I've had braces for 2 years now. I'm 20 years old. My main concern was my overbite. Nothing changed. I'm so unhappy and my ortho recommended removing two upper teeth and then pulling my teeth back from there. I would have no problem doing this but after reading people's experiences online and them being unhappy with their facial changes, I'm so worried and stressed, thinking about it is eating me alive. Can I correct at least half of my bite without extracting?What should I do? Opinions please!
3 photos
Answers (3)
From board-certified doctors and trusted medical professionals
Retainers should *typically* cover all your teeth. If your back teeth (I'm guessing your second molars) are not covered you could end up with an openbite (your front teeth overlapping less) over time. This is due to the 2nd molars in the back supraerupting because they are free to erupt...
You actually don't have an "overbite" but rather an "overjet." To properly fix your teeth you would first need upper arch development followed by advancement of your lower jaw, then you would use braces to straighten your teeth. Before anything is done, you need to be evaluated for a tongue...
Unfortunately, from your photos you likely need jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) to fully correct your bite. With the extent of crowding that you seem to have in your lower arch your underbite will get worse once the teeth are straightened and you will really need jaw surgery to get the...