Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi everyone. I'm a 21-year-old college student about to start (nervously) my first foray into orthodontics. I didn't wear braces when I was younger and my teeth have always been reasonably straight but I developed a pretty big overbite and overjet, and my dentist says I need to get it treated. I have my first consultation appointment with an orthodontist today.

I'm really nervous about all of this obviously -- braces aren't exactly common in college and my dentist seemed to suggest that I am not going to be an easy case but I guess we will see what the orthodontist has to say in a few hours.

In the meantime, here are some pictures of my teeth now:






What do you guys think? Any thoughts/advice re: my teeth/overbite? I'll check back in here after my appointment.

Ali

Well, I'm back from the consultation. And I'm really freaking out. I should start off by saying that the orthodontist could not have been nicer and he spent an hour going over everything with me. My dentist had sent over my xrays and one of the assistants took pictures of my mouth when I got there so he was able to point specific things that are wrong with my teeth out to me.

As you can see in the pictures, I have an overbite and overjet. The ortho referred to this as a Class 2 with a deep overbite and retruded jaw and explained that this is very hard to fix in adults. He started talking about jaw surgery to push forward my lower jaw or extractions of my top teeth but I really do not want either of these! Then he said that if I was willing to wear fixed braces (he said I'm not a candidate for Invisalign) for 24-30 months with a headgear and rubberbands, he could probably get a pretty good result. But I'm in college and the idea of having to wear headgear just really upsets me and I don't know what to do. I didn't even know that adults wore headgear.

Oh well... If anyone has any kind of advice for me (either with a similar diagnosis or wearing headgear or braces in college), PLEASE I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

Hey Ali--I started with a 10mm overjet 7 months ago and now it's down to 4mm! To me, you don't even look like you have too much of one...but, of course, I'm not an ortho! If your ortho is thinking headgear, then I would take a look on the internet at the Forsus appliance. It's not archaic like headgear is for adults. Maybe you need to get a younger ortho who knows about these things...

I dreaded almost having to have the Forsus, but I wouldn't even consider headgear in public as an adult. No way, no how...I just would have walked away from braces...really...

Call around and see if anyone in your area uses the Forsus appliance. As much as I would not have liked it, I still would have had the Forsus...Instead I have had some pretty heavy duty rubber bands since the beginning--and they have worked wonders...

Anyway, I think your teeth look pretty good, I really do. But again, I'm not an ortho..

I don't think I would wore a headger either. To me, braces alone are traumatizing enough.
From the pictures, you do have an overbite and overjet and class II, but it does not look very bad to me. I have seen worse cases being fixed (removing teeth, elastics and/or Forsus with bite plane). Try to look around for another opinion. While you might not be able to avoid teeth removal, avoiding headger is very possible. Good luck!

I agree

[quote="ArchWired28"]I don't think I would wore a headger either. To me, braces alone are traumatizing enough.
From the pictures, you do have an overbite and overjet and class II, but it does not look very bad to me. I have seen worse cases being fixed (removing teeth, elastics and/or Forsus with bite plane). Try to look around for another opinion. While you might not be able to avoid teeth removal, avoiding headger is very possible. Good luck![/quote]

Ali - Sorry to jump on your thread but it is very apt as I seem to be in a similar boat (although 10 years older). I am new to Archwired and know nothing about about orthodontics but seem soon to be learning as my dentist referered me to an orthodontist and I have now this week had my preliminary examination with multiple x-rays (I am suprised I am not glowing now).
I am glad I have found this site to get some information. I require compehensive treatment to fix my bite as my teeth don't meet properly (my molars wouldn't properly hold the x-ray attachment they put in your mouth and tell you to bite on). My teeth are also crowded (cannot post a picture yet as i am new) and my jaw pops. Any comments or advise from readers would be appreciated.

Hi Ali,

You don't look like you need any extractions to me. You have no crowding in your top arch, so why remove any teeth. It sounds like they intend to remove upper teeth and pull back your upper front teeth to reduce your overjet, but you will still have a retruded lower jaw.
It would be better to find an orthodontist who uses arch expansion instead of extraction which would help bring your lower jaw forward with orthodontics. A Functional orthodontist would do that method of treatment.