I'm now left with a hideous overjet/overbite - help!

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#16 Post by **beanstix** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:22 am

Thank you all again for taking the time to reply - only you guys (braces wearers) know how it feels ....

.... well, exactly my sentiment - *why* should I expect to have an overjet - seems like a cop-out to me. I was told nothing about resultant overjet/overbite at the start of treatment, however my treatment story is a tad complicated - I started off with another ortho/periodontist - which was a real mistake.

Ortho sent me 4 packets of the lighter elastics which are still breaking on right hand side within a few minutes or a few hours.

In the next few months I will try and get another ortho consult for a second opinion - hugely expensive though - upwards of Â£75 in Surrey/London area.

Thanks again.

Will post again.

#17 Post by **beanstix** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:21 am

*Update*

Well, it looks like I'm going to have to accept defeat on my end of treatment overbite / overjet, after a lower incisor extraction and dramatic lower arch circumference reduction that I did not anticipate or was told to expect.

At the last visit my ortho did not offer any constructive advice. I don't think she cares whether I'm happy or not with the end result. She says she would not consider upper IPR as it would only reduce upper arch by 1mm. At next appt she plans to take moulds for retainers! I'm not ready for my braces to come off when my overjet is so large - but don't feel I have a choice.

I'm in the UK and it would be hugely expensive for me to get alternative orthodontic opinions on how my teeth are now. I've enquired and apparently orthos would need 'start of treatment records' for a consult, which would obviously mean my current ortho releasing them - and becoming aware that I'm seeking second opinions on her work which could make things a lot more awkward.

In the meantime I've had a "partial" consult with another ortho - they couldn't see me for a full consult without start of treatment records. The practice manager took various photographs for the ortho to study - he then rang to report that, in the ortho's opinion, my upper teeth are now "prominent" (you don't say) and that I have a greater than average overbite and overjet. After this sort of extraction (lower incisor) the overjet should be at the most 3-4mm - mine is a whopping 7mm. At least it confirmed what I already thought but my ortho is not admitting.

I'm still wearing elastics and they still keep snapping on one side and I have to replace them up to 15 times a day - it has driven me nuts. Ortho's diagnosis of this: "elastic must be catching on a sharp edge of a bracket" and offers nothing beyond that. Y'see what I'm up against? Besides, the elastics only give an illusion of a reduced overjet, when they're off my lower arch is way back and receded.

I don't know what to do now. Maybe I have to accept that nothing can be done. Ortho wants to get on with removing braces and for me to accept the situation. In her opinion my teeth are "fine".

After much time and a shedload of expense I feel I've swapped one problem, ie. overcrowding and crooked teeth - for another, ie. large overbite and overjet - my lower arch is way too far receded.

sigh .....

Any comments gratefully received.

[I'm in the UK where the whole process of ortho treatment is hugely different to the US, ie. light years behind.]

#18 Post by **Chris** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 8:59 am

My sympathies go out to you for your problems.

I see these as options, but mind you, this is from a layman's perspective:

1. Extract an upper tooth to narrow the top arch.
2. Open up the bottom arch where the tooth was extracted and place an implant.
3. Jaw surgery.

I sure hope that the new orthos can give you an option you can live with.

#19 Post by **beanstix** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:37 am

Thanks, Chris, for your suggestions.

Ortho has said she can't extract an upper tooth as it would affect my profile and flatten my face. It's so obvious to me now that the lower incisor shouldn't have been extracted.

Think I'm going to have to get another full ortho opinion (at great expense) and present it to my current ortho. My concern is that she will end treatment, I can't force her to sort out the problem - particularly when she's not acknowledging that there is one.

#20 Post by **josephine** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 3:48 pm

The one thing in your original post that gave me great pause was that your orthodontist only had two types of elastics. That makes no sense. Elastics are easy to come by in a wide variety of sizes and weights. This alone tells me you should definitely get at least one additional professional opinion, and possibly change orthodontists. It's hard to change doctors of any kind because it is a little awkward, but your results are going to be your bite for the rest of your life. Good luck.

#21 Post by **Clo** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:16 am

Hi,

I'm in the UK where the whole process of ortho treatment is hugely different to the US,
ie. light years behind.

I do not know if you know my "history", but up to now, I can tell the same about Belgian
orthodontics. I really really hope this can't be generalized to European orthodontics, and this
is only bad luck for you and me. Not that this helps us. My issues are different than yours
but the general idea behind it seems to be the same. An ortho who makes a major mistake
and as a consequence gets a situation that is "out of control". In my case it was correcting a
bad class 2 bite only orthodontically and now I have ... a class 2 bite and a very bad open
bite. In your case, I think the extraction of the lower incisor was way too much and resulted
in a lower arch that is now too small. I think of it as a dental arch that is like a roman arch
(of stone, above a door or window). If you take out 1 stone, you get a "shortage of material",
and as a result the arch collapses. Ok, I haven't seen your pics, but I think you didn't need
that, or maybe only some minor IPR of the lowers. But that was then and this is now. What
can you do ? Like me who also have an overjet now of about 7 mm, I know this : elastics
will not work. I am almost sure of that. They may, if you are lucky, improve a bit, maybe
1 or 2 mm. If you are unlucky, you may experience effects that are not wanted due to
wearing these elastics too long. Like upper teeth that start slanting backwards or lower
molars that do not move nicely. Or what I also got, extrusion of teeth, causing my open bite.
Now if we analyse this further. Your ortho only can give you elastics and does not see
what is going on. Or will not admit she made an error. Well, then I think your only option
if you want improvement is to leave. It took me a long time to make just that decision.
But sometimes this is the only right thing to do. If I were you, I would try to see once
more this other ortho and try to have a good talk with him. To see what options you still
have. To experience if you like his approach. If you decide to start there, then I think
it is his job to get those records.

I really really understand what you are going through. An ortho makes an error and as a
result you get trapped in a situation that seems to have no way out. I had to make this hard
decision to see another ortho twice. Ortho 1 made a mess, ortho 2 tried to improve things and
it didn't work. Now I see a third ortho and a treatment method is at this very moment not yet
decided. But it is likely I will need upper jaw surgery to close my bite and lower jaw surgery to
correct the overjet. So, yes, ortho mistakes can have very bad consequences. Not to mention
the cost of all this. I hope you can get help somewhere and I am very interested to see how
things work out finally. Best of luck !

#22 Post by **beanstix** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:22 pm

Thanks so much for replies.

Will read and post again shortly.

Looks like I'm going to have to go into battle with my ortho, starting with a strongly worded letter.