I have a severe underbite is there no way to have surgery before having braces?

Maybe : There are surgeries you can do to improve your facial dimensions. The maxillary - mandibular relationship has to be determined by a oral surgeon or plastic surgeon. This is known as cephalometric analysis. Surgeries to move the jaw back (with an underbite) / advance the maxilla or move it forward / push the maxilla back can be performed with the right indications. See a surgeon.

Perhaps: With modern advances in orthodontic materials and technique, there are many possibilities of treatment without jaw surgery. Even with a significant underbite, temporary skeletal anchorage can allow for reduction of the underbite to an unheard of level from 20 years ago. Weigh the risks and benefits of all the options, braces with surgery gives the most ideal result, but much can be done without.

Oral Surgery : Typically, braces are worn for about 1.5-2 years prior to surgery. Treatment with braces continues after surgery for about months. There are some orthodontic specialists who will perform surgical cases with invisalign! (although very rare.).

Depends: You need to get an orthodontic/orthopedic consultation. If it is too big, then braces generally are done 1st to align the upper and lower teeth independently. Then the surgery is done by lining up the upper and lower corrected jaws in correct relationship.

Yes but no.: Yes some surgeons and orthodontist do use a surgery first approach but even with this you would likely need braces. This approach is not widely recommended or used. Typically you will need braces for 12-18 months and then you will have jaw surgery.

Yes, but...: Best rx plan is to line up top teeth to top jaw, bottom teeth to bottom jaw (about 12-18 months in braces), then have the jaws reset to match each other and the rest of the facial structures. Typically about 6 months more braces rx is then required to provide for the best occlusion. Pretty much anything else is a compromise, with severely diminished prognoses. It's your face, do it right.

Talk to ortho: you may or may not need surgery. rather than ask this group that can not see your teeth, talk directly to your orthodontist who can discuss what would be most effective for your case. if you are talking surgery, I would get 2 or 3 ortho opinions first.