underbitey looking overbite

[jesterofmalice]

I put my fingers in my mouth over my top teeth to exagerate any effect that moving my upper jaw foward might have on my big nose.

When comparing the photos, I realised that sometimes I look like I have an UNDERbite, despite me actually having an OVERbite.

Why is this?



Is this something that a surgeon can easily confirm with  a few simple measurements? Do they look at the distance between the jaw and the airway, or somtehing else?


(pic attached. Yellow line shows how it looks like an underbite from some angles, even though I have an overbite)

[jesterofmalice]

It's not huge, but my nostrils are huge (both in width and length)
I also dislike the droopiness of the tip (seems to have gotten worse over the years, maybe as my jaws have become more and more recessed?), but from my little experiment, moving the upper jaw forward would completely reverse that.

Yes, in that photo, my back teeth are biting/touching.

Does it look like both of my jaws are recessed to you?

I just dislike my face and am in the process of saving large amounts of money so that I can one day DO something instead of just talking about it.

I'm almost convinced that the reason my face lacks definition is because none of my bones are large enough or 'advanced' enough meaning that the facial tissue and fat hide everything resulting in no definition.
I think that almost ANY operation that adds width/length anywhere on the face would help my face by virtue of the fact that it would pull the skin tighter and spread the flesh out.
Similarly with moving the jaws forward.

I'm a very healthy weight. People can be really fat, but if they have proper bones structure that supports the underlying tissues, they still look nice and defined in the face. And visaversa. Some people are cut to shreads and have a podgy face due to small, recessed bones.

I can provide any other pics one might be interested in seeing.

[PloskoPlus]

Ever had extractions? Braces?


Your chin just might be overgrown/large.  Post ceph/pano.

Yes, you can have a recessed lower jaw and an overprotected chin.  Seen this quite a few times.

[Gregor Samsa]

Uh, how big is your overbite and are you planning on doing anything about it surgically?

[jesterofmalice]

Your teeth look very short/worn down.  Has an ortho mentioned anything to you about it?

Yes. My teeth have actually always been fairly small/short, however, in both of my free consultations with an ortho, they mentioned how they are being further worn down by my bad bad (overbite/crossbite)

I'm less concerned about that than my other issues, though

[notrain]

you have a class 1 malocclusion (crossbite on the left side).

otherwise, your maxilla seems vertically deficient (hence the sagging tissue and suboptimal tooth show) and your nosetip is droopy because of this.

you would be looking at a bimax to vertically and sagittally elongate the facial skeleton but since none of your issues are of any medical relevance you will have to finance this yourself.

[jesterofmalice]

your maxilla seems vertically deficient (hence the sagging tissue)

Thanks. This is the kind of things I was looking to hear.

What exactly is a vertically deficient maxilla?  My upper jaw isn't 'tall' enough? Wouldn't that equal a really gummy smile?
 And how does that effect my cheeks/sagging tissue?

(I don't know much about this sort of thing like most people here and not sure I can picture exactly what you mean and how it would change things after any surgery)

cheers

[notrain]

just read this http://pocketdentistry.com/23-short-face-growth-patterns-maxillomandibular-deficiency/

some of it applies to you: you have a (somewhat) deep overbite and maxillomandibular deficiency but not as severe as some of those patients (i.e. toothless smile)

[buzzhead]

I am scheduled for surgery in two days to address my short face.  I am like the patients in the preceding  article.  My surgeon plans on down sliding my maxilla forward at an angle to achieve increased height, hopefully avoiding the need for a graft.  But a graft is not ruled out if needed. My lower jaw will be brought forward and rotated clockwise as well.  chin is already protruding due to previous extraction orthodontics in my youth.  As is classic with short face and being exacerbated with extractions I suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. That being the reason for the surgery.

I am nervous now after two years in braces and reading everything that I could about the procedure.  I now just want to get this whole ordeal behind me and hope for the best.   

[buzzhead]

Oh, and a multi segment lefort 1 to widen the maxilla.

[jesterofmalice]

thanks, Buzzhead and good luck.
I confess that 2 years in braces is one of the things putting me off of the whole idea.
Such a long time, especially when you are an adult!

What's your diagnosis on my photos in this thread out of interest?

[jesterofmalice]

If I was to get something like Damon Braces in a attempt to widen my smile and straighten my teeth and maybe even 'lift' my face a little (as they 'claim' to be able to do even i adults like me) but then decide that I still want jaw surgery, would my teeth then be more or less in the 'correct' position for surgery? (or at least better than they would have been prior to braces?)

thanks

[notrain]

No, tooth movements preparing for surgery are different than for a non surgical approach. you have to decide beforehand.