Slight underbite, Jaw tendon pain. One orth said surgery one says invisalign (vs, teeth)

[westcoastforme]

I guess I fall into the 3-4% of males that had a lower jaw growth spurt when I was about 20 and my upper teeth didn't keep up. It is annoying to eat and I have to chew my food more.



I have a slight under bite and all of my teeth dont line up. My teeth are very straight though.



I went to one orthodontist and he said that I would need surgery on my upper teeth/bone and they would move the teeth forward about 1/3 of an inch or so, and Im assuming this would cost like $50,000. It sounded drastic and I decided to get a second opinion.


The second orthodontist mentioned the same issue with having the growth spurt in my lower jaw but he said he could fix the issue with an "in-house" plastic retainer like invisalign, rubber bands, and some slight sanding of some of the lower teeth to make room to bring the lower teeth back a bit. There are two areas on each side of the lower teeth where there is already some space so that will help. He said this would cost about $4,200 all inclusive and Invisalign would cost about $7,500. Do these prices sound right?


Anyone have or know anyone with my condition? thanks

[toofache32]

For something complex like this, make sure these are both board certified orthodontists, not a general dentist who does orthodontics. Braces/Invisilign uses "camouflage" to hide this at the expense of changing root angulations that can sometimes lead to other problems. The Lefort surgery avoids those problems, but like any surgery, comes with its own risks. Where did you come up with the $50,000? My partner does this surgery and charges around $14,000. Insurance deductibles apply for the hospital portion.

[westcoastforme]

Was just guessing about the cost. Ya I just don’t know if I can go ahead with that surgery. Invasive....

[westcoastforme]

What other problems could arise from the Invisalign from the root?

[toofache32]

Originally Posted by westcoastforme

What other problems could arise from the Invisalign from the root?

They can be pushed out of the side of the bone. Front teeth usually have only about 1mm of bone on the lip side to hold them in.

[DeborahJD]

Hi westcoastforme,

I highly recommend getting another opinion to make sure their prices are on point! However, whoever you decide to go with, there's a handy payment calculator here to compare braces vs. Invisalign in the long run https://www.houstonortho.com/invisal...nt-calculator/.

Good luck!

[westcoastforme]

Thanks all for the responses

[legacy0133]

Surgery sounds like the permanent fix. Remember the retention rate is vitally important to success long term. Get multiple opinions. Depends on how bad your pain is and how much you desire to fully fix the problem as well .

Wouldn’t trust the invisalign option that would be hell going through with tendon pain to begin with...