AIBU to want dd to have traintrack braces but no teeth removed?

[Italiangreyhound]

AIBU to want dd to have traintrack braces but no teeth removed?

The orthodontist says my dd (11) needs train track braces to straighten her teeth.

The waiting list is about 18 months.

Since about 8 days old dd has sucked her thumb and nothing I have ever been able to do has helped her to stop (despite her saying she wants to stop!). So we have 18 months for her to stop so she can get her teeth straightened.

When she finally does stop thumb sucking and gets to the top of the list the orthodontist says she will need train track braces to straighten her teeth and in order to do this the orthodontist will take out two teeth.

I did not really think anything of it until a friend told me that they don't need to take out teeth nowadays with traintrack braces.

Can anyone tell me how it has worked for them or their child, please?

DD is terrified of having teeth removed and if it is not necessary I would rather avoid it.

I'm surprised our orthodontist didn't talk to us about the option not to remove teeth, especially as the NHS website seems to suggest it is not very common tp remove teeth now- " But, as a result of recent advances in orthodontic treatment, removing teeth has become much less common."

My dd has only had one baby tooth removed and that virtually fell out as it was stuck at an odd angle - think 'Nanny McFee'!

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Orthodontics/Pages/Howitisperformed.aspx

"Removing teeth

In some cases, it may be necessary to remove a tooth to correct the position and appearance of nearby teeth. But, as a result of recent advances in orthodontic treatment, removing teeth has become much less common.

However, if baby teeth have been extracted, there is a greater likelihood that adult teeth will need to be extracted as part of orthodontic treatment."

Thanks.

Not sure about current treatment but I had 4 adult teeth removed (2 top, 2 bottom) before train track braces and it was honestly fine. My mouth is pretty full of teeth as it is so not sure how it would have worked without the extractions.

Have you tried Nail the Habit for the thumb sucking. It is vile and stopped both of my hardcore thumb suckers dead in their tracks.

Hi, my DD had 3 teeth removed 3 years ago before train tracks. One was a milk tooth that hadn't fallen out and the others were to make space. the braces were on less than 18 months and she now has the most perfect teeth and we don't regret a thing! She was retainers very night and they don't bother her at all. The teeth out was not pleasant but over quickly and the result make sit all worth it. it may be less common to remove teeth but it still happens frequently and as far as Ii can see, for the right reasons. My DD would have had no space for those extra teeth, her smile is perfect now. Go for it!

Sorry about the typos, dodgy keyboard!

Thanks LikeASoulWithoutAMind, were they wisdom teeth? I had 4 wisdom teeth out in the chair, under local, it was horrible! We have tried the paint on stuff for nails, she got to like it I think!

It's still relatively standard to remove teeth if necessary although in some cases they don't have to. If you have faith that the orthodintist knows what they are doing then I would take their advice and not try to second guess what would be best

Thanks thebestfurchinchilla I am glad it worked out.

I am just not sure where the idea of extra teeth is from. Does this mean some kids have more teeth? I thought DD's problem was partly that she pushed the teeth out of shape with her thumb.

we said no to teeth being removed. For dd twin block braces turned out to be an alternative before she had train tracks. Her teeth are really good now,

Try aloe Vera juice (direct from the plant) to break the habit. It is vile beyond imagining if you taste it by mistake.

I had 4 milk teeth, then 4 adult teeth out to facilitate braces when I was a kid, and then had all 4 wisdom teeth out as an adult as well. They're honestly not remotely comparable experiences IME - the wisdom were far worse, the first 2 were done under sedation and local and were so bad that the dental hospital said they would strongly recommend doing the other under general, which they were. The ones taken out for braces were much more accessible (they took ones which were relatively far forward) and so much easier.

I'd imagine whether she needs the teeth removed or not depends on how much space she has in her mouth. Mine still overlap a little at the front, and even with 4 out my wisdom teeth didn't have enough room and grew in wedged in to my cheek :( They couldn't have straightened my teeth with the other in place as there was just nowhere for the buggers to go!

I had 4 teeth removed for my braces (2nd premolars, I think) under local at the dentist aged 14, though they did it in two batches of two with a couple of weeks in between. It was fine - hurt less than the braces themselves - and my teeth did well after treatment.

My sister, by contrast, did not have teeth removed for her braces, and her cosmetic result is less good - the bottom teeth have gone back to their original positions much more. She then later had to have all 4 wisdom teeth removed under GA as they were impacted.

Obviously that's only two anecdotes and our treatment was 10-15 years ago, but just trying to say that extractions aren't too bad! I think your orthodontist probably knows more about the options than your friend, but it can't hurt to ask if there is the option to avoid extractions and how that might affect the results of braces.

my dd had one tooth removed basically her mouth is small and a bit crowded and a milk tooth was supposed to be coming out it got trapped between the big teeth the dentist removed it but it was too late and the main tooth had moved towards the roof of her mouth where it ended up so she had that one removed her friends had up to five teeth removed im guessing they have smaller mouths?! her mouth basically has a buckle in her teeth hence the braces to adjust them

i should have had a brace but my parents wouldn't pay for it or find me a suitable dentist and i actually have less teeth than normal but i still have a buckle in mine like dd its caused me a load of hassle despite the randomly missing teeth my mouth was still crowded

I think the alternative to teeth removal is to expand the palette first, and then put the braces on. I don't think you can just stick the braces on if there isn't space of the teeth, room has to be created by either removing some teeth or making the palette bigger.
I was a thumb sucker and I remember reading something about it years ago before I had my braces. It's something to do with the tongue not putting pressure on the roof of your mouth because your thumb presses it down and so the palette ends up misshapen.

My daughter is a terrible wuzz, but she was fine with her teeth being removed. She had 2 out one day and the other 2 out a couple of weeks later. (Good teeth actually come out very easily!)

She had fixed braces on for 15 months, now her teeth are lovely! Probably the worse thing is the injection. Do not tell her that it will not hurt! You have to be honest with her, but I'm sure she will be fine, good luck xxxx

By the way, the thumb sucking may be nothing to do with it, our mouths sometimes are just too small x

I had to have 6 teeth removed at age 8 - some baby teeth had remained where adult teeth had also come through, plus I had extras. Had it done under ga and honestly don't recall it as a bad experience, thought it was quite cool to take home a little pot of teeth! I then had all my wisdom teeth removed to make way for an op on my jaw and that was fairly horrible, but I was 16yrs and managed. I had various braces and the braces themselves were more uncomfortable than the removal of the teeth.

Both my DSs had two teeth removed prior to having braces. The dentist and orthodontist agreed that it would give the best result.
DS1 had his braces off two years ago and has lovely teeth, DS2 has about 18 months to go but it's looking good so far.

I've had 8 out in total. Two up and down, and four wisdom. My teeth aren't gappy and, in fact, overlap a little at the bottom. Just a lot of teeth in a small jaw. My Dad's teeth are horrendous, all overlapped completely.

I have braces top and bottom. They needed to remove 1 tooth to fix my midline and to allow room to straighten my teeth.

They only remove teeth if necessary. The Ortho will be able to tell you if there iaenough room to move teeth within loosing any teeth.

My DH had a pallette expander instead of removing teeth as a teenager as his DM didn't want them removed. Not only was it painful but the result was not as good as his Ortho wanted. DH also had braces in his mid 20s to improve his teeth (and a tooth was removed).

My advice is go with the Ortho's recommendations.

My DD (13) has just had 6 teeth out in 3 batches under local anesthetic and inhaled sedation before having train track braces fitted. She's handled it really well and they even numbed her gum with anaesthetic gel before the injection. In fairness, the 4 molars were removed as they'd grown with no enamel, rather than for the braces, but I had every confidence in the advice we were given. I can't believe you have to wait so long where you are!!

I think it very much depends on the actual issue with your dc's teeth/bite.
My dc'ren - 2 with simple over crowding top and bottom 4 premolars out followed by train tracks l.
1 with a cross bite requiring widening/ expansion of the palette rather than any teeth out. Followed by train tracks.
I know of children with bite problems who need twin blocks to stimulate jaw bone growth sometimes followed by teeth out and train tracks or sometimes no teeth out just train tracks.
It very much depends on your dc and their actual problem and we on the other side of a screen can't really tell you.
I would suggest you speak to your dc's orthodontist to establish the exact issue and accordingly the best treatment option. If st that point you aren't happy you can explore alternatives.
However I would say that having the 4 premolars out really helped my oldest who has recently had his wisdom teeth erupt. The orthodontics and extraction created enough room for theses teeth to come through and I'm convinced there would never have been enough room without the extraction so this saved what would have undoubtedly been painful wisdom teeth issues.

It depends how big her teeth are. I had two top, two bottom out, there simply isn't room in my small mouth for that many teeth, and for them to be straight!

Italian I apparently had too many teeth! I lost baby teeth but acquired adult teeth and didn't lose some baby teeth
I also lost a tooth as an adult but it was actually a baby tooth with nothing to replace it!

Anyway my point is everyone's teeth grow, fall out and form differently. I would trust the orthodontist but maybe get a second opinion?

I had 2 top teeth removed before train tracks were fitted when I was 12yo, it was't a nice experience but now am glad I did as I have straight teeth and don't see how I could have fitted any more in my mouth!

My bottom teeth over lap were none were removed.

I don't even remember having those teeth removed BTW.

Head brace to move molars back - that, I remember. That was awful. Guess that'll be likely if teeth removal isn't an option