Non-surgical overbite treatment

eth0_

Does such a thing exist and is it available in Ireland or the UK?

I have a small overbite (I think it's 60%..there's a gap of around 3/4 of an inch between my lower front teeth and upper front) which I am only really self-conscious of when i'm eating in front of people as the rest of the time I have trained myself to hold my lower jaw forward slightly so the overbite isn't apparent.

I saw an orthodontist about ten years ago who told me the only treatment for overbites in general is to break and re-set the jaw! I'm hoping dentistry has advanced since then!

Have read about the INMAN aligner - is this device suitable for overbites and available in Ireland?

vishal

If it is that you have a deep bite with front teeth that stick out ahead of the lower teeth (this is called overjet and is measured in mm) then this can be treated non-surgically.

Usually the fault lies in the lower jaw not having enough length compared to the upper jaw and that is why the front teeth appear to stick out. Surgical treatment involves moving the lower jaw forward and fixing it in that position.

Non-Surgical treatment is called Camouflage, and may involve moving the upper teeth back (space maybe provided through tooth extractions if needed) and maybe proclining the lower teeth if appropriate.
For Camouflage to be successful you need to look good at the end of treatment and this is not always the case so your orthodontist decides this.

Proper Non-Surgical treatment has been around over half a century , so nothing has changed expect the tools to get you there.

The inman aligner, only aligns the front four teeth. It can not de-rotate canines and premolars. It is not suitable for upper extractions and in most cases cannot improve bites.

Hope this helps

eth0_

Thanks Vishal, that's really helpful!

One more thing - i'm 28, is age a major factor in the success of this sort of treatment?

vishal

if you were in your early teens then it would have been easier. the orthodontist would have made an appliance to hold your lower jaw forward (functional appliance), so that growth would have been encouraged in your lower jaw, or else, headgear wear to hold your upper jaw back as your lower jaw grew forward. This may have negated the need for tooth extractions/jaw surgery.

Anyway, I recommend you get at least 2 opinions on treatment.

georgieporgy

I would agree with Vishal's comments and might add one more. It sounds like the overbite (overjet) causes you no problem at all other than mild selfconsciousness in close up souroundings. I think it all comes down to cosmetics and deciding what looks attractive and what doesn't.
if teeth are nice and straight and free of decay and look nice (not heavily filled) and the only problem is a bit of an overbite then I would say don't worry about it. Perhaps a bit of bleaching may make them look better so you can smile confidently and just show them off.
Lots of people in the British Isles have big overbites. Having that perfect bite is more of an American thing.

eth0_

It's more than MILD self-consciousness...and I get jaw ache from holding my lower jaw forward. If I had to go out in public with my bite in its normal position I would feel terrible.


Why are overbites such a problem with people from the British Isles..? Is it to do with thumb sucking?

georgieporgy

I don't know why overbites are common here. It's hereditary so I suppose too much inbreeding on a small island.

I guess 3/4 inch could be described as a LARGE overbite:). And you are 28 and hate it, then fair enough it bothers you so go and get it fixed.

Surgery sounds drastic but it does offer an instant fix ( sort of instant).A lot depends on whether your upper jaw is protruding or your lower jaw is too small (no chin). Set aside 200-300 euro and go get 3 or 4 opinions from different orthodontists. Any opinion you get here is worthless as we haven't seen you.

Good luck with it.

vishal

If it was really 3/4 inch you would not be human. 3/4 inch translates to 19mm. You definitely didn't measure it right.

eth0_

vishal wrote: »

If it was really 3/4 inch you would not be human. 3/4 inch translates to 19mm. You definitely didn't measure it right.

I mean the distance from my lower front teeth to my upper front teeth when my jaw is in it's "real" bite position. Yes, I did measure it correctly.

kkth0360

The horizontal distance between your upper and lower front teeth, with your teeth closed together and jaw in its normal or un-postured position is called the overjet. If your overjet is indeed 19mm / 3/4" then non-surgical treatment is definitely not an option for you.

The largest overjet I ever treated was 18mm, in an adult who had previously undergone a fairly bizarre course of "orthodontic" treatment with her general dentist (this was in the UK) which had exacerbated the already significant underlying skeletal problem. The lady required surgery to both upper and lower jaws, and was right at the limit of what can be safely and predictably corrected surgically.

A 19mm overjet, as Vishal suggests, would arise only if there were an extremely severe underlying skeletal discrepency, and I doubt whether you could posture your jaw far enough forwards to mask it effectively. It would be quite difficult to measure this accurately by yourself, as the distance must be measured parallel to the occlusal plane (line along which your upper and lower side and back teeth meet). I suspect that your overjet is a bit less than this, although it sounds as though it is quite sizable.

I would suggest, as others have, that you have a consultation with at least one, and preferably two, registered specialist orthodontists (you can check if someone is a registered specialist by contacting the Dental Council, who maintain the Register of Dental Specialists. If someone is a registered specialist orthodontist it means that they have undergone an extensive programme of full-time postgraduate training in orthodontics, and are appropiately trained to properly diagnose and manage all types of orthodontic problems). Your orthodontist, having carried out a comprehensive examination, will discuss all appropriate treatment options, surgical and / or non-surgical, and explain the relative benefits and drawbacks of each.

Hope this helps

eth0_

Hmm gosh it's certainly not 'severe'! I must be measuring it incorrectly as you suggest.
I'm going to get in touch with some orthodontists when I move back to Ireland next month.

Cheers for the advice, everyone.

georgieporgy

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vishal wrote: »

If it was really 3/4 inch you would not be human. 3/4 inch translates to 19mm. You definitely didn't measure it right.

maybe he should change name to ET instead of Etho

(really am just kidding here etho)

eth0_

I'm a she.

Big_G

ooooo. Somebody is in trouble.

eth0_

:-P

Hi, have overbite and am also female and wonder how your treatment worked out as I see its a fairly old post,. I am researching same at moment, Live in Ireland and would like treatment here. Just self concious about appearance.