My proper name is Andy and I live in West Yorkshire in the UK. I have had a problem with an anterior open bite (AOB) since I was about 11 years old, and this has got gradually worse through my teens until my current age of 29.
I have to admit that I stopped going to the dentist from about 21 to 28 because of a particularly nasty experience there where I believed my dentist was performing unnecessary treatment in an attempt to gain money. When I finally plucked up the courage to go back to a new dentist, she took one look in my mouth, asked me to bite together, and immediately referred me to the local hospital after measuring my AOB at 13mm!! In fact I can actually bite down on my fingers, and not actually touch them with my teeth!
Having an open bite of this size would obviously cause untold problems for someone who has never experienced it before. However after spending nearly 20 years like this, I have obviously found out how to work around most of the problems, (with the exception of speech because I apparently 'lisp' a bit).
I am supposedly coming to the end of phase I of the correction, and I have had braces on since the 16th August last year (good old silver ones), exactly 1 week after surgery to remove all 4 of my wisdom teeth, (which were all horizontally impacted). At my last appointment my orthodontist fitted me with a bridge wire with little hooks at the front, and told me he was 80% confident that this was the last wire he would be fitting before my surgery.
So that is where I stand at the moment. I have to go back for some impressions and photos in 5 weeks' time, and from there I am to be referred back to the joint clinic, (where all the facial surgeons have a good look at you and decide whether or not you are ready for surgery, or if further orthodontics is required first).
Obviously it is nice to see support and information forums like this on what is a bit of an unusual subject to most. I hope to become a regular face around here as I think it is a great idea to help support those who have genuine concerns much like myself.
Photos will follow as soon as I can master the art of snapping into a mirror!
