Question about ppl getting front teeth extracted...

[Lisa65]

Speaking from a personal perspective, the reason my treatment is so complex now, is partly due to my ortho's reluctance to extract more teeth! The easiest course of action would've been just to whip out 2 molars and move my front teeth back into the gap. I'd still have got a wider smile than I started with, purely from getting my overlapping front teeth uncrossed and lined up, and the crossbite on my premolars straightened up, and it would have made the treatment a piece of cake, relatively speaking.

My class II bite is hereditary (my mum's teeth are the same). Big teeth, small jaws, slightly narrower top jaw in relation to the bottom, and a tendency to class II - all adding up to insufficient space in the top jaw to accommodate 16 teeth. Maybe if palatal expansion had been available routinely 30 years ago, or if my parents had been rich enough to send me to a private ortho/OS, then yes, I might not've needed teeth out when I was a teen and I might not be in this position now. But having those teeth out at least stopped me from being called "goofy" in school!

The ortho can only work with the canvas they have. Like Dr Mullen just said, if you don't have the genetics for a good complexion, or if you have a skin disease then your skin will never be perfect. You might need make-up to cover imperfections to make you look your best. It's the same with teeth. You can't always get a "perfect" result (class I bite, ideal occlusion, 32 teeth), but you can get one that looks attractive and is functional, and sometimes that involves extractions.

If you don't want extractions that's your choice, but don't tell people on here that it's always wrong to get them. That's why we go to orthodontists for our treatment - because they are professionals and we are not.

[Miss Smiley]

I have a mixed bite, and I had extractions because I didn't have anywhere to expand the palate without surgery. Since I already have a wide smile, I would have been left with a wider set upper jaw and looked funny. I went with extractions because my brother is an OS and told me that would be the better route, leaving me with a better facial balance. The extractions are not really making things faster or easier, I'm still in it for the long haul of 2 1/2 to 3 years. I'm hoping 2 1/2 but it will probably be 3 and a few months.

[missann]

What do Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellwegger, Kristin Davis, Heidi Klum, Princess Diana, Molly Sims & Kylie Minogue all have in common? THEY HAD EXTRACTIONS!!!! There are many cases where extractions are warranted and provide better aesthetic and functional results than a nonextraction treatment plan. Search the web for J Bowman's articles on the extraction/non-extraction debate. You have a lot to learn


"Broader smiles are beautier then smaller smiles. Some ppl have so small jaws that it looks really handycaped already. Those orthos should be sued, sorry but just my 2 cents about extractions...

[/quote]

omg! really do all they had extractions! they smileis look beautiful, I had extractions too and I am always worrying about how I will look like... I can´t avoid being worried, and I am always looking at other´s people teeth and smiles

[missann]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhVNoiSypcI

please look at this video, do you had a better profile like this after having 4 bicuspids pulled?

[Jen8626]

I've had two pre-molar's removed, I have a class II maloclussion and a 10mm overjet. Without extractions my arches wouldn't be able to align to improve my bite. I've read if you don't have extractions this can lead to "a horse mouth" which, please feel free to disagree, doesn't seem aesthetically pleasing?!!!
Everyone's treatment plans are different. I get so fed up with people generalising orthodontics.

[DrJasonKTam]

While it is preferable to avoid extractions whenever possible, there are times where extractions would yield better treatment, even if there is enough space to align the teeth. Crowding is only one reason for extractions. One must also consider periodontal support, profile, and midlines amongst other factors.

If presented with a plan for extractions, make sure your orthodontist explains why they are required, and lets you know the risks and benefits of such a plan.

[llehsal]

I had one of my bottom central incisors extracted. I had quite a few consults, all recommended extraction and why other methods would not have worked for me.

These are the top orthos in my country and they all seemed very confident and thorough. There was never a moment in time I thought they were taking the easy way out. Maybe there are orthos that do, but I think you need to relax a bit. At the end of the day its not your mouth. Giving feedback is one thing, but claiming to something you know very little about (you are no ortho as you said, reading a few books does not come close) is just ludicrous.

Everyone's case is different. Rememer that.

[llehsal]

Oh...and I'm young with alot of common sense...

[alimommy1]

I have no idea why some people are so against extractions. Like some clearly very wise people stated earlier in the thread, if you have a small mouth and large teeth - and very crowded teeth as well, where do you move them to to uncrowd them without extracting a few? I had 4 premolars extracted during my treatment. It did not bother me, I knew it was essential to get the space. I was never a candidate for arch expansion as it was never mentioned. I think my arches are both normal size in relation to each other and how wide they should be in general. I do think the orthos who wanted to treat me with surgery wanted to move my upper jaw forward and my lower jaw back (or something like that, it's been 15 years, I don't recall exactly lol) but that sounded like an awful lot of expense, healing time, pain, and suffering for nothing when an almost equally pleasing esthetic and functional result could be had with extractions. My wisdom teeth are gone too, again, no room for them AT ALL.

I am guessing that even if I had had treatment as a kid, all I would have been offered would be extractions and trust me, I'd have been happy about it then too. On one small negative note - I would be against any extractions of front teeth unless a subsitute would be provided during treatment and then an implant done (instant load) because it looks 'off' as far as symmetry if there is a front missing, but I guess that's like being excessively picky about midlines. I think mine is lined up right now and my ortho plans to move mine around somehow, lol.

[jackjack]

Why are extractions considered "lazy"? I've read on this board that most cases on this board, extractions or not, are 18-24 months. I had extractions and my time in braces will be 24 months. How is the orthodontist being so-called lazy???

[Bekah]

In my case, extractions were reccomended to fix my profile. I could not close my lips over my teeth and never really noticed how flared they were. I told my ortho that I didn't want the extractions and he said he would do what he could without them.

After 9 months in braces he told me again that he thought they would help my problems and I talked to my dentist who agreed. I then chose to have them. He told me that he would stick with me even though my reluctance is what extended my treatment time.

My daughter had the same extractions due to the exact same problems that I was having.

The results have been truly miraculous in both of our cases and I wish that I had the extractions done during the beginning of my treatment. I wasted all that time and I could have been done!