Metal Mouth Message Board

So I've been told by my orthodontist that I definitely need lower jaw surgery, but I think I'm going to ask if I need both jaws adjusted at our next appointment. The reason being is that when I slide my lower jaw forward, the front teeth meet fine, but the canines and everthing behind them do not touch at all. One of the oral surgeons I went to during the "inquiry phase" told me that orthodontics will take care of that. I don't have an open bite, but a pretty severe overbite.

As of now my upper teeth are being intruded by TAD/elastics and a trans-palatal bar. I will be having torques put in, but I would like to know if anybody else on the board has had or heard of something similar where orthodontics take care of the back teeth not meeting prior to lower jaw advancement (if that makes sense).

I am fine with having both jaws adjusted, but it would be nice to know and the next appointment with the orthodontist is in about 3 weeks...any feedback would be nice! Of course, it goes without saying that my doctors would know best.

Thanks in advance.

Remember when you hold your lower jaw forward yourself you can only get a rough approximation of the finished result. The surgeon will be slicing into the bone, so he can slide and tip things around much more than you can.

My back teeth also didn't really touch properly pre-surgery. My surgery (lower only, to slide the jaw forward) did line everything up OK but actually seemed to make the open bite worse for a while. A few weeks of strong elastics fixed it though.

But yes, definitely ask the docs if they think you think you'd benefit from having both jaws done. Best to enquire about it sooner rather than later. Although I would guess they'd have said already if they think you need both. My surgeon offered to do the top jaw, but stressed that would be purely for aesthetic purposes (mainly to correct a gummy smile). I decided, for various reasons, not to bother and haven't regretted it so far.

Yeah, I thought about it some more...

If I move my lower jaw forward the entire bone is fixated and therefore the angle will be off (hence the gap). When they break the jaw and readjust the positioning, it would be as though I was moving my own jaw forward but there is a "hinge" or pivot around which I currently cannot simulate.

Nonetheless, I will be asking the dentist. He is referring me to a surgeon who (according to him) not only has "good hands" but also does whatever he can to make things better. I'm looking forward to meeting this guy.