The truth about extractions. Share your Good and Bad stories? [with pictures]

[colorado2235]

Hello!

4 years ago my orthodontist suggested that I get two of my bottom teeth extracted because of my 'prominent' 'underbite.' In retrospect, my 'underbite' wasn't bad at all, and I had never had any problems with my jaw or appearance. I, of course, figured that my orthodtonist was the one who completed dental school and knew more than me about my jaw. So I went in and got those two lower teeth removed. My bottom braces were then put on.

A few months following the extractions I started to notice some terrible changes. I was suddenly experiencing some speech disturbances/ difficulties. I had suddenly developed a lisp. I shrugged it off thinking that perhaps it was nothing but just a side effect of having braces (mind you, the lisp didn't develop until AFTER the extractions. I never ever in my life had speech problems prior.) My chin also was become weakened.

Let's jump ahead a few more months. The lisp was ruining my self esteem, my now 'weak chin' was distressing because I suddenly disliked my appearance, and shoulder/ neck pain became a daily problem. IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF THE EXTRACTIONS!!!!

I now have TMJ/TMD and am seeing a specialist to reverse the damage of extractions. They literally RUINED my life: low self esteem, lisp, weak chin, TMJ pain. All of these 'side effects' have turned me into a cynical, depressed, deflated version of myself that I never thought I would become.

Prior to braces and extractions I was incredibly gregarious, talkative, comfortable in my own skin, somewhat attractive.. I feel that all these things have been stripped away from me all because I didn't do adequate research into the adverse side effects of orthodontic extractions. Had I done my research I would've requested that instead of extractions I get an expander and headgear. I feel that that treatment would've left me with the mouth I always wanted.

I now am spending $10,000 to fix my TMJ which includes wearing a 24 hour splint, expander, and am currently being re-braced. I am very thankful to have found an orthodontist that understands my struggle, and is actually against extractions because of the research he has conducted into the harmful effects that extractions can cause. TMJ is a VERY common side effect of extractions.

In summary: DO NOT GET EXTRACTIONS unless you're ok with possibly developing TMJ and other undesirable side effects. Let me be a lesson to those that aren't sure which plan of action to take with treatment. But I urge to really do some research into the lives that have been ruined because of extractions. I will never be the person I was before, and I have spent countless hours crying and obsessing over the past wishing that I never allowed my bottom teeth to be ripped out. I do understand that some people may benefit from extractions, but unless that it is absolutely necessary there are other ways to fix your bite; such as the installation of an expander and the use of headgear.

[acmoc]

I got a bad draw.
I sudffered almost all the effects on the list

sleep apnea
jaw pain
longer narrower facre
premature aging
thinning of face.
It's very saddening because as I look over my old photos, it seems to have started 6 months into my treatment. And even though I'm undergoing reversal, I dont believe my face will go back to normal.

Please do not get extractions. No one has perfect teeth, not even celebrities. And dont listen to the positive celebrities thread. That is a small number of population, and you only see them on TV, After they are all touched up.

[Lovespain5]

I got a bad draw.
I sudffered almost all the effects on the list

sleep apnea
jaw pain
longer narrower facre
premature aging
thinning of face.
It's very saddening because as I look over my old photos, it seems to have started 6 months into my treatment. And even though I'm undergoing reversal, I dont believe my face will go back to normal.

Please do not get extractions. No one has perfect teeth, not even celebrities. And dont listen to the positive celebrities thread. That is a small number of population, and you only see them on TV, After they are all touched up.

Oh, sorry to hear that. I recommend extractions only if you have bimax protrusion with lip incompetence. If it isn't the case, only braces with Herbst or expanders are recommanded in my opinion. Hope reopening your extraction sites would end to a nice result.

[Lovespain5]

I had four premolars extracted at age 12 for orthodontic treatment.

It might seem okay at first, despite the flattened profile (which may be desired in some cases).

But be warned:

Forty years later it is a nightmare.

Face sags.
Deep wrinkles.
Jaw clicking and pain.
Loss of bottom lip.
"sad downward corner of mouth".
Poor shoulder posture.
1/3rd less airway space
Retreated mandibula
tinnitus


It should be considered malpractice. The issue is that no matter how "good it looks", the relationship between the teeth and the jaw will be compromised.

Unless you have an extremely complex orthodontic situation, do not do it, especially if you are concerned about how you will look or feel at age fifty.

If you do do it, make sure you have an excellent insurance plan in your middle age, as taking care of the consequent symptoms can cost $20,000 plus. Costs include: TMJ splints, jaw massages, reversal orthodontics, and--what 100% of orthodontists recommended to me as a standard treatment for "Tweed victims"--double jaw surgery to advance the maxila and the mandila from their compromised position.

I am an athlete, very healthy, a vegetarian, yogi and surfer, and in very good shape: to have my face look ten years older because of an antiquated experimental form of orthodontics, and to have 24 hour pain in my face and mouth, feels unfair to me (:---but I am just happy that now, forty years later, few orthodontists make this uneducated choice now and no longer are there so many witless victims. I am thrilled that young people today have a choice not to go through what so many of us on these "premolar extraction" forums are going through, years post the treatment.

Facts: 40% of orthodontic cases were treated with extractions inthe 1970s (the "Tweed" method).
Less than 15% are treated now, due to the studies that showed the long-term consequences of extractions.

Note: if you do the extractions, it would be best to do it post age-20, when your jaw is developed.
Extractions and consequential tooth retrusion cause the jaw to stop growing.
To close the spaces, your teeth must be slanted inward into your mouth and the jaw will only grow as far as the teeth are.
Hence the "flat face" effect."
I

The celebrity photos are not telling the whole story. The reduction of space inside the mouth, due to the retracted jaw and slanted teeth, may make your tongue feel "cramped", like an animal in a cage. This cramped tongue is what leads to sleep apnea and breathing problems: the tongue hits the palate towards the back of the throat (only room it has) and blocks the airway.

My question: are there any celebrity singers who have had premolar extractions and still sing to full capacity? It would be great to know that there are.

I'm sorry for you. Hope you will have a nice second result.
To tell you the truth, I am slightly worried when I read stories like yours.
I received a treatment with my 4 first bicuspids out, in Tweed technique (I think it's the Tweed because my braces were with ligatures and my molars and my second premolars received full bands), because I had bimax protrusion with lip incompetence. Without forgetting all the other stuff like powerchains, elastics...
I end with a straight profile as well as a stronger chin and a smaller upper arch .
I am very happy with the result and my lisp nearly disappeared. I have a better deglutition too.
But do you think I risk to have some of your problems as aging?
Thank you.

[pcspinheiro]

While I agree that some cases cannot be solved acceptably without extractions (ie, bimax protrusion, severe overjets), I do believe that in most cases extractions are done just to make things easier/more predictable (for the ortho, that is). I also wish I had done my homework before being pushed into an extraction treatment, only to realize after the first one that I had been lied to; that extractions were not needed to fulfill my modest goals and that there was NO lack of space in my mouth for all my teeth. I would end with some overjet and no class I canines (apparently the holy grail of orthodontics), but I could not care less. After realizing the lying, incompetent ortho I had, I demanded debracing but one upper premolar was already gone... I still tried to take things to an acceptable outcome and stuck with this ortho for about 1.5 years after the extraction, asking simply to get the gap closed, but the ortho was clearly incapable of doing this and when I debraced near the 2 year mark my gap was all there... So I'm braced again but my case is ever more complicated now and it would take an additional 3 years to fix everything, so I just requested to have my uppers straightened again and the extraction gap closed as best as possible, accepting there will be an unpredictable compromise in aesthetics. Bracing the lowers has a high chance of making me lose a premolar, that died during previous "treatment" and is suffering root resorption, so no thanks... I just want to look back at this as a nightmare from which I'm awake.

[assertives]

While I agree that some cases cannot be solved acceptably without extractions (ie, bimax protrusion, severe overjets), I do believe that in most cases extractions are done just to make things easier/more predictable (for the ortho, that is). I also wish I had done my homework before being pushed into an extraction treatment, only to realize after the first one that I had been lied to; that extractions were not needed to fulfill my modest goals and that there was NO lack of space in my mouth for all my teeth. I would end with some overjet and no class I canines (apparently the holy grail of orthodontics), but I could not care less. After realizing the lying, incompetent ortho I had, I demanded debracing but one upper premolar was already gone... I still tried to take things to an acceptable outcome and stuck with this ortho for about 1.5 years after the extraction, asking simply to get the gap closed, but the ortho was clearly incapable of doing this and when I debraced near the 2 year mark my gap was all there... So I'm braced again but my case is ever more complicated now and it would take an additional 3 years to fix everything, so I just requested to have my uppers straightened again and the extraction gap closed as best as possible, accepting there will be an unpredictable compromise in aesthetics. Bracing the lowers has a high chance of making me lose a premolar, that died during previous "treatment" and is suffering root resorption, so no thanks... I just want to look back at this as a nightmare from which I'm awake.

Keep an eye on that dead premolar if you haven't gotten a root canal. I recently came across someone on a dental forum who had a tooth die from a childhood accident that only decided to abscess 30 years later. There was no pain or any signs that the infection has been brewing. She had a root canal done and then noticed she was experiencing pain in an adjacent tooth. A ct scan revealed that because the infection was large and has spread in the bone, it has now claimed that adjacent healthy tooth as well.

[pcspinheiro]

Thanks assertives. No, I haven't gotten a root canal because the endodontist took x-rays and did the vitality test (cold sensitivity test) and felt it was better to leave it alone for the time being. The tooth did have minor delayed sensitivity but it also has a wickedly crooked root and he says it would be very hard to treat... At the time (last october or november) it still had a pointy root but on the new x-rays for the second round of braces, taken a few weeks ago, there was a shadow in that area and the tooth seemed to have lost some of its tip... I also felt constant sensitivity on it, but no longer... Either it really died completely or came back from the dead (doubtful). I do need to watch it as its root is sitting close to the canine... I think I'll book an appointment to look at it specifically.

Edit:just booked with the same endodontist in 2 weeks time.

[DeSnek]

It would be really helpful if someone posted links to pictures of cases where extractions ARE recommended, and where they aren’t recommended. I’m being told conflicting things about my extractions by orthodontists right now and I feel lost. It’s hard to determine if it’s in my best interest or not.

[itsblackpepper]

Mine, bad. I had bimax protrusion. It was nice to no longer bs e a protruded profile but my entire face sagged shortly after. I aged overnight. Now I’m in the process of reversing it . I’m not opening extraction sites, just advancing and expanding my arch with braces. A wider arch will help to shorten my long face. My smile looks horrible as well

[americaninparis]

If anyone has had any consequences to premolar extractions, could you please take this survey?

It's for a research project to determine what percentage of people get the "bad story" effects after having this procedure.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1smJ6xF ... eAdEcdDA4/

[americaninparis]

[quote=DeSnek post_id=507182 time=1553725546 user_id=32709]
It would be really helpful if someone posted links to pictures of cases where extractions ARE recommended, and where they aren’t recommended. I’m being told conflicting things about my extractions by orthodontists right now and I feel lost. It’s hard to determine if it’s in my best interest or not.
[/quote]

if someone has said not to do them, do not do them.

It is always in your best interest to avoid. Your tongue space will be compromised no matter what. Whether you will "feel" it is another story. Maybe you won't as much as those who really suffer from the consequences. But tongue space is vital. If your tongue ends up feeling squooshed in, it will move to the back of your throat and can make your breathing less than optimal (at best) and lead to sleep apnea (at worst).

People who have had extractions usually have bad neck and back posture: less supporting important teeth (premolars are important teeth) means that the skull is not as stably supported on the neck. Neck and shoulder pain results from wrong posture.

Lots of subtle things can happen to your body after extractions and you won't be aware of them perhaps until in your forties, when you wonder why you slouch all the time, have chronic neck pain, TMD (a frequent occurencce after jaws have been retracted with elastic bands) and loss of lips and sagging cheeks (less teeth support means less support for soft tissue).

If you have options not to extract, do not extract.

see this article: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O0_EIJ ... be7Yx/view

[gorillatoad]

see this article: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O0_EIJ ... be7Yx/view

This article's author is has no medical degree whatsoever, let alone one related to teeth. While the journal states that it is peer reviewed, note how the publisher's disclaimer states that they disassociate from any article's medical accuracy (so, in other words, basically NOT peer reviewed). The article itself is loaded full of leading language and confirmation bias. Be careful what you read and believe.

[MarT59]

Anyone going through bicuspid reversal in the uk.