the mechanics of it.

I feel like I need my jaw sort of 'rotated' slighty and also slightly moved forward - something i'm assuming
braces alone can't do in adults.

I would just wait and see what another ortho says before you get too concerned about that. If the one ortho didn't seem to think your overbite was too terrible, it's probably not.

just back from another consultation with a different ortho.

Similar story.
My jaw issue is not bad enough to warrant orthagnathic surgery in his opinion. He thinks most surgeons wouldn't even treat me.

Again, though. Deep bite and cross bite. Teeth getting worn down slightly.

Braces would fix most of my issues, but he said that he couldn't promise that it would help my appearance issues that I am concerned about.
At least he could see what I meant, though. (which made a nice change.)
He could see that from looking at my face, my upper jaw didn't seem to support the underlying facial tissues which
makes my face look a little chubby/heavy. So the corners of my mouth point down like i'm sad.

He said braces COULD help this issue, although it wouldn't be the sort of thing that he'd be comfortable promising/

Much like my previous visit, I'm a little lost.

If anyone has any thoughts, I'm all ears.

...

I think braces do help change faces in most cases. I've seen a lot of people who have gone through orthodontics and their face looks different. I know mine has changed. It probably depends on the case though, so that ortho doesn't want you to get mad if that doesn't happen.
No one really knows what their result will exactly be until they go through the process. And no, I'm not saying to just jump right in. Clearly you have more questions you want answered about your treatment and it's results and unfortunately the only way you'll get those is by talking to an orthodontist. No one on here can really help. Nor can we pick what plan you should go with.
It sounds like both orthos you went to think you don't need surgery though, and they're the experts. I'd choose to trust them on that.
You can always go to more orthodontist consultations though. Or choose to see a surgeon and see what their opinion on the matter is.

Featheryy1221 wrote:I think braces do help change faces in most cases. I've seen a lot of people who have gone through orthodontics and their face looks different. I know mine has changed. It probably depends on the case though, so that ortho doesn't want you to get mad if that doesn't happen.
No one really knows what their result will exactly be until they go through the process. And no, I'm not saying to just jump right in. Clearly you have more questions you want answered about your treatment and it's results and unfortunately the only way you'll get those is by talking to an orthodontist. No one on here can really help. Nor can we pick what plan you should go with.
It sounds like both orthos you went to think you don't need surgery though, and they're the experts. I'd choose to trust them on that.
You can always go to more orthodontist consultations though. Or choose to see a surgeon and see what their opinion on the matter is.

Thanks for replying!
Yes you're right, I have seen 2 orthos now and still haven't really got the answers I feel I need.
I think maybe, I need to see a maxilofacial surgeon as opposed to an ortho.
The orthos both said they could fix my bite and that surgery wasn't necessary, but the 2nd ortho did admit that he could
see my concern with the lack of support that my cheeks were receiveing- giving me an undefined heavy look.
(I was actually glad to hear this, as despite it hurting to hear, it stopped me thinking I was going mad)

It's encouraging that you think that braces along can help change the face. I've heard this from others, too. (although I still fail to see how tipping the teeth slightly forward to get rid of the overbite and straightening the teeth will give my cheeks more support)

I likely need even more consultations, but for now my thinking is either going for braces, or maybe trying to get an appointment with a maxilofacial surgeon in London who specialize in asthetics to see what they think (guess it makes sense to do that first)

I know that nobody can give me definites, but I was hoping to hear from others who could strongly relate as I assumed (wrongly?) that this was not an unusual query.

cheers

I don't know if this helps, but I have seen several orthodontists over the years, and they have all said that I need surgery. I have a skeletal classIII malocclusion that has resulted in mostly an open bite and crossbite. If someone is saying you don't need it, I would opt for braces only. It is not an easy thing to go through, and if I had another option that would actually fix my bite, I would be going for it.

kpw818 wrote:I don't know if this helps, but I have seen several orthodontists over the years, and they have all said that I need surgery. I have a skeletal classIII malocclusion that has resulted in mostly an open bite and crossbite. If someone is saying you don't need it, I would opt for braces only. It is not an easy thing to go through, and if I had another option that would actually fix my bite, I would be going for it.

Another One of the reasons that I think my jaw is too far back, is because of a deep labiomentaL fold, which is made worse when I close my lips (lip strain?)
I read a medical paper that indicated that this is a strong indication of retrognathia.

Still, like you say, no ortho has told me that I need this, yet.

I'm looking into something called DNA appliance and something else called homeoblock at the moment.
I think that expanding the pallet would straighten my teeth somewhat and give me a wider looking smile.

Not easy to find people close to me here in the UK though, unfortunately.

I'd be interested to hear views on these appliances (especially from anyone who has one and is in the uk)

Our new orthodontist uses a Swartz appliance for palate expansion and is trying to close my sons severe, wide, open anterior bite. He will use this combined with myofunctional therapy to correct his tongue thrust. He has a speech person/ myofunctional therapist there in the office who will work with noah at the office and on skype when we are at home. They also use an appliance called a myobrace which helps control the tongue thrust and encourage him to breath through his nose. He will be in the palate expander for 9 months before they start therapy and put on reugular braces. We are hoping the pallate expander will help him breath easier through his nose. If you google kent lauson you can see his method. He has a book also.

oh and also, we have been told since he was a little guy that he needs surgery. He still might, but giving it a shot that he wont while still preparing his teeth for if he does.

kpw818 wrote:
I don't know if this helps, but I have seen several orthodontists over the years, and they have all said that I need surgery. I have a skeletal classIII malocclusion that has resulted in mostly an open bite and crossbite. If someone is saying you don't need it, I would opt for braces only. It is not an easy thing to go through, and if I had another option that would actually fix my bite, I would be going for it.


Lauson in Denver has a case study in one of his books of a 30 some year old female with a class 3 that they fixed orthodontically. Noah's jaw started out as a class 3 and lengthened and became a severe open bite. I am taking him all of the way out there on the chance that he wont have to have surgery. It will be a long process though.