Family against Extractions!! How to overcome?

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#1 Post by **cersepn** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:09 am

I'm sure there's many people here that have had your family speak out strongly against extractions.. how did you guys convince your family that it was the way to go?

For what it's worth, my planned extractions are hardly considered major - 2 lower teeth. The plan is to extract the 2 teeth so my lower lips won't protrude, and to establish a class I relationship. As it is now, i have a slight class III, and after consulting a few jaw surgeons, the majority has said my case won't really need a surgery since braces + extractions can achieve a good result too.

#2 Post by **Lisa65** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:33 am

Is your family advocating you go down the surgery route then? Or would they just prefer you to leave your teeth as they are - with an underbite?

I guess how you tackle this depends on a number of factors. How old are you? I assume you're legally old enough to decide for yourself what you want to do about your teeth and bite. Who would be paying for your treatment - you or your parents?

At 40-something, it's easy for me to sit here and say "they're your teeth, so it's nobody else's business what you do with them" but I do remember what it was like to be under family pressure to do or not do a particular thing.

#3 Post by **badbite** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:19 am

WOuld your family rather you get surgery that can be ovoided? Present the surgery to them. They will most likely gasp at the thought of you getting your jaw briken and reset. Then the extractions don't seem so bad. Or just do it wihtout telling them. After the gaps close, tell them.

#4 Post by **elpi** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:54 am

I think there's an understandable gut reaction against getting perfectly healthy teeth removed, I haven't had to persuade my family really, but in persuading myself I figured that actually my teeth aren't "healthy" being overcrowded and therefore to improve / maintain the health of my teeth long term I have to sacrifice a few!

Also I like to think of it like dining chairs around a table, it doesn't matter how nice the table and chairs are if you try and put 6 chairs around a table that can only take 4 it's not going to look good or work very well

Not sure if that helps any but good luck!

Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:32 pm

i myself didnt want to have extractions, but i got them done 6days ago
i was against taking out healthy teeth, no i still have some pain an i may go back to my dentist to see whats going on, the tooth next to one of the extractions seems sore
i only did it as i think its time to have straight teeth

#6 Post by **jennielee81** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:41 pm

Unless my family members were dental professionals, I would let them know that my ortho is highly trained and wouldn't suggest or allow extractions if it weren't absolutely needed.

I also agree with everyone above's posts.

#7 Post by **Kerry** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:31 am

My personal opion is just do it, why do you need to explain your actions to your family anyway its your body you do what you thinks best. I have two lower premolars extracted last week, like anybody i didnt want to do it but if I didnt i wouldnt get the result i want.

Im having surgery of the lower jaw and so far had my lower wisdom teeth removed and my lower premolars

#8 Post by **Faerydust** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:49 am

I'm 25, live on my own, and financing my own orthodontic work so my parents opinion really doesn't matter. I told my dad about my plans for braces and he said he'd like to help with $1000 of the cost which was very generous. He hasn't helped me in any way financially since I was 18 so I was very surprised, and I didn't even ask.

When he heard that I had to get extractions he gave me a lecture about how dentists are just out to make money and I shouldn't do this if they want to pull healthy teeth just for cosmetic reasons. He went on and on about how he and his wife (he remarried) go to Mexico for all their dental work and his extractions (necessary) were much cheaper, dentists in the US rip you off, blah blah blah.

I told him that I was paying for it, so I would do what I felt necessary and if he no longer wanted to give me $1,000 I understood, but I'm still planning on having orthodontic work done. In the end he did still give me $1,000. He was against my getting braces from the beginning really and the extractions were one more reason to try and talk me out of spending so much money. I'm having four extractions done next month and I was quoted at around $2050 (I have no insurance).

In my case there would be no point in getting braces without the extractions. I have an overjet and the only way to move the front teeth back is to make room by pulling my 1st premolars out. I also have impacted wisdoms on the bottom which I'm having extracted at the same time. My bottom teeth are very crowded and the wisdom teeth are angled sideways so that the crown is pushing on the molar in front. At this point no one could talk me out of it. It's my money and my teeth.

#9 Post by **HIMgurl** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:23 pm

I agree with everyone here. Just explain that extractions are the best options. Or talk to your ortho and see if the family can have a chat with him. Perhaps they need a professional to explain everything, best of luck.

Faerydust- My ortho treatment is not cover by my insurance, am over the age of 19. Do you have regular dental insurance? I got my regular dentist to do all four extractions. Paid somewhere around $100 for the procedure after insurance. Have you looked into discount plans? Maybe your dentist/ortho will accept those.

Good luck.

#10 Post by **BrandonH** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:45 pm

$2000 to pull teeth? Good lord that seems expensive.

#11 Post by **Faerydust** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:24 pm

I don't have dental insurance, but I am on the University student dental plan. You're right $2000 is high and I just realized that was the quote for the original plan to get all 4 wisdom plus 2 premolars. The new quote for just 2 wisdom and 2 premolars is $1070 and with Nitrous $1120 and that is with the discount. $1120 is still pretty high considering I have to pay it all upfront, but it's better than $2000.

edit: It seems like things generally cost much more here in Hawaii than in the mainland US so I'm not too shocked.

#12 Post by **Lola** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:30 am

I had the exact same problem cersepn. I told my parents that I was going for a consultation for braces which was fine, but when they found out I needed extractions (2 upper first premolars) they were not happy. My dad offered to pay for my whole treatment but regardless but he wanted a second opinion. They forgot that one other orthodontist and my dentist both previously said that if I got braces that is what would have to be done.

My dad checked the website, the orthodontists qualifications and even rang a dental surgeon he knew to see if this was "normal"!!! I'm a panicker, which they know, so they were worried about the actual process as well as the results. When I actually got the teeth out they were surprised that the gaps weren't visable and that I wasn't in any pain whatsoever. When I got the braces (ceramic uppers) they were thrilled! My mom thinks they look really nice and everytime they see me they comment on how my teeth are moving already (after only a month I think they are being over optimistic!).

Now I have to get two wisdom teeth extracted. They are NOT happy!! Some things never change...