Compromise Treatment for a Skeletal Underbite Without Surgery or Extractions: Clippy-C Open Bite and Crossbite Correction

Hello

We are a dental clinic located in Apgujeong that performs a lot of Invisalign orthodontic treatment and Clippy-C orthodontic treatment.

Today, let’s talk about orthodontic treatment for skeletal Class III malocclusion, that is, an underbite.

We have often introduced nonsurgical underbite correction with Invisalign as well.

Today, this is a case treated with Clippy-C.

23.06~26.01

Let’s see how much improvement can be achieved with orthodontic treatment alone, without double-jaw surgery, in a severe underbite that would normally require double-jaw surgery.

23.06

This patient visited for orthodontic treatment in 2023.

The midline is off, and an anterior open bite is visible.

Because of the underbite, there is a reverse bite of the front teeth.

The molar relationship is also a severe Class III.

The skeletal analysis showed that double-jaw surgery was needed, but the patient did not want surgery.

The treatment plan was to extract the two lower wisdom teeth and move the teeth backward using the wisdom tooth spaces.

We chose Clippy-C and started treatment.

24.06

This is what it looked like one year after starting treatment.

Up to this point, the patient had been visiting regularly once a month, but at this stage, they enlisted in the military.

After enlistment, treatment continued with visits once every 3 to 4 months.

25.08

At last, treatment was completed at the end of 2025.

26.01

The midline is aligned precisely, and the open bite has been sufficiently resolved.

The crossbite improved, and a Class I bite relationship was achieved.

Now, let’s look at the before-and-after comparison.

Because treatment was delayed by military service during the course of orthodontic care, the total treatment period was 2 years and 6 months.

23.06~26.01

23.06~26.01

23.06~26.01

Now let’s look at the facial comparison.

23.06~26.01

After orthodontic treatment, the patient smiles more broadly.

23.06~26.01

The fact is that the patient smiles more broadly on their own, even without being specifically asked to smile wider for photos!

23.06~26.01

The chin itself cannot be brought inward with orthodontic treatment alone, but the lower lip can move inward.

23.06~26.01

As the lower lip moved inward, the jawline became more attractive.

23.06~26.01

The lower front teeth were moved backward to the limit permitted by the alveolar bone of the lower jaw.

23.06~26.01

The lower molars were moved backward as much as possible by making maximum use of the available wisdom tooth space.

Over 2.5 years, there was no root resorption, and the root parallelism was good.

I hope this post is helpful for those who need double-jaw surgery but are afraid of surgery.