Is surgery the only way to fix an underbite? our eight year old son has a pretty noticeable underbite. i've read that as kids grow, underbites can often become more pronounced. should we think about talking to a dentist now to ask about treatment options?

You : You should most certainly make an appointment with a dentist, and most probably an orthodontist. They are the only professionals who can give you insight as to how your son should be treated after they perform an examination. The "underbite" or class iii bite you describe may be caused by the way his baby and permanent teeth erupted. In some cases, the patient will move his/her jaw foward in an "accommodated" bite... They do this because it is more comfortable for them to close that way based on the way their teeth occlude. By allowing this type of bite to continue, unchecked and untreated, it is most likely that his jaw will be forced to grow this way and it will become permanent. However, there is hope. Early intervention orthodontically, if indicated, can guide the lower jaw and upper teeth into a more favorable relationship, allowing him to grow and mature into an adult without the need for surgery. Please seek out a trusted dentist or orthodontist in your community who will evaluate your son for this early treatment.

I : I would recommend seeing a good othodontist. There are a lot of treatments that can be done at this age to correct the bite. A thourogh exam by an orthodontist will help to determine the reason for the underbite and the correct timing to fix it.

Underbite : Underbite usually results from growth discrepancy between upper and lower jaw. Depending on patient's age, underbite can be corrected with conservative orthopedic appliances in growing patients, extraction of some teeth in mild situations or jaw surgery after completion of growth when discrepancy is severe. Since, your child is only 8 Y.O., underbite most likely can be corrected with palatal expansion and face mask. Schedule appointment with an orthodontist to have comprehensive evaluation of your son's bite. Good luck!

See an orthodontist: We address these issues daily and achieve amazing results-- delivering consistantly beautiful smiles!

No and Yes!: Some underbites will require surgery, but not all. An orthodontist can determine if early treatment would be helpful in your son's case.

Needs supervision: Please take your son to see a qualified orthodontic . Underbite, class iii malocclusions do tend to worsen with time, and can be a challenge for a specialist, let alone a general dentist. Depending on the type of class iii malocclusion, there may or may not be interceptive procedures available. Please call hour family dentist for the name of the best orthodontic specialist in his network.

Underbite: Underbite or a class 111 tendancy is best evaluated by an orthodontist, trained in evaluating for occlusal discrepancies which may be exaccerbating the problem. Your general dentist will most likely refer your son. In many cases, long term guidance is necessary as the child grows, but it is important to evaluate for interceptive treatment now.

Depends: The degree of skeletal dysplasia (mismatch between the top and bottom jaw) is the determinant of the need for surgery. The skill of the orthodontist is also a major factor.

Not necessarily: There are many non-surgicalapproaches to resolving a mismatch in jaw sizes and position. If the maxilla is too small, it can be encouraged to develop in a preferred direction that overcomes the problem. Proper ortho analysis with x-rays, and developing the bite position prior to ortho initiation will help evaluation of this challenging situation. See a dentist or orthodontist.