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Underbite surgery or TADs and braces? Late 20s

  • 26-12-2020 12:18pm
    #1
    Housebuyer2019
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭


    I had an orthodontic consultation before Xmas and was recommended 2 options -

    1. Surgery to correct my underbite, but would need to wear braces for 18 months beforehand to straighten the compensation, as my bottom front teeth are leaning inwards to meet the top teeth. This would mean things will look worse before they get better. Then up to 6 months braces afterwards for tweaks.

    2. Non-surgical option is to have my bottom wisdoms extracted (they're both erupted and straight), then two TAD temporary anchor devices screwed in to the gum below where the wisdoms were, to use as an anchor point for braces to pull all my bottom teeth back to meet the top. Again treatment would be around 18-24 months. Est 80% efficient, whereas the operation would be 100%.

    I have health insurance but still I'm leaning towards the non-surgical option? I'm 29F and feel like committing to such a long treatment programme would put a lot of things on hold? Surgeon's availability, scheduling operation, avoiding busy work commitments, no big holidays while in post op recovery etc, I'm thinking it could be 3+ years before I'm done and feeling better afterwards. Whereas I think the braces only approach would have less downtime and you can get on with your life in the meantime a bit more easily?

    Has anyone here undergone a similar treatment as an adult? I'm due back to the orthodontist end of Jan to do a more detailed assessment with x-rays and scanning, so doing my research over Christmas! Thanks all.


Comments

  • #2
    Dianthus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 933 ✭✭✭Dianthus


    Ask to see "before & after" photos of patients your orthodontist has treated both surgically & non surgically, so you can guage then what the end result might look like. Some of these might already be on the practice website or Instagram.
    You could also ask if it would be possible to speak to one of the patients who had surgery, so they can explain what it was like to go through the whole process with that specific orthodontist & that specific surgeon.
    We may all be wearing masks for the foreseeable anyway, & perhaps even masks for future winter seasons, so in all likelihood you will be able to have treatment much more discreetly than previously.


  • #3
    Housebuyer2019
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭Housebuyer2019


    Dianthus wrote: »
    Ask to see "before & after" photos of patients your orthodontist has treated both surgically & non surgically, so you can guage then what the end result might look like. Some of these might already be on the practice website or Instagram.
    You could also ask if it would be possible to speak to one of the patients who had surgery, so they can explain what it was like to go through the whole process with that specific orthodontist & that specific surgeon.
    We may all be wearing masks for the foreseeable anyway, & perhaps even masks for future winter seasons, so in all likelihood you will be able to have treatment much more discreetly than previously.

    Thanks for your advice!
    I'm leaning towards non-surgical still, but I'll definitely ask to see more after pics.


  • #4
    AutoTuning
    Closed Accounts Posts: 423 ✭✭AutoTuning


    With anything complex right now, make sure you also factor in COVID. A friend of mine was having a complex treatment with a lot of cosmetic dental work and it was massively disrupted by COVID. With anything surgical it could be even more disruptive as there’s enormous pressure on hospitals right now, with a likely pause in anything elective.

    Personally, I would wait until the COVID situation had been at least brought under control with vaccines before going for any long or complex treatments that aren’t urgent. We may well have a much better grip on this halfway through the year. The vaccine rollout will have ramped up over the next few months and things should be looking better.

    It’s good opportunity to plan and research it though.


  • #5
    Housebuyer2019
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭Housebuyer2019


    AutoTuning wrote: »
    With anything complex right now, make sure you also factor in COVID. A friend of mine was having a complex treatment with a lot of cosmetic dental work and it was massively disrupted by COVID. With anything surgical it could be even more disruptive as there’s enormous pressure on hospitals right now, with a likely pause in anything elective.

    Personally, I would wait until the COVID situation had been at least brought under control with vaccines before going for any long or complex treatments that aren’t urgent. We may well have a much better grip on this halfway through the year. The vaccine rollout will have ramped up over the next few months and things should be looking better.

    It’s good opportunity to plan and research it though.

    Yes that's something I'm worried about. Electives are first to be cancelled/postponed and there's probably already a backlog from 2020 cases.

    I'm kind of thinking now that if I go for the surgery, I would probably wait until things are far more settled. Don't want a 2 year treatment plan to end up taking 4!


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