openbite 2 possible extrations advice please....

[sw33tT]

Hello, I've had braces (ceramic on top, metal on bottom) since January 10 of 2012. I have an overbite, openbite, and minor crowding. I've been in rubber bands since the first day I got my braces. Yesterday, my ortho told me he won't be able to move my teeth back much more "maybe just a smidge" without removing 2 teeth. Background: the 2 teeth he would remove are have both recently been root canaled but don't have crowns yet due to the braces-so they are already problem teeth and extra cost would be associated with the crowns etc in the future. My big reason for questioning the removal of these teeth is the risk of my face losing volume and look "sunken in" over time! I've tried doing research of before and after pics of extractions and I haven't seen anyone who's face looks bad. Maybe y'all have some input on this? I just feel like if my bite can't be corrected much more by keeping all my teeth and the fact the teeth have already given me problems that I should get these teeth removed. What is the point of braces if my bite can't be fixed? As is I can not bite at anything-pizza,sandwich,etc and have to cut all my food.

~Not sure how to post pics but would like to show y'all....please tell me how.

Thanks a million for the input.

[sw33tT]

Oops, I should have told y'all which teeth it is. I don't know the correct was of counting teeth but, counting my front tooth as number one and going back it's the fourth tooth back on either side.

[sirwired]

Despite the many "horror stories" you may have read (or, alas, heard from some non-mainstream orthodontists), extractions are a normal and accepted part of orthodontics, especially in adults. They have been trending downwards over the years, but they'll never go away entirely. Extractions CAN have complications, but they are not inevitable, and under the care of an orthodontist, not particularly likely.

The biggest cause of a sunken appearance due to extractions is extractions done for tooth decay reasons and not followed up with implants or orthodontics. This is why people that have dentures or bridges for a long time have a sunken appearance; the gap in teeth causes the jawbone to recede since it doesn't have anything to support. Extraction gaps that are promptly filled (with either orthodontics or implants) generally do not have those horrible long-term recession problems.

[BracedInNOLA]

It's been only 2 months (since Jan 10, 2012) and already he's throwing in the towel on solving the problem with braces? doesn't sound like a well-thought out treatment plan. My first adjustment is next week, 8 weeks after I got my braces, so if he tells me 'so sorry, I can't do what we discussed' I'm going to blow a gasket and likely be seeking some legal assistance.

(Unless that was a typo on the year....)

[sw33tT]

yes, it's only been 2 months & not a type on the year. Well, he did tell me it was something we may need to do before I got the braces put on but I was thinking more time would pass before deciding that this is all that can really be done without extractions. Since I have a wisdom tooth on my upper right side there really isn't room in the back to pull my teeth if you know what I mean. So, this doesn't come as a shock to me but I dont' want to get teeth pulled without giving it serious thought first. I've got another appointment 2 weeks to talk more about it with the ortho.

I started making a blog and I have some pics on it if y'all would like to see my teeth...
mrsbraceface on wordpress