Will a 6mm overbite in a 14yo get worse and cause problems or can it be left alone?

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I'd really appreciate hearing from parents who've been down the twin blocks route (or decided against) with their DC or any adults whose overbite was untreated. Also, if there are any orthodontists out there, I would love to hear some unbiased opinions. I've tried to find out more about the consequences of either choice but can only find websites of orthodontic practices, rather than those offering a more general point of view.

DS14 has an appointment on Monday to have impressions taken for the twin blocks and I'm really worried. Due to COVID he had to go in on his own for the first 2 appointments and they didn't tell him anything or provide any information to his dad, who went with him. On the third appointment they finally gave us some information and the twin blocks plan came as an unpleasant surprise as he was originally referred for a partially impacted canine.

Knowing that DS has a very low pain threshold, that he has struggled with his mental health during the pandemic, and that he doesn't enjoy school and doesn't have many friends there, I am really concerned about how he will cope, based on threads I have read on here from parents whose children were going through the procedure.

So is a 6mm overbite going to get much worse and could it cause problems in later life? We didn't even realise he had one, it doesn't seem to have caused him any problems so far. It was never commented on during any dental check ups. The canine will require a hospital visit at some point and of course that will be going ahead but are the twin blocks more for the sake of his appearance? He's very clear that he's not bothered about this although I realise he may change his mind on that point eventually. I don't want him to go through the pain, discomfort, embarrassment, having to only eat soft food for months, difficulties at school as he won't have time to clean them after lunch, etc if it's not strictly necessary. And if he knows it's not strictly necessary then we're going to have a huge amount of trouble getting him to keep them in anyway!

I know it’s not necessarily what you asked for but I had my overbite ‘treated’ (it’s still present but less so), and I now have awful problems with my jaw. It frequently hurts and locks. I often can’t open my mouth wide enough to eat an apple, or even bite into a sandwich. If I could go back in time I wouldn’t have had it treated. Cosmetically it wasn’t an issue/didn’t bother me.

I wouldn’t hesitate to do it. Honestly. We did it with DD. She had a 6mm overbite. The twin block moves their jaw forward and changes their whole face shape for the better. It works quickly. It’s very uncomfortable for a few days and takes a while for them to get used to it but they do. DD didn’t eat with hers in, she was told not to and it was followed by tracks whxh come off in a few weeks. The difference is extraordinary. I have to be honest. We didn’t give her a choice just told her that’s what was happening.

If you have questions call the orthodontist and ask to speak to them. I don’t think you can put a price on lovely straight teeth:

I'm really sorry to hear that ChelseaCat, that sounds awful. Can I ask how long ago you had it treated and was it with twin blocks?

DS had twin blocks for about a year before his 'train tracks' could be fitted, the whole process was about 2.5 years but that was on the long end of normal as his teeth needed a lot of sorting out.
They said twin blocks were needed to correct his bite to avoid uneven wear on his teeth and the cause was probably thumb sucking when he was younger.
He hated having the moulds taken (autism, sensory issues) and found the first 24 hours horrendous but quickly adjusted.
It's not embarrassing any more, so many kids have braces now that it's the norm and nobody bats an eyelid after the first day or so.

The only fight is getting them to wear their retainers after the braces come off. I've yet to meet a child that did consistently and there are an equal number of young adults who regret it including my two!

Thanks Vierty, that sounds positive!

Ds had twin blocks then train tracks. Made a huge difference but took about 3 years (his progress is on here on a thread somewhere).

My parents never treated mine and I’d rather be a teenager with them than 28 as I was. Such a joy not to feel self conscious every time you smile. Changed the shape of my face too, I looked a bit ‘ratty’ before. Also, you get used to the mild pain and overall makes you more resilient I think - it’s good to have the tough experiences in life too.

Thanks for your responses, I really appreciate it. 2021isalsorubbish I get what you're saying about resilience and having tough experiences - wise words, thank you.

I have an almost 13 year old who had twin blocks fitted 6 weeks ago - his overbite was 14mm so on the more severe end of the scale. We prepared him for a pretty rough ride but it all honestly, after the first 48 hours, it's been a non-event really. He had a headache to begin with and has occasionally got sore bits in his mouth but other than that things have been totally fine (it took a couple of days for him to get the hang of talking too). He hasn't mastered eating with them in so they have to come out for meals and then he cleans his teeth afterwards (a bit tricky at school, but they've been very supportive) but he wears them at all other times. The difference, even in a few short weeks, is incredible - his face has changed shape dramatically and he can now close his mouth properly when chewing which was almost impossible before. The orthadontist thinks he'll have to wear them for about 9 months and then have train tracks to straighten everything out. From our experience, I'd definitely recommend them if the professionals think that's the best form of treatment.

Hi! Not sure this will be of any help but I thought I would share my experience just in case it is

I had a fairly big overbite and was treated with braces as a child. I think I had the twin block braces (I never knew the name of them but I googled them and it sounds like exactly what I had). Honestly, I hated them and cried everyday when I put them in and eventually I stopped wearing them altogether because they were so bad. They pushed my bottom jaw forward and sort of gave me an underbite and honestly, they were awful. I was 12 years old and it felt like the end of the world to have to go to school like this so eventually I stopped wearing them and gave up. Obviously you know your child best but i would definitely consider whether or not they will be able to cope with this and wear the braces, especially if they change his smile/jaw etc. I’m sure the results of wearing them is worth it because they seem to work really well on correcting overbites, but I couldn’t deal with wearing mine for more than a few months (and even then I was taking them out most of the time!)

I think my orthodontist knew I wasn’t going to wear them so we gave up and I then had train tracks with elastic bands. I do still have an overbite now but it’s not that noticeable unless you look at me from the side, and when I smile I push my bottom lip forward to cover the gap between my bottom and top teeth. I am aware of it and I don’t like it but I’m early 20s now so not much that can be done. If you think your child is going to be self conscious of it in the future/as an adult then that’s another thing to consider too.

Maybe worth mentioning that I do still have bad jaw problems even now which I’ve been told may be related to my overbite. I can open my mouth normally but it cracks, occasionally locks and hurts a lot. It was particularly bad when I was about 17/18 and I’ve been to max fax at the hospital several times for it, and they’ve said It’s TMD and there’s nothing they can do. It doesn’t bother me all the time but it flares up sometimes and can be annoying. I’m not sure if it’s caused by my untreated overbite, but I’ve been told that it’s definitely worsened it.

If I could go back and change things and wear my twin blocks to fix my overbite and stop my jaw issues, I honestly don’t know that I would. They were so uncomfortable to wear, eating was impossible, and I had a rough time with my friends laughing at me for how it pushed my jaw forward and gave me an underbite.

However my train tracks were the best confidence boost I ever had, and now I love my teeth and I get compliments on how white/straight they are. Yeah I still have an overbite but aesthetically nobody seems to notice it.

Sorry that’s so long, just wanted to tell you how I found it all. I really don’t mean to be putting you off the twin block braces because they seem to work brilliantly and the before/after photos look great. And I had them 10 years ago so they might be better/more modern now- hopefully someone with experience will be able to advise more on this!

Best of luck with whatever you and your son decide!

I know my nephew was going to get them for an 8mm overbite at 14 but when his Mum read about the initial problems, she decided against it. He is now booked for surgery at the age of 23 due to problems with his overbite.
DS13 got twin blocks in December. He wears them all the time. He said the first 3 days were the worst and then it was ok. As a previous poster said, lots wear braces or have some sort of appliance now.
I would definitely go ahead with them.

Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences and your advice - I'm so grateful
A lot of food for thought, and reasons for caution, but it seems that overall it would be best to get the braces and be prepared for some difficulties, but not for too long and that it will be worth it. I have read that cranial osteopathy can work well in conjunction with this kind of orthodontic treatment so I'm going to consider that as well, since I see an osteopath myself for back problems and I know she is also does cranial work.

Lots of stories here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1391667-Twin-Block-Braces-Any-Advice

I had twin blocks. I didn't find them massively uncomfortable, but they also haven't been effective in the long term. My overbite has gone back to what it was over time, and like a PP, I've had big problems with a clicky jaw afterwards. It used to pop REALLY loudly, and sometimes lock so that I couldn't open my mouth.

I don't think they're worth it unless you have a >1cm overbite.

I should add, as well, that I did have top and bottom fixed braces, which were the crucial things that actually straightened my teeth and made me happy to smile! I still have an overbite, but it really isn't a problem!

My DS had twin blocks at 12 and honestly didn't have a problem with them, we bought paracetamol etc after hearing peoples stories but he said they were a bit funny feeling (not painful) for a bit and then he didn't notice them. He is also incredibly vain and he wasn't bothered on that front either which I really wasn't expecting.

Another question that's come up whilst talking with OH - what's the deal with the 'life-time commitment'? On the patient consent form, there's a box ticked that says 'Retainers at end of treatment' and after this it says 'Retention is a life-time commitment'. What's that all about? Can anyone explain?

Its because so many kids end treatment dont wear the retainer then the teeth move back and the parents blame the orthodontist, thats also why they won't treat on the NHS twice for the same problem. My son wears his retainer every night because as I said before his looks are important to him. His friend didn't and his teeth are leady nearly back to where they were before treatment it will be thousands of pounds toget the treatment again privately.

Both my DS are having treatment for an overbite. DS1 had his braces fitted at 15, he's now 18 and we're still going (in part due to Covid delays). Constant to-ing and fro-ing for checks and broken bits has been a PITA tbh, but their teeth do look so much better.

I spent £3k getting my teeth straightened in my 40s, I wish I'd been allowed braces when I was a child.

Re the retainers, yes you are supposed to wear retainers at night forever as teeth like to go back to where they were.

I didn't get on with min so my lower teeth are not a little bent but they don't show when I smile now so I don't care, my top teth have stayet straight.

Ds has retainers for overnight use and a fixed one behind his teeth.

Right ok, thank you. This is all so new to me - I have a lot to learn!

I have a large overbite (14mm) that my dentist advised my mum not to get corrected but I honestly wish she’d gotten a second opinion. I think they told her I’d need my jaw breaking but I now know that’s not true.

I’m mid-thirties and am now looking at my options for correction. I grind terribly which is made worse by the overbite & I’m on the edge of having a lisp because of my jaw position. It doesn’t make me miserable but it’s something I’m always aware of.

I had twin blocks to fix an overbite as a teenager. I really wanted my braces to straighten my teeth and they couldn't do this until the overbite was fixed. I refused to wear mine to school and it still corrected it. The orthodontist commented on my first visit after having then fitted, that I must have wore them all the time for my bottom jaw to have come forward so much. I

I had overbite and got treated as a teen. I asked my parents for it to be treated. It took years and I am so glad I did. I had to wear retainers too, it was up to me, and glad I did properly, but I knew the consequences. I gained my confidence back. It was really worth the pain and suffering for few years for life time of great self esteem.