Excess vertical growth

[James]

When I was a child I mouth breathed but I didn't realize the effects this could have on my facial appearance. I had orthodonticts which brought my lower jaw forward abit and I was finished. At 20 I was not satisfied with my facial appearance at all and I decided to look into ways that could make my face more appealing. It was then I stumbled across mouth breathing and it's effects as well as how orthodonticts can worsen the effects. Everything that is mentioned about facial appearance and changes due to mouth breathing are true about me. I feel very upset about this habit and how it has affected me. Every website I have come across warns parents about these habits and how they should prevent their children from doing them but no website provides relief for adults who have unattractive faces by mouth breathing. I'm hoping possible treatment is available to correct the changes to my face are there any? It really does kill me inside knowing how easier life would have been if I had never mouth breathed and how much confidence I would of had instead of avoiding life. So as an adult what are the steps? if any and what surgery/treatments are available to improve facial balance from the affects of mouth breathing?

[Sunny]

James you need to make appointments to see at least three orthodontist's and they'll discuss your options.

Good luck with getting the help you need!

[William M. Hang, D.D.S.]

James,

Join the crowd of many people who have come to realize this too late for a conservative solution. Many in the profession do not understand the negative effects of lip-apart posture on facial growth or they lack a treatment approach to deal with it so they are not helpful. Depending on your situation there may be a conservative solution, but likely it will involve orthognathic surgery to reverse the negative changes which have occurred. Do your homework in getting information regarding proposed treatment. Do not allow any bicuspid teeth to be removed to retract the anterior teeth since that can result in reduction of your tongue space and only make achieving proper rest oral posture even more difficult. Ask if your jaws will be moved forward or backwards. Ask what your face will look like. Ask them what effect on your airway their treatment will have. You do not want anything which will decrease the size of your airway even a millimeter. Most important, are they going to move your jaws and teeth forward or backward in your face. You should get a specific answer to this question. If it is backward that is a red flag. Do your joints make sounds? If they do not evaluate this and have a specific approach to deal with it you have another red flag. Best of luck.

William M. Hang, D.D.S.,M.S.D.