Any black people here?

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#1 Post by **FarewelltoArms** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:21 am

Hi, this is my first post in this forum, although I've had braces for approximately 6 months now. I'm a 19 year old male, half black/ half white mix, and I've been reading a great deal about orthodontics, or more explicitly, extractions.

My orthodontist presented me with two options, non-extraction, and extraction. From the postings on this board, it appears that the majority of people who have extractions have them performed due to crowding issues, or to camouflage a class 2 skeletal/ molar relationship.

In my particular case, my orthodontist recommends extraction due to a condition called bimaxillary protrusion. I actually like my teeth in terms of straightness and alignment, but the problem is my mouth sticks out too far, thus causing my face to look disproportional.

According to the literature I've read, bimaxillary protrusion is common amongst certain minority groups, more specifically, blacks and certain Asain ethnicities. However, it occurs in all groups, simply to a lesser degree. Lip retraction, which is the essential goal in treatment, is said to vary significantly between blacks and whites who undergo extraction treatment. This is said to be due to lip muscularity which differs between ethnicity.

Anyway, I know this has been a long post, but my inquiry is, are there any black people who have had extractions, and if so, how were the results?

#2 Post by **lilblackdress** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 5:49 am

Welcome, FarewelltoArms

There are several people of color on the boards, myself included.

I have not had any extractions and I don't think I have a bimaxillary protrusion, so I can't help you with that.

As you mentioned in your post, people of all shades of color have extractions due to bimaxillary protrusion, so you might get more responses by asking about that specifically without the color qualifier.

Try changing the title of the post to be "bimaxillary protrusion" if you don't get more responses with your current one.

#3 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:53 am

Farewelltoarms - I have bimaxillary protrusion but I am not black. Sorry! I can say that the extractions have been the least painful part of my ortho treatment and I am very pleased with how my teeth are coming along. There is not much a difference in my frontal view, besides the fact that I no longer have the lip strain and monkey mouth look. My profile has changed and looking more harmonious. I had the protrusion with crowding and I just didn't have enough room in my mouth for all of my teeth. I started with a wide smile, crowding, and bimaxillary protrusion. Now I can say that I don't bite my lip as much when I'm eating and it feels great to bite into a sandwich without ripping up a slice of tomato from my mouth with my fingers.

BTW My sis in law is also a dentist and told me that she didn't know how in the world all of my teeth fit in my jaws before ortho. She said that I had some small jaws but HUGE crowded teeth.

Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:59 pm

I am Afro-Venezuelan!

I don't need any extractions, sorry, can't help out.
- mariah

#5 Post by **BrandonH** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:35 pm

I have wisdom teeth and some crowding, but my ortho is not doing any extractions. He said if it's possible to keeep everything God gave me, that's what he intends to do.

#6 Post by **VistaXP** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:11 am

Hi FarewelltoArms,

I'm in the same boat as you.

I'm Asian and have bimaxillary protrusion with no crowding.

I had braces once and will go for the second time.

The first braces treatment I was totally bummed because there was little to no improvement in my profile. I believe its due to the fact that I didn't get my teeth extracted.

So now I'm getting them extracted and getting braces again.

That example picture that Meryaten shows, is what my profile almost looks like.

Just found this video, thought it might help:

http://www.dent.niigata-u.ac.jp/ortho/h ... Bimax.html

Require QuickTime
Hope that helps.

#7 Post by **sherilynn23** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:51 pm

I am a 23 year old black female who has had braces on since August of 2007! I have not done my research as most of you have but the proof is in the profile! I had two teeth removed on the top and two on the bottom.

My profile has completely changed in just 4 months and I am very happy. I cant wait until the gaps completely close!!! I know the results are going to be great. I recommend the extraction! My ortho said that the results would be quicker with them out. My alternative was jaw surgery to widen my pallet

yikes!

hope that helps a little...i would post pictures but i dont knhow how lol

#8 Post by **KikiloSugilo** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:01 pm

I'm a 21 year old black female who had four extractions that went well, and actually saw no real difference in the shape of my profile.

#9 Post by **VistaXP** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:13 am

To sherilynn23 and KikiloSugilo,

Did you guys use any appliance that hold your rear tooth from moving forward? Such as miniscrews, head gear, Trans-palatal arches...

#10 Post by **KikiloSugilo** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:20 am

VistaXP, No I didn't have any such appliances, as my extractions were conducted solely for the purpose of creating more room. I had my extractions done a few months into treatment and went without either archwire for about 6 weeks to allow things to move about a bit. I hope that helped!

#11 Post by **sherilynn23** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:53 pm

I had no appliances put in place...I had the four teeth removed to create space as well. I had the teeth removed prior to obtaining my braces and about 4 weeks after i had the braces put on.

I had the same teeth removed that you posted in your video...smooth sailing ever since!

#12 Post by **mstikl1** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:57 pm

Hi - not black but 1/4 First Nations.
Welcome to the site!

#13 Post by **tomelo** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 5:54 pm

I'm so glad you started this topic! I'm an American of African descent and I've been in braces since Jan. 06. One reason I decided to get braces was to create space for a missing central (big tooth) on the top. I could've just gotten the top braced because my teeth were otherwise straight with a near perfect bite. I probably would have been finished treatment in a couple of months. However, I didn't like my profile at all and I knew that if I didn't get that addressed too, I would always wonder: "what would I have looked like had I got it done?" So, I had the extractions done and then I was braced.

It's funny because just this Tuesday I asked my co-workers if they noticed a change in my profile and without missing a beat they said yes! One said that he was just looking at me the day before trying to figure out what was different about my face

. Mind you, the gaps on the bottom aren't even completely closed yet and we haven't even started closing the gaps on top. I can't wait to see the end results

.

#14 Post by **tomelo** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:21 pm

VistaXP - I had a thin round wire nance on the bottom and a button nance on the top to keep the back teeth from moving forward. I wore the bottom for about 9 mo. and the top for 1.1 years. Interestingly, at one of my adjustments my orhto's superior questioned whether my ortho installed the nance without considering whether I actually needed it or not. Wearing the nance wasn't the worst experience but it certainly wasn't fun, so be sure to ask if you really need a nance or not before an ortho puts it in.

I wish I would've kept a "profile foto journal" to keep track of the changes. I definitely felt the changes when my ortho put on the largest rectangular wire. That's when my teeth started to upright/stand up straight. I could feel my bottom lip sinking in; almost like I was sucking on it

.

#15 Post by **VistaXP** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 12:25 am

tomelo wrote:VistaXP - I had a thin round wire nance on the bottom and a button nance on the top to keep the back teeth from moving forward. I wore the bottom for about 9 mo. and the top for 1.1 years. Interestingly, at one of my adjustments my orhto's superior questioned whether my ortho installed the nance without considering whether I actually needed it or not. Wearing the nance wasn't the worst experience but it certainly wasn't fun, so be sure to ask if you really need a nance or not before an ortho puts it in.

I wish I would've kept a "profile foto journal" to keep track of the changes. I definitely felt the changes when my ortho put on the largest rectangular wire. That's when my teeth started to upright/stand up straight. I could feel my bottom lip sinking in; almost like I was sucking on it .

Thanks for the feedback, I too will be getting a nance, but only for the top.

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