Well, I am back from the consult. It didn't go very well but not for the reasons I expected. I guess when I look at the pictures and stories on this forum and how seemingly very complicated mouths go to looking straight and shiny in 1.5-2 years, I seemed like a simple case by comparison. Closing up spaces. Moving front teeth forward a few mm to overlap instead of meeting. I've seen total mouth transformations... my problems seem like first day of ortho school to me. Not so, apparently!
(Not meaning to insult orthodontists at all! Just saying I was totally undereducated and making assumptions about stuff I didn't know anything about.)I didn't get pictures taken because the nurses were behind, so the orthodontist was ready before we had taken pictures and he just examined me instead. Good news includes my midlines match up perfectly both upper and lower. I'm trying to think of other things that were good news but nothing comes to mind at the moment, haha.
First bit of bad news, he can't close up the gap from my extraction. Eh, I'm disappointed but was prepared for that possibility going in based on the research I've done online. I will still need a bridge or implant upon finishing braces.
Secondly, because of my edge-to-edge bite he says I need jaw surgery. I was shocked.
What? "Has anyone ever told you you need jaw surgery to correct your bite?" No, they haven't. lol. Well, he says that he could put braces on my upper and lower teeth and close most of the spaces no problem, but that it would give me an underbite. So, I need the jaw surgery. I'm terrified of surgery, not to mention the cost. But, I would have awhile during my braces treatment to save up for it and maybe see a therapist to work on the fear. It's an option.The other option is to put braces on my bottom teeth only, which would bring them "backward" causing the upper teeth to overlap them which is a little bit of a solution for the bite issue, and then get veneers on the top teeth to close the spaces and improve their appearance since I have discoloration. He kept pointing to a picture on the wall of a woman (a model, not their patient) with super bright white teeth that to me looked totally fake. He said they didn't have to look like that of course, I could choose a color "on the white side of the yellow straw family" but that it would "solve" the spacing issue by covering it up and as an added bonus I could get bigger teeth (mine are small apparently) and improved appearance.
He said I could do nothing, of course, but that I have wear on my teeth so I would need a night guard.
Here's how the options breakdown (costs are before insurance):
Option 1: Upper and lower braces plus jaw surgery
Treatment time: ??
Cost: $5580 braces treatment + $600 surcharge for surgery patient + cost of surgery
Pros: corrects bite, solves the spacing issues
Cons: cost, surgery, does not improve appearance of teeth
Option 2: Lower braces plus cosmetic work on top teeth
Treatment time: ~14 months
Cost: $3840 braces treatment + cost of veneers
Pros: resolves lower spacing issues, improves appearance of teeth, improves bite
Cons: cosmetic work not covered by insurance, upper molar contacts will still be basically impossible to floss, veneers need to be replaced after 10-15 years
Option 3: Do nothing, wear a night guard
Treatment time: indefinite
Cost: $200-400
Pros: prevents additional wear on teeth
Cons: does not correct spacing, does not correct bite, does not improve appearance of teeth
I am pretty overwhelmed. I did a bit of crying in the car, I guess because I was expecting "Sure, no problem, top and bottom braces, 18-22 months, $5000 before insurance, come back on this date for impressions." Not surgery and expensive cosmetic work and fix one problem (spacing) to cause another (underbite). I didn't dislike the orthodontist but I'm just totally in shock. I feel like I ran face first into a brick wall haha.
I have another consult in two weeks with a different orthodontist. We'll see what they say. I may end up not pursuing treatment at all, after all, my smile does not currently stop me from smiling widely, laughing, or being myself. (I sometimes put photos in black and white due to the discoloration on my front tooth though haha!) But I do want healthy teeth that will last me for the next 65-75 years. Any advice?
I know from my own experience when I went for orthodontic consultations, each ortho I went to had a completely different plan in mind for how to treat me. I feel like if you go to a few others, you might get different opinions. Key word is might. I'm not exactly sure of the typical procedures people that have underbites go through to be completely honest, as I don't have one myself. 
