Age 16, before braces or ANY orthodontic treatment. (I got braces a few months after this photo was taken) My concern was crowding. Braces and jaw surgery were recommended to align my face/bite better.
Age 19, braces removed. I decided against the jaw surgery since I was extremely happy with my ortho results, and I had a newborn baby. Didn't want to put myself through the potential agony of jaw surgery. I had had 2 lower wisdom teeth removed as well as a lower middle tooth.
Unfortunately, my bite was not stable and I lost my functional bite over the next 6 months. My retainer broke, and by the time it was replaced it no longer fit. I opted to be re-braced at age 21. This time the braces experience did not have the same effect as before, and I was increasingly concerned with the results. A year into braces I had NO functional bite, and my front teeth were flaring outwards. Here I am right before getting re-braced:
And here was my mouth two more years into braces, age 23:
As you can see, my results were NOT like before. My top teeth stuck out and I could no longer close my mouth! It also appears as though my arch has constricted inwards!! I was getting impatient because this time around I found that the quality of my teeth and gums were also deteriorating. Despite my oral hygiene being as good as always, regular cleanings, etc, my teeth were becoming increasingly sensitive and my gums inflamed.
The ortho said to address my "extruding" teeth, I had two options, jaw surgery, or he could extract two upper bicuspids. Not wanting to go the surgical route, I opted for the extractions, since he assured me it would only take 6 months to close the gaps and that the only potential 'negative' change would be that my upper lip wouldn't protrude as much and look a bit flatter. I figured that was better than not being able to close my mouth with my newly protruding teeth!! Sigh.
So here are my results 6 months after the 2 upper bicuspids were extracted:
as you can see, I can close my mouth again, but I've also lost all facial support. The skin sags around the mouth area, and because of the retraction of my upper teeth, my tongue no longer fits comfortably in my mouth, my lower jaw is retracted back, which restricts my airway so I can't breath properly anymore!! In the months following extraction I began to get tmj symptoms as well. Chewing is awkward. My ortho says his "hands are tied" now unless I get jaw surgery. I don't want jaw surgery unnecessarily, and I don't want to live with my decreased quality of life and health either. I am considering going to a better qualified ortho who will expand my palate and re-open the extraction sites for implants. ARGH. And he is in California, whereas I live in BC, Canada. I have already spent nearly 8 grand and the last 6 years in ortho treatment and I hate that I'm no better off than before. Actually, my health has deteriorated as a result of this last round of poor treatment.
