Is There A Problem With Removing Teeth For Braces?
While adults and teens may have wisdom teeth removed, there are sometimes acceptable reasons for removing other teeth, too.
Crowding, gum infections and extensive tooth decay can dictate removal of teeth. Occasionally people getting orthodontic corrections will benefit from teeth removal to provide space for very crowded teeth to un-ravel and align without those teeth popping out sideways or front-ways.
Dental extraction is performed by an oral surgeon or dentist. It’s fairly quick and usually done under general or local anaesthetic. It’s easy enough to remove visible teeth, but those that are below the surface, impacted or broken often require a more involved procedure.
How a Tooth Extraction Is Done
A Simple Tooth Extraction
Surgical Extraction
Removing Teeth for Braces
Removing teeth is a common expectation when a tooth is very damaged and can’t be saved. In orthodontics field, removal of damaged teeth can actually help the orthodontics. Your orthodontist will explain the pros and cons of removing vs. keeping teeth.
As with any type of procedure, you have choices that will be discussed with your orthodontist. It’s important for you to understand why removal of teeth will give you an advantage, and how any alternatives will work and what the results you can expect.
Overcrowding and Tooth Extraction
Helping Correct Your Bite
The way in which your jaw is positioned can determine if you have an underbite or overbite. Removing teeth may be part of a good solution. But not always.
Sometimes, you need to lose something to gain something. This is can be the case if you want to achieve an attractive and straighter smile. If there are too many teeth on the dental arch, crowding occurs. The lack of space is the number one reason teeth may be misaligned.
What Happens To Extraction Spaces?
The braces will be un-ravelling and un-crowding your good teeth. They’ll soon fill up the extraction spaces. You won’t miss the extracted teeth! You’ll have a straight, filled-out smile.
Each step in the process is carefully planned and precisely executed. It can take months or years to complete. But the end result is a corrected bite problem and an attractive smile.
Alternatives to Removing Teeth
Typically, orthodontists and especially Dr Wexler does not recommend extractions unless it’s the best possible choice. There are a few other techniques that can help make room in the mouth without needing to remove teeth.
The most common is called palate widening and dental arch lengthening. This involves using special additional (add-on) orthodontic appliances with braces or aligners to move and separate parts of mouth apart to create more dental and jaw space. This is a common method used with children as their palate has yet to fuse.
It can also be used in adults. If you’d rather avoid removing teeth before getting braces, you can discuss the alternatives and their pros and cons with your orthodontist before settling on a decision.
Do You Really Need Jaw Surgery?
Some people will need to have teeth removed with braces. Orthodonditc jaw surgery, however, is another option. In some cases, orthodontic jaw surgery can offer better results than extracting teeth.
After Dr Wexler explains the pros and cons of removing teeth for braces, dental extraction, (or not) will be your choice. We never make people have teeth out. You decide. If your decide to have teeth out for orthodontics, it means you yourself value the beneftit. You will believe you are parting ways with some teeth which are doing you more bad than good!
