Metal Mouth Message Board

Ok let me see if I can explain clearly what is happening! My bottom front tooth has a low receding gum,bad enough that it needs a gum graph flap put over it. The problem is that I have a lot of crowding on the bottom and my Oral surgeon said that I dont have enough space to put a gum flap and the fact that I will get braces afterward will irritate the gumline and another gum flap might have to be done. If I had straight bottom teeth and needed no braces then the new gumflap will work and I will have that tooth for a long time. So the risk I have to take is getting bottom braces and getting those bottom teeth move enough and get the wires removed and have my gum flap done towards the end of my brace treatment . He said a lot of people get the braces removed and notice how lose one tooth and it will have to be extracted.
He told me that since I was getting braces and if I lose that tooth that the braces can close that front tooth gap and the teeth will just move into that position. My bottom teeth will be straight and I won't need a fake tooth there.

What do you guys think?? I have to talk to my ortho so he can talk to my surgeon so he can be aware of this risk and maybe he might be able to help by not bracketing that front bottom tooth and get enough space so I can get thegum graph put there.

Sorry for all the details and long post. This had me worried and I've had to be a big girl and accept that everything wont't be perfect.At least I will have my teeth straight and I will finally have a good bite!

Gennel

Hi Gennel and welcome. I am sorry to hear you have such a problem. If you can find the posts, there are several people who end up with and odd number of teeth on the bottom. They basically don't have a midline on the bottom row of teeth. There was a picture posted by one of the previous doctors that showed the results look just fine - and they did (this was a long time ago).

Good luck to you.

Hi Gennel -- Ouch! all that sounds like not very much fun. During my first consult with my ortho, he suggested just extracting my front bottom tooth that's being pushed out to the back. Once he got back all the xrays and all these scary looking technical graphs on jaw angles and such he decided to try to keep all the teeth and just push them all forward, but if that doesn't work, I may have to get extractions. I was worried, too, about having just one tooth pulled, so I'm glad to hear that others have done it and it looks OK.

Good luck!

Karen! Thank you so much for posting this story link. Now I can visualize it much better and not have nightmares about the whole thing! Her results are amazing and my surgeon was so right that he said you cannot notice this at all when the person is speaking to you. He only notices when he looks into their mouths ! I am waiting for my adjustment on July 12. I will have him call the surgeon so he knows what to expect good or bad.
The link you sent me, her teeth look absolutely gorgeous!

Gennel

Hey Gennel! I read the story too. I might need an extraction also on my bottom arch but my ortho is considering a premolar instead.
It's not that uncommun to find people with 3 bottom incisors! Don't be scared. Even if your midline isn't perfect no one will notice cause it's ur bottom teeth!
Everything will be fine!
Joanna

It really did not surprise me that it was a possibility that I would lose that front bottom incisor. What upset me is the fact that I've already had my two bicuspids extracted on the bottom plus my 1st molar on each side on the bottom. So it's not just 1 gap that will need closing it will be up to 5 gaps on the bottom to close! I see a lot of powerhains in my future! lol

They are not planning to extract it unless it becomes too loose while in braces.So I will be praying for that little incisor to please stay there and not want to leave me! lol

Gennel

So many extracted teeth on your bottom arch I hope that incisor survives!
Good luck!

Joanna