Underbites present an cosmetic issue as well as a functional cosmetic dental problem that can cause gum recession and premature wear on teeth. Most of the time patients are advised that braces for several years and surgery are the only option. This is not true.
Underbites can be corrected non-surgically in one or two ways:
- Utilization of Anterior Growth Guided Appliance (AGGA) for the Upper Jaw followed by Controlled Arch Orthodontics™
- Minimally or no-prep porcelain restorations to build the bite to the correct jaw position
An example of the AGGA in which the surgical plan was to break the lower jaw after braces can be seen in the photos below:
An example of Option 2, porcelain to correct the underbite is seen in the photos below:
Both procedures truly produce a non-surgical facelift simply through dental procedures that improve the esthetics and function. When treating these cases, the jaw needs to be aligned or placed back in its correct physiologic position. This is not addressed with surgery. In fact, many times, during surgery the lower jaw is broken and pulled back, whereas the problem is a deficient Upper Jaw.
Please note in cases of jaw deformities and trauma, surgery cases may be indicated. However, a large majority of surgery for underbites is not the only option or often not the best option.
If you have questions regarding Houston TMJ Treatment or Non-surgical Underbite/Overbite Treatment, please feel free to call our office, Ronald W. Konig DDS, FAGD, LVIF, FIAPA, 713-668-2289
