Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi! I am an Invisalign noob - retainer should arrive in three weeks. I am the stuff orthodontist nightmares are made of. I had braces for almost five years as a teenager as well as a stint in a headgear in late elementary school. I also had a contraption that looked like a medieval torture device attached to the roof of my mouth to stop me from sucking my thumb in middle school. I don't think my teeth are THAT terrible but according to one ortho I have permanently disfigured my mouth. I have an overjet (6mm) and I'm sure I still have a tongue thrust. Anyways I think I'll be in Invisalign for some time to come so here's hoping I like the retainers :/ any one have any stories of overjet correction? I am in my thirties with young kids so jaw surgery isn't really in the cards for me thx

Good luck you got this!

The way to correct your smile depends on whether the problem is that the top teeth stick out or because the bottom is too far in. Sometimes leaving the overjet because the position of the upper lip is good, will be better than trying to retract the top all the way to meet the bottom, which was the problem in the first place. Good luck!

Stay on course. You'll do great!