A good smile can make all the difference.

[yeahyeahyeah]

I am 26, and I thought I'd share this. I have an anterior open bite, with jaw assymetry, and a cross bite.

I have undergone SARPE already to fix the cross bite; I am just now waiting to fix my open bite.

During this time, it has been an absolutely ROLLERCOASTER. I have for example never been able to smile with my teeth showing until recently. And god, when I had SARPE I had that

My teeth are now perfectly straight, and I am at the final stretch of my journey.

I was out on saturday night, and I was smiling with my teeth A LOT. I found that both sexes were friendlier towards me. There was even one point that when being on the dancefloor at another club; a guy was like "you are the most serious dude on the dancefloor. Then I started smiling with my teeth, he was then like, you look happier 5 mins later.

Made me at that moment realise how teeth can knock 1 or 2 points up the attraction scale, and how we are unlucky to have bad bites!!!

Anyway, from not being able to do this for years and years. this is just a revelation I had. Has anyone else noticed this after their teeth etc gets fixed?

How have peoples perception of you changed?

[treevernal]

I have not yet had surgery but I think you are on the ball. I get asked frequently by family/friends why I look depressed/upset/angry when I am none of those things. My relaxed face just sometimes looks that way as my soft-tissues (lips/cheeks/chin) are not adequately supported by my jaws/teeth. It's really annoying actually, and I am beginning to wonder if I am off-putting to people (though I've never had a tough time making friends for what it's worth).

Despite all of the positive outcomes that this usrgery will provide to me, my parents/family do not support it at all. They think it's unnecessary and risky and it really sucks not to have their support.

Lol, not that you cared to hear that last part! I just needed to vent!

[openbitedan]

hi all,its great some one should post this,i thought i was just misirable looking fella lol,when i used to out drinking/raveing,people some times said "cheerup"," you look like your in a funeral"lol ,it can put quit a dampner on your night when you are haveing a good time,i have a long faced syndrome and a 10mm open bite to top it off,saying that iv not done to bad with the ladys over the years LOL .

[exze]

I have not yet had surgery but I think you are on the ball. I get asked frequently by family/friends why I look depressed/upset/angry when I am none of those things. My relaxed face just sometimes looks that way as my soft-tissues (lips/cheeks/chin) are not adequately supported by my jaws/teeth. It's really annoying actually, and I am beginning to wonder if I am off-putting to people (though I've never had a tough time making friends for what it's worth).

Despite all of the positive outcomes that this usrgery will provide to me, my parents/family do not support it at all. They think it's unnecessary and risky and it really sucks not to have their support.

Lol, not that you cared to hear that last part! I just needed to vent!

I can relate to this. When relaxed, it looks like I'm putting effort into frowning as there's hardly any structure for the skin to rest upon. You seem to have coped with it well, though (better than me at least). I actually had the chance to have orthognathic surgery when I had braces (insurance would have covered it too), but my parents convinced me not to do it. Braces were a huge disappointment as the ortho just curved my upper teeth back to meet the lower ones. Years later my overbite is just as bad as it used to be, teeth are crowding, etc. After shaving my facial hair and showing them just how recessed my jaw/chin is, they now support me getting the surgery. Too bad I can no longer afford it!

[yeahyeahyeah]

I have not yet had surgery but I think you are on the ball. I get asked frequently by family/friends why I look depressed/upset/angry when I am none of those things. My relaxed face just sometimes looks that way as my soft-tissues (lips/cheeks/chin) are not adequately supported by my jaws/teeth. It's really annoying actually, and I am beginning to wonder if I am off-putting to people (though I've never had a tough time making friends for what it's worth).

Despite all of the positive outcomes that this usrgery will provide to me, my parents/family do not support it at all. They think it's unnecessary and risky and it really sucks not to have their support.

Lol, not that you cared to hear that last part! I just needed to vent!

I can relate to this. When relaxed, it looks like I'm putting effort into frowning as there's hardly any structure for the skin to rest upon. You seem to have coped with it well, though (better than me at least). I actually had the chance to have orthognathic surgery when I had braces (insurance would have covered it too), but my parents convinced me not to do it. Braces were a huge disappointment as the ortho just curved my upper teeth back to meet the lower ones. Years later my overbite is just as bad as it used to be, teeth are crowding, etc. After shaving my facial hair and showing them just how recessed my jaw/chin is, they now support me getting the surgery. Too bad I can no longer afford it!

Just to give everybody an update, my final jaw surgery to correct my open bite/jaw assymetry is in 10 days time.

It feels like the LONGEST wait ever. But so glad its nearly done