Many Australians suffer from dental phobias, and this case was no exception…
Patient B came to us with concerns about how her jaw was sitting, and after a comprehensive consultation, our expert orthodontists found her jaw was severely deviated to the left, which created a side cross-bite and left a large under bite: where the lower teeth overlapped the upper dental arch.
Our orthodontist, after Patient B’s consultation, recommended a combination of conventional orthodontic treatment and jaw surgery, however Patient B wanted to avoid surgery for fear of pain or other complications. As a result the case was carried out somewhat reluctantly as it was against the orthodontist’s advice.
Four teeth needed extraction in order to create substantial space necessary to correct the dental asymmetry as much as possible, and Patient B was advised to wear the dental rubber bands and to fully comply with treatment if she wanted to witness any results.
Taking her treatment on board, Patient B completely complied with the orthodontist’s advice and her commitment to treatment saw an even greater result than originally anticipated. The resulting dentition significantly hides the facial asymmetry for a more pleasing overall facial aesthetic.
An important lesson from this: Good cooperation from the patient goes a long way in solving complex orthodontic problems. Lack of commitment is a huge factor in many orthodontic failures.
