Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi all,

I am about this start this journey. I have a class 3 underbite and it really gets to me - eating, grinding, lisp etc.

Am receiving orthodontic treatment privately (to avoid the NHS waiting list) and then surgery via the NHS. (Fortunately the orthodontist works for the NHS so he has good contact with a surgeon.

Anyway, aswell as carrying an underbite, my face is long because of my chin. The surgeon is operating on me to fix my bite (which is ultimately what I want) but I cant help think about what I will look like after? I know my side-view will change, with my chin being less prominent post-surgery (due to it being set back about 5-6mm, I'm told), but what about the front-view?

I was afraid to ask as he may think I'm in this for cosmetic reason (which I can promise I'm not), but I am intrigued as to how the appearance changes. As he stated, by fixing the bite, my profile will change.

So, by moving the jaw back (removing bone), my chin will have to move up a little, so that both jaw points can meet??? Am I going off on completely the wrong tangent here?

I've heard of several people on here who received lower jaw surgery (for underbite) and sliding genioplasty, which I understand can reduce chin size (and only the chin!)

I'm guessing that my surgeon wont do a sliding genioplasty on me, so the length of my face will stay the same?? Help, someone give me some advice! im too scared to ask my surgeon these questions, considering arranging a private appointment with another surgeon to literally just advice

Any advice is much appreciated! Thanks all.

Lower jaw surgery will not reduce the length of your face. The lower jaw can only move forward or backwards. The upper jaw can move forwards, backwards, up or down - which changes face length.

As far as I'm aware lower jaw surgery doesn't make much difference to the length of your face; although I think it can sometimes create a slight illusion than it does in more dramatic cases. I'm not completely sure though, I had double jaw surgery (interestingly I had my orthodontics on the NHS and my surgery privately, the opposite to you!).

Why don't you want to speak to your surgeon about it?

I did email my surgeon in the end as I wasnt entirely sure. He said that my face will look different from the front-view (i.e. the length) by moving the lower jaw back. Apparently there is this software which can accurately calculate what one will look like post-surgery - he said for me to wait for this and it will explain all!

I'm assuming the length of my face will change though, because my lower 'drops' considerably length ways and this causes me to have the underbite, as it comes out a little because of the extent of the length (Hope that makes sense!!??) My surgeon also mentioned that my lower jaw will be 'split' down the middle first? I didn't understand what he meant by this? Most vids etc. I have seen of post-surgery patients state that 'just the lower jaw bone(s) (each side) being removed' is enough to complete the surgery. Even the promotional surgery clinics' vids state this? Where does 'splitting the lower jaw down the middle (below the bottom lip) come into this!!!??

Anyone else has experience with JUST lower jaw surgery? Looks like I'm going to have pester my surgeon again for more information!

Any widening or narrowing of the lower jaw would be to improve the relationship your lower teeth make with your upper teeth. It isn't just the forward/backward movement that is of concern, but also how the teeth actually sit on top of one another.

Your orthodontics before surgery will try to move the teeth into the most optimal position, but sometimes there is still some widening/narrowing of one or both of your jaws required to ensure the relationship between the teeth are most optimal.