“Is jaw surgery necessary for overbite?”

If the overbite is too extreme to be able to be corrected with orthodontics alone. You should have a consult with an orthodontist AND an OMFS to get enough information on your particular diagnosis and make an educated decision on what to do.

An "overbite," in common usage, is generally what is called overjet in professional terms. An overjet problem is where there is excess horizontal space excess between the edges of the upper and lower anterior teeth when all teeth are in contact. Overbite is built into all of our "bites," and can be excessive when the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth such that less than 60% of the lower anterior teeth are exposed when all teeth are in contact. Excessive overjet can be due to tooth position problems, or can be from insufficient horizontal projection of the lower jaw or excessive projection of the upper jaw. Orthognathic surgery, corrective jaw surgery, is generally recommended to normalize the relationships of the upper and lower jaws in conjunction with orthodontic treatment to align and level the teeth. Jaw surgery can provide both improved facial aesthetics and correct malocclusion in cases where the upper and lower jaws are not in harmony with one another or the face in general. A specific answer to this question would require a direct evaluation by an Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon to determine what options a patient has, and what these options mean in terms of treatment time, treatment expense, possible complications, anticipated final results, and long-term stability.


Phillip Cary, DDS

Depending on the severity of the relationship of your upper and lower jaw, it can be treated with non-surgical or surgical assisted orthodontics using bone anchorage. Ask an experienced orthodontic practitioner for their opinion.
I hope this helps.