underbite surgery question, dentists preferably!?

Question

i realized i had a slight underbite when i was like 15 but my front teeth could touch , and by 16 it seemed to have gotten worse coz my front teeth wouldn't touch anymore. Not that big a deal, but makes it a little hard to like, eat noodles or somehting. I went to the dentist and he said that my teeth themselves were perfectly straight (although a little off center) and to cure my underbite, i'd have to get a major surgery involving removing teeth and slicing my lower jaw open or something, i cant remember. He also said there's a chance that the surgery will not be that successful and my teeth might end up worse than how it started.

what kind of surgery is that? is it costly? can anyone describe and explain it to me properly? also is there really a big chance of the surgery going wrong? coz my dad refused to let me get it once he said there was a chance something might go wrong and it was a major surgery.

i'm 16, will my jaw still keep growing and will my underbite get worse?

oh yeah, the dentist said that since my underbite was not severe, he says its just for aesthetic reasons so he recommended that i just live with it. but i really dont want to.

Answer 1

First of all, please do not consider this surgery while you are still growing. The surgery will NOT stop your growth and then you might "grow out of" your underbite jaw relationship, totally changing the final appearance of your surgery. You need to wait another 4-5 years to be sure that you are done growing. Get back to me then.

Answer 2

A friend of mine had similar surgery. It's major, major--because it involves the bones of the jaw. She had a dramatic underbite, though, and she was told she needed the surgery because as she got older her jaw hinges would take so much wear and tear at that angle that she would have a lot of pain and might eventually have trouble opening her mouth wide enough to eat normally. She had her jaws wired shut after the surgery for a long time. Because it was deemed medically necessary, her insurance paid for it, but if it's cosmetic, they won't. Any surgery is expensive, and there is ALWAYS a chance that something could "go wrong" with any surgery. Any doctor will tell you that. You should definitely not consider this surgery at this point in your life. When you are sure you have your full growth, see how the underbite affects you, and consult with a dentist again. Then you can make a fully informed decision about it.

Answer 3

Jay Leno Underbite

Answer 4

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First: overbites and underbites are VERY different. Most people have an overbite, and it's what you want. Underbites are often very, very difficult to correct. You are lucky because it sounds like you have 2 good choices from which to pick. Surgical correction of an underbite (class III occlusion) is very successful. To determine if this is what you actually want to do, ask for a few things: 1. Ask the orthodontist to show you, on your dental models, what each treatment would likely look like. (He can modify the models to give you an idea of what the "finished product" will look like). This will give you a better idea of how each treatment "solves" the problem. 2. Ask the orthodontist what surgeon you'd be referred to, and talk to that person as well. 3. Ask the Oral Surgeon for the name of a patient who has gone through the surgical procedure. She will not think you are weird. It is a reasonable request, and one that she can likely accomodate pretty easily. You want to make an informed decision, based on what you feel most comfortable with. Do not rule out surgery simply because it sounds scary and painful. Rule it out because you don't think it's the right solution for you, whatever the reason.

Answer 5

I was in your same situation. It would have been $50,000. Just a little bit costly... Though I've heard of lower prices, just not in my case.
From what I heard, they break you jaw, put metal plates over the break and wire it shut for a long time while it heals. It is a major surgery. A lot of healing time, andhospital time, is required. It wouldn't be fun.

There are many also many possible complications. I've heard some horror stories regarding this operation, and my only recommendation for you is - don't do it. If it's "slight" and not a "Jay Leno jaw" - as they so casually termed mine - I wouldn't concern myself with it. Get braces instead if you teeth are getting a little crooked. I did. Though I still have my underbite, just not as much.

Answer 6

Okay...here is an answer from someone who was (is) in the same boat! I had an underbite when I was little and the orthodontist told my mother that my jaw would have to be "broken" to fix it. My mother couldn't bear the thought, so we opted to pull 4 teeth, and angle my top teeth to go over and in front of my bottom teeth. That was 1975, and I have paid for it ever since and am now spending a lot of time and money trying to figure out how to fix this WITHOUT breaking my jaw. You see, I didn't really have enough room in my mouth to do this right and my teeth have been banging together for years. My teeth have ALWAYS been loose because of this, but now that I am older, my gums don't like it so much and are not "holding on" like they used to. ANYWAY... here are some questions to consider... FIRST... if pulling two teeth will really provide enough room to let your top teeth be in front without bashing together -- DEFINITELY go that way. However, remember that you will have to get your wisdom teeth cut out before they grow in (if you don't have them yet) to keep your bite right. IF, on the other hand, your upper part of your front teeth and roots will be at a severe angle to get them out in front -- trust me -- don't do it! Get a couple of opinions -- most orthodontists will give you a free consultation. Once one does x-rays, get copies and carry them around with you. Feel free to send an email if you want to discuss this further. My hubby checks this account frequently, and will happily forward to me. Good luck to you!