Braces to correct an open bite

[Anna5]

Hello!

I got my braces on the 11 th of March. I am almost 40 years old and I have an open bite, unilateral crossbite, a misaligned jaw and many misaligned teeth. The ortho recommended surgery for me, but I declined this. He is now trying to improve my bite just with braces, and I hope it will work!
Here are my pics before braces, the day I got my braces and today, after 6 weeks (and one adjustment on week 5).
You see, my bite with braces on even looks worse than before braces (due to the elevators/pads they put on my molars), but I do see some improvement after 6 weeks already. I still wonder whether the ortho will be able to correct my bite without surgery, but I think I should be patient now and see how the braces will work out.
I'd like to share my jouney with you and hear your (similar) journeys as well. I will keep you updated!

Greetings from Anna

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Nice improvement I just got mine off, if you need any tips or help let me know

[Anna5]

Thanks!
I am happy that you got your braces off, bracedsurgerystudent, congratulations! Are you happy with the end result?
I am still wondering whether braces would fix my problem to my satisfaction, or that I could better have surgery. What do you think?

[NeilH]

Hi, it looks like your teeth are starting to line up nicely. It's so useful taking and comparing photos as it is so difficult to see the small but significant changes taking place.

[Anna5]

Thanks for your encouragement! It is indeed encouraging to see some progress!

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Thanks, at first I wasn't perfectly happy, just happy that it was better, but I kept picking out the imperfections until my boyfriend picked out all the PERFECTIONS. <3 I would have had a much better result with surgery but I for went it. It was too expensive at the time and I didn't have a good enough support system to handle it. But everyone loves my teeth now instead of making fun of them so that's good enough to make me love them <3 The attached picture is of me and my new smile

[Anna5]

I too love your teeth, bracedsurgerystudent! I can't see the imperfections. Like your boyfriend, I just think you look amazing now. Congratulations!!!

[Anna5]

Here again a progress picture after 11 weeks, you see my open bite is closing quite a bit already!

[catphones]

They're moving really nicely! I like your progress pics

[Anna5]

Thank you for your encouragement, catphones.
I wish you very good luck with your treatment, I will definitely follow your progress as well!

[SunshineRay]

Great progress!

[Anna5]

Thanks!

[Anna5]

I am very happy with my progress, but I still doubt whether braces alone can fix this. My jaws are still so assymmetric. I feel very insecure about this. My upper jaw is also a bit too narrow.
I was proposed surgery (SAPRE and upper jaw surgery), but I refused and just got braces. But now I sometimes doubt whether I could better have surgery....
I talked with my ortho about it, but he first wants to straighten my teeth now and then by the end of the year, see what else may be needed to get done.
It is bad but I can't help obsessing about it. But for now I have no choice but to wait how the braces will work out..... Hopefully they can do wonders! What do you think???

[Anna5]

And here is my smile after having been in braces for 7 months. I think there is already a lot of progress, but also still tons of work to do. What do you think?

[Anna5]

On this picture you can see that I still have quite a large lateral open bite. I hope the ortho can fix this as well in the coming months..... Excuse me for the terribly yellow stained teeth! The elastic is a crossbite elastic that I am wearing now to correct my crossbite.