Your thoughts

[dannyc77]

Hi all
Im a 38 year old male senior school teacher, (39 in March!) in the UK. My teeth are very crooked top and bottom, and I have a very deep overbite (12mm) and overjet (8mm I think). MY teeth are worn a little bit at the front becuase of my bite. I have never had orthodontic treatment but feel self conscious about my smile, and side profile which I think looks "weak"

So Ive been researching what could be done and seems like I would be a candidate for jaw surgery (lower jaw?). If I had treatment now I think I would be 40 when I would be due to have surgery. I'm concerned that due to my age I would likely have numbness. I have had a wisdom tooth removed which caused no problems in terms of numbness but I appreciate this would be a different kettle of fish as we say!

Any thoughts would be appreciated? , maybe I would be better to leave well alone, its just that this has been on my mind at times over my life. Im not totally depressed about it or anything, I have a lovely wife and children, but it has definately affected me, for example I just dont smile that much!

Thanks in advance

[dannyc77]

do we normally post some photos on here, i know not full face ?

thanks

[ItsFreyja]

Welcome dannyc77! Numbness is certainly a side effect of orthognathic surgery; most people recover feeling after weeks or months but I don't think there's any surefire way to predict that. It's also possible that orthodontic treatment without surgery could camouflage your issues enough to make you feel a lot better about your smile. You'll only be able to assess your options after a consult or two with an orthodontist.

P.S. After you make 7-10 posts here, your username will turn green and you can post pictures; or, you can just link to photos hosted somewhere like imgur.

[djspeece]

Welcome dannyc77! Numbness is certainly a side effect of orthognathic surgery; most people recover feeling after weeks or months but I don't think there's any surefire way to predict that. It's also possible that orthodontic treatment without surgery could camouflage your issues enough to make you feel a lot better about your smile. You'll only be able to assess your options after a consult or two with an orthodontist.

P.S. After you make 7-10 posts here, your username will turn green and you can post pictures; or, you can just link to photos hosted somewhere like imgur.

Concur strongly. Be cautious of internet research and also of advice from non-orthodontists. And best of luck to you!

[dannyc77]

Thanks for your comments. I have been for 3 consultations, including one offering orthotropic treatment. He was very honest and said it would be hard going, but came up with a treatment plan of around 18 months to two years. He is very anti surgery. At the moment I am wary as I would probably be wearing something called a bite plane(?) which I think would really affect my speech (I am a school teacher). Im also telling myself to probably add another six months on to that! Another said using tads, and powerchains he could sort out my bite but not as well as if I had surgery

Im probably ok with the whole braces thing although their is something about elastics which I dont like, and would like something where I dont look like my mouth if completely full of metal!

I've seen some great before and after pics of those having jaw surgery with an overbite like mine, but the thought of doing it, when at the moment my jaw isn't giving me any pain and there isn't definite evidence that I will lose front teeth from my bite in the future, it seems a bit wrong in my head to go ahead with something like that. I'm tempted though! The possibility of permanent numbness, I think greater at my age? - cant feel food, a kiss (!) Im not sure how I would handle that if it happened. I also cant afford to pay for jaw surgery so hoping its a possiblity to get at least that treatment on the NHS (the state for those reading this from outside of UK) if it is necessary

I have also heard about relapse of straightened teeth, and also about relapse after jaw surgery which the last orthodontist I spoke to said would be inevitable! This was even with some form of retention

I have felt that some orthdontists are giving me honest advice about treatment, but have met some that you can really tell they are thinking about money first.

By the way random comment coming.....how long do we imagine us having our original teeth?, I'm seeing people in their sixties with missing teeth and obviously those of a younger age. Do you envisage having your teeth much older than that? My mum had really bad gum disease and had to lose most of her teeth in her late fifties.

The funny things is that although my teeth have really affected my confidence in the past, right now as of this week my teeth arent massively bugging me in terms of looks. I just feel that I want to put this to bed: get on with it or not and stop going over it in my mind. Im not sure that if I dont do something about them that I wont always have this in the back of my mind
Sorry for long post!

[ItsFreyja]

It sounds like you have a good amount of information and a nice array of options to choose from, so I don't have much to add here. I do want to challenge your defeatist attitude about keeping your teeth, though! There's no reason why healthy, able-bodied adults with access to dental care need to lose their teeth at all, and all of us here at ArchWired look at our treatments as long-term investments in both our looks and our oral health.

Good luck with deciding; if you do go for treatment, I hope you'll stick around! This is a great, supportive community and you'll learn a lot.

[dannyc77]

Yes hopefully will get keep my teeth for as long as possible, I'm sure every generation is getting to keep them for longer and longer.

Thanks again for your comments, has anyone got much experience of relapse in terms of crookedness of teeth or jaw alignment?

[samoorelaw]

I am going back into braces again on Monday after jaw surgery: both my dentist and orthodontist said that I have had some surgical relapse (I had upper jaw surgery), and that is with diligent retainer wear. Unfortunately, retainers do not prevent relapse of posterior open bites, as I am experiencing. This time, my treatment is estimated to be 12-18 months and hopefully we will keep me in elastics much longer this time to see if the bite will hold, although I'm not optimistic but I am going to try again because, hey, perhaps third time's the charm (after removal, I relapsed 3 weeks later and was put back into partial braces for a few months but relapsed again).

[lmk]

I never had to go through jaw surgery, so I don't have any advice on that subject. But after reading your post I wanted to let you know, if you're unhappy with your teeth, you should go for it and get braces. I am 43 years old and had braces put on almost a year ago. I went back and fourth in my mind for probably 15 years if I should do it. Gosh, I wish I had gotten braces back then! My teeth are getting so straight, it's amazing! !

[dannyc77]

Lmk: Thanks for your positive post and good luck to every body with their treatment

I think for anyone to go through jaw surgery, and to have a surgical relapse after would be difficult. So fair play to you samoorelaw for having the strength of character to go for it again.

I think surgery for me would involve the lower
jaw only so don't know that would be more or less likely to relapse

Also the cost involved for me would be an issue if it creates more problems? If that was a possibility then I might not go for it

I still feel self conscious being a bloke stuff g for braces, I've never seen one ! Plenty of women having them though!

[dannyc77]

That should have read being a bloke having braces sorry

(UK speak, bloke=man!) :)

[RachF]

Hi,

I am 29 and I am about to get braces next week, because I am having jaw surgery the whole process is being done on the NHS. So far I have had my wisdom teeth out, I get braces on for 18 months and then double jaw surgery and genioplasty (I have a weak chin profile too) then braces for a further 6 months.

It's never too late to have the treatment, I am so excited and can't wait. Like you I thought I wasn't depressed about it, it doesn't hold me back but subconsciously, for me, it does make me more shy and introverted, I hate smiling in public.

I have an overbite of 10mm, over crowding and incompetent lips which for some reason amused me when I read the letter.

[dannyc77]

What are incompetent lips!
Do you keep on talking when you want to stop or something ?? :)
Good luck for your treatment I'm sure you wont regret it

[RachF]

Haha well yes I often talk when I shouldn't but no, incompetent lips means they don't touch at rest. I have to force them closed.

[dannyc77]

Thanks good to learn something new!