Underbite Correction

I have a slight underbite that may not be able to be fixed from my braces that I am wearing now although the othro wants me to give it time before I consider the surgery.

Anyone here had the surgery? how as it?

Thanks

my daughter's been slated for orthognathic surgery...i want to hear from those who have had this surgery...she is currently 15 and will have the surgery in about two years...i have done some reading and am not happy with what i have read...the risk seems to be quite high...please let me hear from those who have had this surgery...she is due for an appliance on 5/15 and i would like to see what others have gone through before i continue with her treatment and look more seriously for alternatives...thank you...

[Stephanie]

My brothers othro was able to fix his underbite with braces and the use of rubber bands.. Its not perfect, but 75% better. His case was mostly edge to edge and the lower teeth only portuded at certain areas.

A more serious case woudl need the surgery, but you want to try to avoid surgery at all cost...


Steph

but you want to try to avoid surgery at all cost...


please eleborate if you have any experience regarding this...thank you...as you may know...the dentist treating my daughter has said that only getting the braces would make her teeth even worse than they are now and the surgery is what will correct the placement...my question was why can't the placement of the braces be used to correct the alignment...he said because of her malloclusioni believe it is a class 3 that she would have to have the surgery...however, i found some photo cases online that were very similiar to hers and were categorized under "alternative treatments to othognathic surgery...the braces stays on for a longer period of time but the results were quite good...

[Stephanie]

If the underbite is not VERY serve, most orthos know how to improve the bite about 75% with the use of strong wires and rubber bands... I had to get 5 diff orthos opinions before I found a good one.

Sorry for the late reply, but this might help other who wander across the posts researching.

sondra - I've had the surgery and it is so much easier than years ago - now they don't wire you shut for the healing period (confirm that with your surgeon before using him). The first few days are a little difficult, but they give you cool pain meds for that. Two weeks after surgery, you will feel great and want to go out and do things (actually you might hit that point after a week) ... just take it easy and be careful for 6-8 weeks until you bone is healed.

marzuqmn - I was wondering where you were reading things that did not make you happy about the procedure? Was it the person who said to avoid surgery at all costs? Her brother's condition does not sound severe as they got him edge to edge with the upper and lower teeth. But keep in mind, she is not the one with an underbite or overbite and she does not have to live with the results of her decision/opinion on the matter. When I was 16, I wore braces for 2 years to overcome an underbite - they should have done orthognathic surgery on my upper jaw, but my parents and dentist and orthodontist decided to flare my upper teeth forward and do a bridge of connected crowns for my upper front six teeth to give them support instead of doing it properly (upper jaw surgery) - so now that I am an adult, I have been in braces for 18 months reversing what they did when I was 16 and had the orthogathic done properly. I would say avoid surgery in third world countries at all costs, but in America this procedure is quite safe with an experienced orthognathic surgeon who does the operation regularly. I did my research also, and I mostly only found positive comments and positive results. What is the offset in the jaws that needs to be overcome? If they can get her teeth edge to edge without flaring her upper teeth forward at too great an angle, then that might work well. But if they could do that properly, they probably would have done that without much mention of orthognathic. Second opinions are always reassuring ... if you have any doubt that you are doing the right course of action, get a second opinion, and a third if needed. Just do what is right for your daughter the first time, whatever that may be Good luck!

[mike5824]

I just had jaw surgery 6 weeks ago. Its not that bad and its really worth it.

I had surgery on my upper & lower jaws to correct an underbite. I look very different now (in a good way) but I have some numbness on the right side of my chin. I could care less though. The first few days after surgery were the worst. Not really pain, but just discomfort.