I'm new to this board, but I've been lurking around, looking at posts and trying to fit other answers to my questions. The atmosphere here is really nice
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I'm 19, with an open bite that I had for years (They appeared when I was about thirteen). I'm also African, and at the time there seemed to be more important things (understandably) for my parents than my front teeth that didn't seem to touch--quite frankly, I didn't pay much attention to it either. As far as I know, it didn't seem to bother me much physically. Now I'm in college (in the US) and I'm very self-conscious about it. My smile is horrible and looks fake
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
My question: where do I begin in treating my open bite? I'm a junior in college, with very little funds. My gap measures about 3-4mm in length. Is this really severe and in need of attention, or is it something that can wait until I graduate and get a job? I wish I could photograph my teeth so that you could see. I understand that the answers I recieve will not match medical advice, but there's nothing like hearing something from people who are also in this experience, and much more knowledgable than I am.