Early Retirement Extreme Forums

I've noticed that my teeth are wearing more every year because of what seems to be a malocclusion class II, or overbite. They also tend to sit uncomfortably in my mouth; I constantly notice the uneven pressure of them as I'm going about my day to day life.

I really would love for teeth to be a background process I don't have to concern myself with many times throughout the day.

Since I'm now 21, it's likely that my jaw bones are too hard to re-position without being cut, aligned, bolted, and ultimately, healed. I wish my parents could've had the knowledge and income to afford the few thousands for braces when I was younger--but that's that, in the past, out of my control.

It's further odd that if I were to have jaw surgery, I would have tiny bolts, rubber bands, and metal plates in my body permanently. Something about this doesn't sit right with me. I have a fear that forceably leaving foreign material like bolts and plates in the body would eventually deteriorate and cause pain or discomfort over time; which translates to further doctor visits and expenses. (Not to mention the knowledge that there would literally be a bolt holding my jaw in place for a while).

I need a solution, though. I'm seriously considering corrective overbite jaw surgery. My college offers health insurance, and I wonder if it'd cover the surgery, at least in part; I will call them tomorrow to find out. I do know that the orthognastic alignment (braces) pre and post jaw surgery would come straight out of my pocket. I looked online in Amherst: total cost for jaw surgery can be anywhere from 3k with insurance to 40k without; braces with jaw surgery without insurance ~5-7k.

I've saved up 20k over the past two years as a college student, which took a lot of effort since my annual income is so low. It sucks that I might have to choose between spending this hard-accumulated capital now to prevent future damage/cost, or wait until I"m more financially secure but have my teeth wear unevenly day to day.

I do not have any other sources of support besides what I've saved; my parents and brother are both tens-of-thousands in debt. 'Tis up to me to find a solution.

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Do you have any thoughts, advice, or feels to share that might help me on my way?

Yikes.

My first reaction is to suggest that you stop looking for problems that don't need fixing. But then again, I'm not feeling what you are feeling.

So, if it were me, I''d wait. If it was still bothering me in two weeks or a month then I'd start researching options. Then, after another week or two if it was still bothering me enough to justify action, I'd start with the LEAST invasive solution first and go from there.

Fortunately, dentists and physicians who do this kind of work are usually willing to provide the initial consultation for free. If you go to the jawbreaker first then she's probably going to say you need to have your jaw broken. If you go with the over the counter overnight mouth guard, you might find it relieves the problem.

When I was little my dentist told me I'd have to have my wisdom teeth out. My parents were frugal and since I felt no pain, they decided to wait and see. I now have four nice wisdom teeth that caused no problems.

I mean this in the kindest way..... consider the possibility that you might be looking for problems. Ask yourself why you might be doing that.

Zalo, have you talked to your dentist? What does s/he say? I'd start there, then visit no fewer than three orthodontists to get their opinion.

For what it's worth, my teeth were pretty straight up until my early twenties when they started shifting and crowding. I ended up with a crossbite. The pressure bothered me consistently, and my top and bottom teeth crashed together whenever I ate. So, I know how maddening it can be to deal with pressure and discomfort from overcrowding.

When I was 37, I got Invisalign braces and wore them for 18 months. I never would have done it for cosmetic reasons alone, but it ended up being sooo worth it. Not only did the realignment relieve the pressure, it became so much easier to chew and clean my teeth.

Unless you happen to find a dentist or orthodontist on this forum, you should probably consult professionals. Don't mention jaw surgery. Get their opinion about how much braces can help. Find people who are honest, ethical, and interested in helping you find a solution without resorting to drastic measures, unless they are truly necessary.

Zalo wrote: Since I'm now 21, it's likely that my jaw bones are too hard to re-position without being cut, aligned, bolted, and ultimately, healed. I wish my parents could've had the knowledge and income to afford the few thousands for braces when I was younger--but that's that, in the past, out of my control.

Who told you adults can't get braces? A lot do. Braces would be far less invasive. As someone who had braces in their teens, you will get used to them very quickly. It's something I'm really glad my parents made me do.

As others have noted, any specialty doctor will view the solution to be in their specialty, which may not be the best option. I would talk it over with a dentist (who is not an orthodontist) and maybe even talk it over with your general practitioner. You want opinions from medical personnel who do not have any way of making money off this type of elective procedure, so don't start with the doctor who breaks/fixes jaws or the orthodontist who is going to make good money off of braces. Those guys are stops after the initial ones.

I'm with Chad. Consult your regular dentist first. Braces are extremely common among adults, but your dentist will know (without having a stake) if they would benefit you.