Jaw Surgery for Midline? Orthodontist Says Impossible with Invisalign, True?

To truly fix the upper midline all the upper teeth have to move by 2 mm, also correcting any molar bite asymmetry. This can be done by combining Invisalign with:


elastics or TADs anchorage

attachments on the front teeth to control root angle

additional treatment time 12-15 months


A common compromise approach is to keep the back molars in place and to move just the front teeth. This compromise involves:


recontouring/reshaping of the teeth in the upper and lower arches

may need new restorations on the upper to close space created

attachments on the front teeth to control root angle

additional treatment time 6-9 months


For your second opinion use the Invisalign doctor locator to find an orthodontist. Bring your beginning x-rays and photo's to this consultation appointment.

It is hard to speak about an individual's problem without seeing pictures of the teeth.  There are a number of reasons that the midline could be off, but only a 2 mm discrepancy should be able to be handled with Invisalign treatment.  It may be that elastics (rubber bands) in conjunction with Invisalign may be necessary for the correction.  It is highly unlikely that surgery would be the best option, however.  It sounds like another opinion may be necessary for you to achieve satisfaction.  I hope this is helpful.

Yes you should definitely seek out another orthodontic opinion. I would NOT recommend surgery to anyone to correct a 2mm midline shift. The orthodontist would most likely need to see your X-rays. Perhaps the shift that you require would need to be done with conventional orthodontics, as opposed to Invisalign. Alternatively, the midline correction might be able to be corrected with porcelain veneers.