Jaw expansion vs Filing teeth at on edges

[Moh]

Hello All,

My cousin wants to go for orthodontic treatment. However the Orthodontist suggested extraction of teeth to create space. We don't want any invasive procedure and therefore I thought of Jaw expansion. But my cousin is already 21 years old and most likely the upper jaw bone must have become fused and therefore Jaw expansion does not look promising. Can X-rays reveal how much the bones of palate/jaw have become fused?

Also why can one not file the edges of teeth to create some space? Is this method not common and if not, why is that?

Many Thanks for your reply.

Regards.

[isthistaken]

It's called IPR and I had it done in lieu of extractions. It probably depends on how severe the crowding is, where it is, and many other factors. I was glad it was an option for me instead of extractions.

[sirwired]

Firstly, as a 21-year-old, the palatal suture is most certainly fused.

Maybe jaw expansion will work, maybe it won't; this varies wildly by case. The real question isn't: Can the arch be expanded? It's: Will the result be stable when treatment is concluded?

IPR is not a substitute either expansion or extraction; IPR over a full arch might open up about 2mm total, as only a small amount can be removed from any given tooth. Expansion or extraction will open up triple that or more.

Certainly get a second opinion about if extractions are necessary (but I'd avoid any ortho that claims they never extract)... You'll need to accept that some cases are simply extraction cases, and there is little that can be done about it short of jaw surgery (and some surgery patients will also get extractions...) Extractions are not particularly invasive; there is a chance of minor complications but they are pretty straightforward to deal with.

Yes, sometimes extractions are done needlessly or poorly... this is the case with just about any medical procedure. But that's no reason to decide, as a layman, that extractions should be avoided for everyone at all times.

[isthistaken]

As I said, it depends on the severity. For minor crowding this is what was offered to me instead of an extraction, and my orthodontist is NO SLOUCH, trust me. He's widely known and published in the worldwide academic community.