r/orthodontics

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Hey everyone, I’m 21M and recently started wearing Class II elastics (running from my lower molars to my upper canines).

​My orthodontist said my upper jaw/teeth are too far forward and I have some spacing between my upper teeth, while my lower jaw is slightly recessed, even though I already have a decent jawline.

​I’ve read some conflicting things online about these elastics retracting the upper jaw and ruining facial aesthetics (like cheekbone support and under-eye support). I'm also noticing that sometimes it’s a bit harder to rest my tongue fully on the roof of my mouth before this because od space.

​For anyone who has gone through this or any orthos here: will this actually flatten my face, or will it just improve my profile by bringing the lower jaw forward? Appreciate any insights!

so i’m due to get 4 pre molars extracted and i am terrified!! i’ve read so many things of people saying your jawline and chin can become recessed, you can develop sleep apnea or not have enough space for your tongue to sit comfortably and the list goes on.. I’m feeling so paranoid 🥲 My orthodontist checked my teeth and said it wouldn’t be possible to do the treatment without extractions, so i have agree to do it and signed all the paperwork. Anyone who has had 4 pre molar extractions, what is your experience?

I had braces as a teen, now 36. Haven’t worn my retainer, don’t know where it is, and have noticed some slight movement, tightness in between back molars so I went to get consulted for a retainer. Ortho recommended Invisalign retainer (had traditional metal braces as a kid) and quoted me $795 for a SINGLE set. Some preliminary googling told me that going rate is around that much for 4 sets. Unfortunately, I sat for the scans - it was one of those instances where I knew the quote was outrageous but went along with the process. When it came time to pay, I said I needed to do more research. Was I quoted that much because I didn’t have Invisalign? Should I just go through with it at this point since I assume I’ll get billed at some point for the scans and I think that’s part of the retainer package if I ultimately pull the trigger? Thank you!

I am a 22yo facing a major dental dilemma and need some perspective from any orthodontists, dentists, or patients who have gone through complex bite corrections here. I also desperately need recommendations for a good clinic in the Whitefield area.
My Case:
• Severe deep bite (upper teeth completely overlap the lower ones).
• Two missing permanent lower incisors (congenitally missing since childhood).
• One retained milk canine tooth.
I’ve consulted a few doctors and have been handed two completely opposite, aggressive treatment plans that have left me totally stuck:
Approach 1 (The Extraction/Close-the-Gap Plan):
• Suggested by a highly qualified doctor (All India Rank 3, MDS from a top govt institute).
• The Plan: Extract the milk canine + extract one upper premolar from each side. Use the space to pull the top teeth back and upward to fix the deep bite. No implants on the lower jaw; just shrink everything to close the gaps.
• My Concern: I’m terrified this will shrink my arches too much, flatten my upper lip, and make my lower jaw look even smaller or receded.
Approach 2 (The Rebuild/Implant Plan):
• Suggested independently by two different senior dentists (10–15+ years experience).
• The Plan: Use Damon braces + TADs (temporary mini-screws in the bone) to push the front teeth up into the bone to open the bite. Instead of closing gaps, they want to move teeth to their natural positions and open up space where my lower incisors are missing.
• The Goal: Put two dental implants in the lower jaw at the end of braces to restore natural anatomy.
• My Concern: This sounds structurally safer for my face shape, but it is a massive multi-year financial investment.
What I need help with:

1. Which approach is clinically and aesthetically safer long-term? Has anyone chosen space closure over implants (or vice versa) for a deep bite, and how did it affect your facial profile?
2. Clinic Recommendations in Whitefield: I want to go with the approach that is best for my face, but I am on a budget. Can anyone recommend a highly experienced Orthodontist (10+ years exp) in or near Whitefield who does advanced work (Damon, TADs) but is known for honest, transparent pricing and offers flexible EMI/monthly installment options? I want to avoid highly commercialized corporate chains that overcharge.
   Appreciate any insights or doctor leads you can share. Thank you so much!

Has anyone who experienced undesirable facial changes due to Invisalign found things to have improved (or reverted/become more “desirable”) over time?

* Desirable is in quotes because aesthetic preferences are subjective and only one aspect of treatment. I also know some people that say face changes aren’t possible with treatment while others say it has occurred for them/others, so I’m not looking for a debate on this, just to hear about genuine experiences.

If you did experience undesired changes and found improvement, was there anything that helped or a certain timeframe within which you noticed a difference? If the changes from treatment remained, how do you feel about it now?

Does anyone have experience with an adults orthodontist? I had braces as a preteen and now my bite is not lining up and my dentist is suggesting an orthodontist consult. My kids went to Hughes and Cozad as teens but I’m looking for a specialist with adult jaw issues.

I'm a software developer. A few months ago an orthodontist reached out to me - said he was spending real time every day manually sorting patient photos into folders, renaming files, matching them to the right visit.

I thought - surely practice management software handles this in 2026. Turns out, not really.

I built him a tool. He's been using it.

Now I'm trying to understand - is this actually a common problem or is his workflow unusual? How do you handle patient photos? Does your PMS cover this or do you still do something manually?

I'm based in Eastern Europe - curious if this is a regional thing or if you deal with the same in your practice.

Not selling anything - just trying to figure out if this is a wider pain.

For reference tongue has been blocking airway at sleep, right nostril is collapsed, been feeling like I’m getting no sleep, had muscular Tmj symptoms that have died down but am starting to feel a poor airway in throat…

I have minor tongue restriction and temporalis tightness. Got referred to orthodontist after CBCT and Pictures taken of bite and Tmj eval… Wondering if anyone has had success. I believe palate inter molar width is at 35mm but my tongue is too big for my mouth

I have had braces for 2 years(im 17 now) and my teeth are straight but my smile is very narrow. I still have the braces on but I am only like 2-3 months from getting them off. I am wondering if there are any viable options to get expansion at this point, and if so how to ask about getting one.

Ceramic top teeth , metal bottom.
I’m torn bc I’ll be getting 6 ceramic braces on my top front 6 teeth and the rest metal. I have small teeth so I’m concerned. Also I love curry, Thai and Indian cuisine. I love berries etc etc. I know ceramic doesn’t stain but the elastics attached do. Do any of you have regrets bc of your love of “foods that stain”?! I’m transitioning from Invisilign to Braces June 1st. So I’m torn
HALP

Can someone help me. I had a slight overbite, & overjet/crooked/flared teeth front teeth. I had spent thousands on braces. No extractions but used elastics for around 2 years. They did correct the crooked teeth, however the way the left my face, I don't want to live.

damages include;

-all my upper lip support vanished. My top lip used to be pronounced and thick, but now its so droopy, to the point they are like nonexistent thin. This also makes my philtrum appear longer, only at the front. and I feel the loss of support. I can still remember how my mouth would naturally pout, but now it feels so off, I can feel the my lips pulled down its like its not sitting right.

-I think they used elastics to fix the slight overbite, but now my side profile looks even worse. I originally had a narrow palate, small mouth. I have always been mouth breathing my whole life. I cannot breathe out of my nose it feels difficult due to my deviated septum. At night I have to breathe from my mouth, i genuinely cannot breathe, my snoring disturbs others. In the day, my top lip is like subconciously forcibly left open, i don't even notice, and I feel like my whole body is just compensating for the fact that I have a narrow airway, with my lips, and my nostrils flaring just to breathe, maybe I was born with a recessed maxilla. anyways after braces, this recession is either much more pronounced, or braces caused more recession, bc my side profile looks a thousand times worse. So basically I had a recessed chin and maxilla, and after braces and little mewing my jaw is not looking recessed, but now it looks like I have some sort of like overbite now, due to the recessed maxilla. i look disturbing.

-my face is so flat now. the whole 'sunken eyes, face narrowing, loosing face muscle 'whatever thing i see online from braces, same exact thing happened to me, except sooo extreme that I could genuinely sue the braces company, possibly looks so bad bc I already had a narrow mouth orginally, so when the braces narrowed it further, I look crazy. I cannot show my before/after, due to how extremely deformed the result is , people would remember. so u can dm me if u need to see it.

-my philtrum also used to look like a small triangle. after braces its like 2 lines, and i tried searching how to widen the philtrum but it seems like nobody in the world has my situation.

Anyways how I need help:

Who do I exactly go to fix these things? Aesthetic plastic surgeon? I'd rather not bc I believe this is functional, but nobody believes me. Heres what I tried;

- I went to my family doctor. I asked to be referred to a maxiofacial doctor, and orthopedic surgeon. Bc I genuinely believe I have a narrow airway and narrow palate and I want that functionally fixed. However the doctors were confused saying, "who told you you have a narrow palate?" , they asked me like 5 times this. And I simply replied, I researched online and I want help. Anyways they said I have a normal palate, and after hesitation 2 different general doctors told me, "you have a referral to see the ENT surgeon right ,see them and if they recommend it then we will see" (I have chronic allergies. the allergy specialist wanted to refer me to an ENT rule out any anatomical reasons causing it.)

So anyways I visit the ENT. he asks me the same question "who told you , you have a narrow palate", i replied same way. he checks me nose (as I have an obvious deviated septum to the point its the first thing multiple people notice and tell me of my nose deviation), and he tells me "you have a minor deviation, septoplasty is optional, you'll grow healthly anyways , I wouldnt recommend it blah blah" basically implying way too many risks and not worth it, and I should just deal with it bc its 'minor deviation' (i dont believe him). He also says "i dont know why you have allergies , i have no info", and just refers the same allergy medicine ive been taking. whatever.

He also says I have a normal palate. SO ok all these breathing problem I have are just in my head?? God. Now im stuck idk who to go to, as everyone thinks I'm fine , my palate is normal ,my nose is normal' while im dying here.

I don't want to go to a aesthetic surgeon. I don't have the money, I'd prefer to get insured and get in done with some facial doctor or whatever. Maybe ill get a lip lift at most. I had my parents also call some random myofacial place, and they said I need a referal from ortho.

anyways I believe ortho, who did my braces will also say, "everything is normal", and i believe even my family dentist, who has never pointed out the fact that i have a narrow palate, will say "all normal"

-ill point out I know its not extreme narrow. but my palate is at least SLIGHTlY narrow, and also it's definetly asymetrical. I took a picture and it's like the palate area where my tounge should be is all leaning to a certain place, if yk wim.

How I cope rn:

-By slightly pouting, I'm able to mimic have some lip volume, but its js annoying I wanna cry.

-Sometimes I don't wear my night retainer hoping it will go to normal but I don't want crooked teeth so its just on and off.

Help me:

-Who do i talk to now? where do I go? i Need referalls and theyre all saying "normal normal " is normal ideal? no. I don't want normal.

-What potential surgeries do i need? Lefort or double jaw idk, like as long as its insured I'm willing to do it to save my face and functional breathing.

-Or is it all in my head

When I first put them on I had a female clinician do it and I actually saw a little change that first month, then she took maternity leave and I was passed onto another male clinician and since then I had around 4 adjustments and saw 0 change. Could they be extending my treatment to get more money off me or am just not seeing the movement in my teeth. I have seen timelapse of other people’s metal braces and in 2 months they had a big change unlike mine.

My 8 year old snores and is sometimes tired. we have been wondering if he has some airway obstruction. We took him to an orthodontist who recommended Invisalign due to his overbite and anatomy. Is invisalign really a reasonable way to go for this concern? I was alternatively reading about expanders. Also wondering if we should just consult an ENT first. Thanks for any advice.

I went to a private orthodontist in my country, one of the few who deals with expansions like marpe and all that. He looked at my palate and felt the teeth, and said that 4mm is the most I'll get out of MARPE, before it causes bite problems.

He recommended SARPE instead. Does this sound about right? I haven't done a CBCT scan yet, but can they generally estimate how much room you have for expansion without the scans?

28M

Wih 4 premolar extractions??

Even if you did not, if you have gone through it...Please share your timeline :)

will this be enough time for the gum tissue to heal? i can’t get the appointment any earlier:/

Any braces recommendations for allergies to nickel? I am in my early 50s and allergic to nickel. I am having the hardest time finding an orthodontist who is not just a sales person asking me to come in.

I have never had braces and would really like to improve myself the best I can in my 50s. I cannot afford to try braces with minimal nickel in it and then later have to switch to some alternative. I would rather get what I need from the very beginning, so as to avoid medical and dental concerns surrounding nickel allergies.

In the past, I was told I am not a candidate for Invisalign, so I need braces only... At least at this time.

for the context may nakita akong post ng isang dentist and sabi nag mamarter daw po ng orthodontic residency and according to him/her ay xray and some materials lang need ko bayaran without monthly fees na, ano po thoughts nyo sa ganto kase im new lang sa free dental services na naiioffer. Sorry for asking this safe po kaya yung mga ganto and di pi kaya scam mga ganun.

plss respect my post kase bago lang talaga ako guyss at medyo malayo din ako sa place ng clinic/school kaya want ko makahingi ng opinion nyo po.

maraming salamat po

wondering if ortho is even worth going into anymore or if it’s still profitable. full ride student so I have ZERO in debt. competitive GPA and good class rank (top 10%).

we were somewhat exposed to ortho in school before clinic but we don’t see many ortho cases in clinic.

mainly interested due to the quality of life most orthodontist seem to have, the patient pool being somewhat healthy with no contraindications + money (who am I kidding). I’m wondering how hard it is now a days to make money and even be a practice owner with how things are going.

is it even worth it anymore? Will it yield a good return on initial investment?

(in my school everyone is gunning for Endo, and I’m wondering if that would be a more lucrative route)

Kid was referred to the Orthodontist who recommended an expander.

-10 years old, will definitely need braces at some point.

-Teeth are a little crowded ... But it's not crazy. I don't think her palate looks narrow like some kids I've seen where it's very noticeable.

-I am not, not vain. Does it really make a difference with a wider smile?

-If she's going to need braces so I really need to pay an additional $3K now? That's not nothing for us.

-The ortho told us the benefit is it greatly reduces the possibility of tooth extraction. I guess I should have asked but ... Is that, that bad? I got my wisdom teeth pulled in high school and ... that was fine. And it didn't cost $3,000.

-The ortho told us it shortens the length of time needed the braces. Has that been your experience?

-She's emotionally very mature, she has asked for expander because I think she's a little self conscious about her crooked teeth, and she has a very high pain tolerance. She's also in about the 2 percentile for weight. If she drops anymore she might literally be off the charts. I've heard this thing makes eating less enjoyable for kids.

I've heard these are absolutely over prescribed. Want to do as much research as possible but I'm not a scientist to read the journals and I don't have a ton of time to get a lot of second opinions. When our former dentist told us she had multiple cavities, I got 3 different opinions and 2 of those said she was actually fine. I'm kind of a skeptic with a lot of this stuff.