Q.
Hi. I am 19 and I have an open bite. My orthodontist wants to put braces on my top and bottom teeth for two years to align them and hopefully pull them together a little more. Afterwards, he says I might want to consider getting surgery to fully correct the open bite. I have already had two retainers when I was younger so my top teeth are straight and I am happy with the way they look. My bottom teeth however, are crooked and I would like to see them fixed. I do not have a problem getting braces on my bottom teeth to straighten them out but I don’t want to get braces on my top teeth because I am afraid that my smile will be too gummy afterwards (since my ortho said more gum will be showing at the top). Why should I mess around with my top teeth if I like them how they are? Also, my ortho says that if I only get braces on my bottom teeth it will make the open bite worse so he really wants me to put braces on the top and bottom. He says the biggest problem with my teeth is the open bite, not the crookedness. What do you think I should do? Get braces on my top, bottom, both or should I just leave my teeth the way they are and go without braces all together?
A.
These are all good questions. The reason you need to have braces on both your top and bottom teeth is because teeth are like puzzle pieces. They have to all fit together in a specific way. The only way to achieve this is by moving top and bottom teeth allowing them to fit and work together. You cannot correct the open bite without treating top and bottom teeth. Regarding the gums. Closing the open bite will change the position of your gums in the front but will most likely level the gum with the back or side teeth making your teeth look more even. It will probably result in seeing less gum on the sides and a little more in the front which would look normal. Regarding no treatment. You are young. If you do not correct the open bite, as you age you will prematurely wear out your back teeth faster due to the added stress created by an anterior open bite. As you age this will become a significant facture even though it is difficult now to understand. A balanced bite plays an imporatnt role in the longevity of your teeth as well as your jaw joint and related chewing muscles. Correcting the anterior open bite is the right thing to do. Dr. Lemongello