“At what age should an underbite be corrected?”

After completion of your growth. You should be close to that if not already done at your age. Your lower jaw can keep growing even after your skeletal growth is completed. You should have 2 x-rays to compare that are a year apart to be absolutely sure.

Any time after about 19 years of age. Some underbites can be addressed with orthodontics alone. Some are due to abnormal growth of the lower jaw. In that case, treatment done too early may result in a return to an undesirable instability of the correction as the lower jaw may continue to grow with return of the underbite. One needs to take into account that a large percentage of "underbites" are due to insufficient horizontal/forward growth of the upper jaw with normal lower jaw harmony with facial form. In that case, earlier surgical intervention is generally stable. Regardless, at age 23, you can be treated with the expectation of a stable correction, but the diagnosis and cause of the malocclusion needs to be clearly identified. You should see an Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon for an evaluation prior to treatment.

Phillip Cary, DDS