Starting Underbite Correction in My 30s!

Hello! I wanted to leave this post in the hope that my experience might help someone, even a little. I had underbite correction done when I was very young (at most, my memories from the lower grades of elementary school are fuzzy). As far as I can remember, I did not wear the bracket-type appliance often called “railroad tracks,” and instead used a facemask for underbite improvement plus an orthodontic appliance attached to the upper jaw. I did not wear a retainer after finishing orthodontic treatment. During my growth period, the underbite recurred, and a gap also formed between my lower teeth. So I received orthodontic counseling in high school, but I was told that the jaw could only be corrected with surgery, and surgery was recommended after growth was complete. Hearing about surgery made me hesitate, so I did not get braces and just lived with it. (Even as an adult, I did not go to a specialized orthodontic clinic; I asked at a general dental clinic while I was there for routine dental care, and I was told that in my 30s the jaw could not be corrected with orthodontics, and that doing only the teeth would actually make things less aesthetic than they are now..) Because I had correction when I was little, my underbite is not extremely severe, but I think I had all the typical features of an underbite. The midface was flat, my face felt compressed, and in profile the area below my nose looked too flat, so whenever I took photos I always ended up choosing a front-facing shot instead. Regardless of the face shape, it just did not feel like a normal side profile, and I lived with a lot of stress and a strong desire to fix it. Then I reached my 30s, and by chance I saw a YouTube video saying that even an underbite can be corrected with orthodontics. It was a whole new world.!! People say orthodontics requires visiting many clinics to compare, but considering the time and cost, it was realistically difficult for me to visit many places in person. Instead, I thought it would be better to go somewhere that had treated many of the problems I have, and after researching as much as I could, I finally visited. <Consultation review> First of all, there were a lot of staff, and I got the impression that the work was divided very finely by specialty. When I first visited, I filled out a questionnaire(?) and, in addition to the basic items, there were checks for whether I wanted non-surgical orthodontics or surgery plus orthodontics, as well as the things I wanted improved and my orthodontic history. Not long after filling it out, I had photos taken. Since I thought that not only what is visible outwardly but also the actual tooth and bone condition seen by a specialist could be different, what I was most curious about was whether surgery was the only answer or whether orthodontics could also improve it, and I think I was really nervous while waiting for the results. When I was given the explanation of the test results, I entered a private room, and I liked that it felt private! First, the manager explained that I roughly had these kinds of issues and that to improve them, these orthodontic appliances would likely be used. Since I had a history of orthodontic treatment, they also asked about my previous treatment. They also asked whether I had any more questions. (If you have questions at that time, I think it would be good to ask.) During the explanation, some of my predictions and questions were resolved, and I did not ask too many more because I thought the doctor could answer the others. After the manager's rough explanation, the orthodontist came in and explained again.! The doctor looked at my teeth and said I needed orthodontic treatment. (At that moment, what I felt was that it was not “you absolutely must do this,” but rather a sense of certainty. It did not feel like coercion.) So I was relieved to know that orthodontics was possible.!! Then I asked whether orthodontic treatment would still be possible even though I have implants, and they said they could not know that at the moment and that they would need a precise diagnosis after detailed testing. After the consultation with the doctor, the manager again showed me before-and-after cases of patients similar to me and we talked a lot about whether to start treatment. Humans are funny that way: at first the most important thing was whether non-surgical orthodontics was possible, but once I heard that it was, I could not help thinking about practical issues. My biggest concern was finances, but after a lot of discussion with the manager, and with maximum consideration for my situation, I was able to decide to start orthodontics that very day.!! Since my questions were already resolved during the explanation process, I did not ask many more, but when you are actually there, you may not think of them, so it might be good to prepare in advance what worries and questions you have. I have 2 implants, an underbite, asymmetry (my dental midline does not line up), and spaced lower front teeth. After the detailed examination, my exact diagnosis and treatment direction were explained to me in a room smaller than the first one I had entered. They explained in detail what treatment direction would be followed and what orthodontic appliances would be used! It seems they judged that improving the underbite was the main goal, and that improving the dental midline and the spacing between the teeth would be better than focusing on correcting the asymmetry. They also said that if I follow treatment well, I can get really good results and may even be able to keep the implants from being removed, so I was re~~~~ally relieved I always hear bad news at dental clinics, so hearing positive news felt amazing Right now, after wisdom tooth extraction, I am expanding the upper jaw with a palatal expansion device, and thankfully it is expanding well for my age. (I was able to expand well in 14 turns, and then I made 12 more turns.) +But honestly, the palatal expansion device was more difficult than I expected, both from the time it was attached and even after. Still, what can you do? You have to endure it. After visiting the clinic, they call the next day? Or a few days later? They ask about my condition, and they always send a text message and make a phone call the day before the appointment to remind me of the appointment date. I felt I was being cared for very attentively! The treatment period came out to 2.5 to 3 years. It is just the beginning, so the road is long, but I am going through orthodontics while looking forward to the face and teeth I will have in the future.! If you also have an underbite and cannot quite bring yourself to consider surgery, or even before deciding on a surgical consultation, it might be good to visit once to get an accurate diagnosis and consultation. Surgery certainly has a strong effect, but orthodontics causes less damage..