Braces or Invisalin with gummy smile, deep bite and also TMJ problem?

[Sweetie 2007]

Hi
I am 28 years old, I am planning in fixing my smile. I went to an ortho who specializes in invisalin and he said I am a good candidate for it. My concern is that for what I have read looks like Invisalin isn't as effective as regular braces, specially for gummy smile,deep bite. The doctor said that he might be able to push up my gums 1 to 1.5 mm with invisalin, but with ceramic braces maybe 1 mm more, but he also said that maybe is bone related and not muscle. What that means that maybe he can not move my teeh up at all? I don't consider my deep bite that bad, but I am not a doctor. Here are some pictures to get some opinions. If anyone has any suggestions or advice I will really apreciate it.

[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/616/mysmiledf0.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2757/mydeepbitekq3.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

My TMJ problem is only that my jaw is locked, after half opened mouth I am not able to open more. Will Braces will afect more my TMJ or will help?

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

I am not an orthodontist and have no experience in this area. I would have the TMJ area checked out by a dentist that specializes in TMJ dysfunction before you start moving your teeth around.

[mike1105]

i was unable to retrieve your pictures. i have never heard of braces being used to "push up" teeth. they can move teeth inwards, but not upwards into the bone.. a very "gummy" smile is usually due to a very well or overly deveoped maxilla-- like arsenio hall. This is a difficult case to address. I'd be very cautious and skeptical about anyone who is willing to take thousands of dollars from you and say that this problem can be corrected with invisalign. At leaset that is my experience. Id get at least one, preferably 2 more opinions. And dont go into the office mentining invisalgn. Just sit in the chair and ask the orthodontist how your issues can be adressed.. You should also get an opinion from a well respected prosthodontist.

[higgy]

Before you commit to orthodontics from ANYONE, I suggest getting severl consults done, usually they are free.  Case in point, I went to three before I committed to any of them, Ortho #1 wanted to do an RPE for 6 months before braces...Ortho #2 wanted to extract 2 teeth, Ortho #3 was much more conservative.  VERY different treatment plans....btw went with Ortho #3.  I agree with Mike...let them do all the talking...especially when dealing with invisalign....a good option would also be to get an orthodontist who also specializes in TMJ which is what mine does, that took some of the pressure off of finding someone to deal more with the jaw than just simply some misaligned teeth.

[Sweetie 2007]

Thanks a lot to everyone for answering me. Defenetely I will look for a prosthodontist, unfournately I don't know anyone, I guess I will have to choose one in the directory. Does anyone have any suggestions what else I should ask to the orthodonstist, because the ortho I went he is pretty serious about using invisalin with me   even though I didn't answered yes yet I told him I was not sure yet wich procedure I wanted. I am also going to another orthos.

[higgy]

You can get a recommendation from your general dentist...or ultimately from whichever orthodontist you choose....ask whatever you want to know....a good ortho should be willing to answer all those questions....when I walked out of my third consult..I had a 20 page packet of individualized information about my jaw/teeth alignment, the current state of dental health...projected treatment times, frenectomy information...my pictures had been done, xrays done...I walked out confident with that provider...that's what made the difference.