Jaw Surgery for underbite vs. other cosmetic options

[DrewS]

I am a 24 year old male who has never had braces due to my underbite. I was told that I have a "type C" bite that required my jaw to be full grown before correcting. My teeth have compensated, however, to give me a slight overbite (top teeth spread and bottom teeth compacted with very tight contacts). Several orthodontists have told me that to have a "correct" bite I would need at least one year of braces to correct the spacing issues (effectively restoring the underbite that I would have with proper spacing), jaw surgery (either sliding lower teeth back or top teeth forward), then mouth wired closed for a week, and braces for about 6-8 months or until bones had healed.

I am quite averse to this option, as I don't want to mess with my facial structure through jaw surgery. I have no problem chewing, only slight clicking on one side, and I am perfectly happy to live with an "incorrect bite." However, I would really like to make some cosmetic changes to my upper teeth. I am afraid I'm not a candidate for braces, as that would restore my underbite and inevitably require surgery. What other options do I have? One orthodontist said he could get creative with retainers or other head gear, but I never explored those options. My front teeth are slightly crossed and the desired crescent-line shape of the teeth is slightly concave on the right side. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Sunny]

Drew if you're not confident with what you've been told, then you need to see some more orthodontists.

If braces to correct your alignment is not going to work, then it doesn't sound like you've got a lot of choices. My class III bite (underbite) is dental, so I'm able to have braces (without surgery) to correct my bite and jaw problems. My jaw pain was so severe I started treatment when I was 47. Now I rarely have jaw pain, and when I do, it's only mild. Plus my upper teeth are slightly in front of my lowers now. I've developed an open bite, but I'm sure my ortho can correct this.

Good luck with your search for more answers.

PS ... About three years ago I joined a jaw surgery board, thinking that's what I needed and found that ortho's rarely wire the jaw shut anymore. Instead they use elastics and maybe a bite plate to help the healing process and ensure as much comfort as possible.

[Zoso]

As mentioned in other posts, it's neither elastics nor splints that have allowed most docs to move away from wiring most patients shut (though certain procedures do still require it) - rather it is rigid internal fixation that has made this change possible. Of course, one of the benefits of not wiring the jaws closed is that the patient can start to regain ROM almost from the get-go, making that aspect of recovery rather easier.