Will braces improve my profile? (pics)

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#1 Post by **Yayme!** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 8:58 am

Hi!

I'm a class II division II malocclusion. My orthodontist wants to extract two upper premolars and put me in full braces. Will this improve my profile, or change it at all?

Thanks!

#2 Post by **dr.j** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:33 pm

1st I will say that your profile does not at all look like it needs improvement. I do not see where it could improve to. Upper extractions in the class 2 div 2 type do not often (but can) adversely affect the profile b/c the upper teeth are already "dumped in" on the lower teeth. I would think of talking to the doc about how it may detract from your profile not improve it. Protruded upper lips are helped by upper extractions - you do not have this.

dr.j

#3 Post by **Yayme!** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:47 pm

So in what way could extractions detract my profile? What would change? Is my lower jaw going to be further forward?

Thanks!

#4 Post by **johnnys_angel** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 5:41 pm

I think you have a very nice profile

#5 Post by **Yayme!** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 5:47 pm

Thanks!

I just noticed, I had put jojoba oil on my skin just before the pics were taken and it makes me look way oily, lol.

#6 Post by **Gable74** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:21 pm

I think you look lovely with your profile just the way it is. Did you take those pics your self? If so, well done! Looks like your trying to sneak a peek at where your holding the camera in the one shot....LOL. Thats tough to do. No improvement needed in my opinion.

#7 Post by **Yayme!** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 9:03 am

Hi Gable!

Yeah I took those myself

#8 Post by **dr.j** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 6:07 am

Do you exfoliate too? Just kidding!

Extractions of upper teeth can sometimes carry the upper lip back in response to this retraction. Your lower jaw would not come forward with treatment (there are some cases where this can happen...) unless you had jaw surgery to correct your bite. Like most Div. 2 patients, you probably have a nice soft tissue "chin button" to compensate for a mild degree of lower jaw deficiency. This is just an observation based on what we usually see on most Div 2 Causcasian patients.

Jojoba huh? That could have come in handy when my face looked like a Papa John's pizza in high school....

Still Bitter,

dr.j

#9 Post by **Yayme!** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 12:40 pm

Yeah I do exfoliate. Man I should have posted better pics LOL. But seriously, Jojoba oil is great!

Thanks again for the help, doc. I'll ask my orthodontist about that.

Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:40 pm

What is a chin button???

#11 Post by **MarkupNorth** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:20 am

I think I have what Dr.J mentions. My lower jaw does not come as far forward as it should but my chin is fleshy enough/sticks out forward enough to compensate for the lower jaw.

One question though, sorry for hijacking the thread

. I want my lower jaw to come slightly further forward, can elastics not help at all?

ps yayme: nothing at all wrong with your profile!

#12 Post by **olderchick** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:02 pm

I agree with the others - your profile is beautiful. Good luck with your treatment.

#13 Post by **Chris** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:38 pm

[quote="MarkupNorth"] I want my lower jaw to come slightly further forward, can elastics not help at all?
[quote]

I would think you need jaw surgery for that...is that correct, Dr J?

Yahme...your profile looks like mine...I went the non-extraction route because of that...but I have to admit, getting the bite perfect now is not possible. I think it would have been with the extraction though..but I'm second guessing. It was a tough choice to make for me. Look good, imperfect bite, look sunk in, better bite.

#14 Post by **dr.j** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 4:05 am

Elastics, you guys, are good "dento-alveloar" correctors meaning: they can move the teeth and the tooth bearing portion of the jaw bone, not really the body of the jaw bone itself. They are helpful for seating of the teeth in class I when a minor discrepancy is present. They have a tendency, while being worn, to trick the patient and doctor into thinking your jaw/bite is corrected. What is really happening is a muscular adaptation whereby one postures the lower jaw forward. This will relapse to a variable degree with the release from rubber bands. I have a rule that I do not remove braces for at least 3 months after elastics are discontinued to make sure I have not just created a postural bite i.e. a habitual occlusion in the patient. It really makes your stomach turn to have a patient's jaw drop back 5mm into class II when the braces are off and the patient wore retainers faithfully. The teeth stay straight, but the jaw joint was temporarily disarticulated and not stable. When this happens you see "the treatment plan has come full circle": It was a jaw surgery in the consultation and sure enough it's a jaw surgeyr after 2 years of braces.

dr.j

Will braces improve my profile? (pics)

Will braces improve my profile? (pics)

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