braces before or after ffs ?

[angelfaced]

hi, i have a strange question thats really bugging me tho. I had braces when i was younger and didnt wear my retainer and now my teeth hsve become overcrwded again on the bottom. i really really need to get braces and want to invisalign but ive heard that braces can change the shape of your jaw, is that true ? should i get my bottom teeth straitened before i have ffs ? im really worried becuase i really want surgery, but if braces are going to change my jaw shape after ive had surgery i need to wait. so advice ?

[calicarly]

I don't have sufficient knowledge in this to say for certain, but I honestly don't think it will make a difference. If your teeth were to change something about your jaw, I'm pretty sure it would only be your inner side of the jaw. I don't think it's possible that it would change the outer line of it( what is worked on, on ffs) but it does sound like you should doubke check in case there is any true to what you heard. In any given case your best bet would be to ask an actual FFS surgeon directly. The worst case scenario is that you could have FFS and postpone the jaw work . But I honestly don't see how the teeth can chancpge the hp jaw that much it doesn't seem possible to me... All the best Hun.

[Athena]

I think this is really only answerable by both doctors that are involved. I don't mean to sound like I am putting you off but even medical professionals would likely hesitate to answer this without a thorough investigation of your jaw.

[luna nyan]

White Rabbit is correct, you need to get both the orthodontist and FFS surgeon involved if you want a predictable end result.

Modern orthodontic treatment isn't just about straightening teeth.  It also helps to address facial imbalance issues such as jaw position, airway (snoring! sleep apnea), and in doing so, can change the facial profile significantly.

This would also affect what your FFs surgeon would do, so they need to talk.  You may end up having ortho, FFS, then some more ortho to tidy up.

BTW, Invisalign generally is good only for aligning teeth, it won't do much for jaw issues.

[Jess42]

Angelfaced. Really who cares? I was the same way, didn't wear the retainer and the crooked teeth on the bottom cam back. Think of it as Character. Jewel doesn't have completely straight teeth. There are a lot of beautiful women that don't have perfect teeth. Plus I would never go through the pain ever again of trying to straighten my teeth. a Week at a time of just throbbing pain, three weeks without and then go back to the orthodontist and another week of pure hurt. I couldn't even eat for a week sometimes. If someone doesn't like my teeth and the way they are, Oh well. As a matter of fact I would have had teeth like Jewel if the parents would have let it alone.

[luna nyan]

Straight teeth aren't just for appearances.  Crooked teeth are much harder to keep clean and are more prone to severe gum disease.

It's a personal value call.  If you don't like it, fix it, but have clear objectives in mind to communicate to the orthodontist.  Don't lead with what sort of appliance you want, lead with the result.  And make sure the ortho has some background in airway.

[angelfaced]

well the thing is i do have a slight overbite becuase of the overcrowding. however, when i had braces, i never wore the rubber bands, which is what fixes the overbite, so realigning my teeth will have zero affect on the bite becuase my bite was already still messed up post braces, i more concerned about my jaw changing appearance again if the teeth re straitened, but it doesnt sound like there would be an issue. however, i really just dont know and how terrible would it be to pay 20k for surgery and then get bracesd again only to have to have my jaw anf chin redone, gee that would SUCK.

[Jess42]

well the thing is i do have a slight overbite becuase of the overcrowding. however, when i had braces, i never wore the rubber bands, which is what fixes the overbite, so realigning my teeth will have zero affect on the bite becuase my bite was already still messed up post braces, i more concerned about my jaw changing appearance again if the teeth re straitened, but it doesnt sound like there would be an issue. however, i really just dont know and how terrible would it be to pay 20k for surgery and then get bracesd again only to have to have my jaw anf chin redone, gee that would SUCK.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Yeah the rubber bands sucked. they tasted like crap. At one point at night I was supposed to wear the head gear and would always wake up with it on the pillow instead of where is should be.

Seriously though just practice good dental hygiene and you should be alright. I brush at least twice a day and drink a lot of coffee, tea and smoke. so yeah I gotta do the whitening stuff. but other than that my mouth is extremely healthy. Or that is what the dentist says even though I got tow bad wisdom teeth., but I hate dentist. there are al ot of beautiful ciswomen with overbites. Just sayin'....

[luna nyan]

Depending on what you have done, it'll be 6-9 months minimum with orthodontics. If you're only straightening the 6 front teeth top and bottom, it doesn't take long.  But be prepared to wear retainers for life.  This sort of treatment won't affect the profile much, particularly if the teeth are carefully filed down to a smaller size, and stability is more of an issue as the teeth aren't properly supported in position.

Jess,

A chin that is tucked back a fraction can be cute on some women, but a jaw that is setback can have health issues later in lifel

[calicarly]

well the thing is i do have a slight overbite becuase of the overcrowding. however, when i had braces, i never wore the rubber bands, which is what fixes the overbite, so realigning my teeth will have zero affect on the bite becuase my bite was already still messed up post braces, i more concerned about my jaw changing appearance again if the teeth re straitened, but it doesnt sound like there would be an issue. however, i really just dont know and how terrible would it be to pay 20k for surgery and then get bracesd again only to have to have my jaw anf chin redone, gee that would SUCK.

I still can't see how in heavens having your teeth straightened would cause the outer side of your jaw to grow. Y'all are making it sound like rocket science, but moving teeth around to cause the outer side of the jaw to grow? I don't think so Hun! Still. Check in with your ffs dr. He will absolutely advice you on what's what.

[luna nyan]

Calicarly,

Angelfaced is concerned that in the process of straightening her teeth, the jaw will be moved to a more forward position.  Try sliding your jaw forward - notice how the back teeth stop touching.  Orthodontic treatment can move those back teeth so that they are touching when your mouth is in that position - if they are touching then the jaw can't slide back.  That sort of orthodontic movement will change a facial profile.

You can choose not to believe me, but I definitely have done the reading on this. 

[warmbody28]

i did braces about 7 months after FFS and my smile/face proportions turned out very well. it probably doesn't matter very much which one you do first. is more of a personal preference of what you want/like to do first 

[Celia0428]

I still can't see how in heavens having your teeth straightened would cause the outer side of your jaw to grow. Y'all are making it sound like rocket science, but moving teeth around to cause the outer side of the jaw to grow? I don't think so Hun! Still. Check in with your ffs dr. He will absolutely advice you on what's what.

I agree with Carly in that orthodontics just pushes the roots of the teeth in the bone as a plow is pushed in the earth. Teeth are just dragged from one point to another within the existing bone structure.  This shouldn't change the outer side of the bone, even if sometimes the front teeth are flared out to compensate an under or overbite.

[luna nyan]

I'm not going to say any more then, as clearly, everyone else here is more expert than me.
Never mind I work in the field and know exactly what I am talking about.