Open Bite - more complicated?

[Guest guest]

thanks so much for the info.

i have an open bite but my teeth are pretty straight (except for the

crossbite and asymmetry) so the ortho said i'm looking at a 1yr and

a half total treatment time.

is upper jaw surgery more prone to permanent numbing/swelling though?

also, anyone recommend an excellent ortho in philadelphia. anyone

had their work done at upenn?

> Hi there:

>

> You asked:

>

> > What's involved? Is it upper or lower jaw. I was told surgery

was my

> > best option, but a second opinion told me a non-surgical

approach

> > was available that would involve a rapid palatal expansion to

expand

> > my upper jaw, a lower jaw splint to shift my lower jaw (which

> > deviates) and elastics and stuff.

> >

> > I'm terrified of surgery. For those of you who had it, how long

was

> > your total treatment?

>

> Here's how mine treatment went -

> I had an open bite. I had 2 1/2 years of braces to get me ready

for surgery

> (line up my teeth and my bite in preparation for surgery). I

didn't really mind

> the braces they are just more of a nuisance than anything.

>

> Surgically I had my lower jaw moved back 5mm as I had an

underbite. I also

> had a genioplasty (where they extended my chin 5mm to make up for

the jaw

> being moved back).

>

> I had bands on after surgery for almost 3 weeks. I couldn't take

them off and

> ate only liquid things.

>

> I'll likely have the braces on for about another 4 months and then

I'll be home

> free - and hopefully no more pre-treatment jaw and tooth pain.

>

> Does this help? Good luck.

>

> Greta