I have a 10mm overbite. should i look into jaw surgery? i've had braces for 5 years and they've taken teeth out because over overcrowding. my orthodonist tells me i need to look into jaw surgery because i've taked to him about severe headaches and jaw pa

The : The basic tenant of orthodontics is that you can only move teeth where there is bone, and that if you move teeth to far, the action of the lips, cheeks and tongue will act to cause the teeth to shift after orthodontics is completed. Without out complete clinical and radiographic records i cannot comment on your specific case, but if you truly have a 10mm of overbite (classically called a deep bite) it may indicate that you may benefit from an evaluation by a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon to see if you are a candidate for corrective jaw surgery.

While : While we do our best to avoid tooth loss and surgery, sometimes there are cases where we just can't get around it. Without an exam and diagnostic xrays, i can't say for sure if that is the next step, but it might be. While surgery sounds scary, the success rate is very high. Do some homework on who is doing it and you should be fine.

10 : 10 mm overbite after 5 years of orthodontic treatment is a little extended treatment for the results. We don't know your pre-existing condition at the time you started orthodontics, therefore any opinion would be subjective. If your headaches are constant, you should consider having a second opinion with a TMJ specialist that treats orthodonticaly any disfunction you may have, you may want to contact dr. Ralph gacia in tampa florida he may have a pupil close to your home town. Dr. R.Garcia runs a clinic and trains specialists in this field. http://tmjtampabay.moonfruit.com/ fell free to contact him for a referal he is a guru in this field. Good luck.

10 mm of : 10 mm of overbite is very significant and braces alone is not warranted. Unfortunately, you need to have surgery done.

5 years!!!!: If you still have 10 mm of overbite, had tooth extractions and have undergone 5 years of braces: something is not right. At the very least, you should have had a lengthy discussion with your orthodontist at the 1.5 to 2 year point. I was not "there" and am hesitant to pass judgment, but 5 years is just about unheard of these days in orthodontics.

2nd opinion: Prolonged treatments of 5 years are rare, especially if there are still severe problems yet to resolve (unless there has been poor patient compliance on your part). Perhaps, a second opinion is warranted along with a visit to an oral surgeon to explore the surgical options you mentioned.

Problem is...: Throughout all of the professional opinions you have been provided not one doctor looked into your joint position or what is the best functional bite position for your jaw and therefore your teeth. Without that information as part of your diagnosis you have limited data and you may not be able to obtain a balance between the joints, muscles and the bite and that may be why this is taking so long.

Many concerns: I'm concerned: 1. That you've been in rx 5ys without resolution. 2. That after 5 yrs rx you still have a 10mm overbite. 3. That you are being asked to "look into" surgery rather than being directed to a combined surgical/orthodontic solution. 4. That you have undiagnosed headaches and jaw pain. Are you seeing an orthodontic specialist? Please consider a 2nd opinion.