Can teeth be straightened without correcting a mandibular hyperplasia?

My husband was diagnosed with a mandibular hyperplasia (underbite, or protruding jaw). He has crowding in his teeth, and wants to get braces. The orthodontist we saw said he needs to have surgery to correct the jaw before he can get braces to straighten his teeth. He is not too interested in having his jaw broken and wired shut for 6 weeks. Can teeth be straightened without having this surgery?

Can teeth be straightened without correcting a mandibular hyperplasia?
That sounds horrible. he could be eating his dinner through a straw. I don't think I like that.
Reply:I belive at his age he does have to have the surgery. My son is 7 years old and he has a severe underbite. He has been in an expansion retainer for about 8 months. At his age his pallet is still soft and can be expanded which will then harden and stay that way. If I wait until he is older he would have to have the surgery also. He will now be going into another appliance for phase 2 of this process. If he needs phase 3 it will be braces. Did you talk to the doctor about how the jaw is corrected with surgery? I thought I heard that they no longer wire your mouth shut. You can do a web search by typing in your search bar "corrective surgery for mandibular hyperplasia" and read through the listed sites. The more informed you are the better choices you can make. Good Luck!
Reply:I would think he can still get braces, he would just have his underbite still.





Also, have you checked out those invisalighn braces? They look awesome, especially for adults who don't want wire in their mouth.





http://www.invisalign.com/generalapp/us/...
Reply:Well, it depends on what you are trying to achieve and what is possible to achieve. There may have to be some compromise. Using standard braces without surgery, the orthodontist can only move the teeth around within the perimeters of the jawbone. That's why he wants to change the jaw with surgery first.


My 20 yo daughter has a small lower jaw and we've done what we can with appliances and braces. It's been complicated by genetically missing 4 adult teeth. She's certainly not got a perfect bite now, but it's better and she accepts the situation. She is about to start implants for final treatment.


Have another talk with the orthodontist and maybe a 2nd opinion elsewhere.



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