Braces and tooth extraction

[toddlingabout]

If your child had teeth extracted for braces, did it turn out ok?

Mine needs top and bottom teeth out for overcrowding. I just don't want it do it and it be a mistake or lead to unanticipated problems, so any advice would be more than welcome.

Not quite the answer you are looking for, however as a child I had 4 teeth removed due to overcrowding - I have never needed a brace and get complemented on my teeth now (this was back in the 70's)

I had 4 teeth removed and fixed braces. It was all fine and great end result.

My daughter had 4 out and has had braces for a few months. Her teeth are looking beautiful so far.

DS had 3 out, was told he may need a 4th but to see how it went. It was a nightmare getting one of them out (he was fine and very calm. My palms were sweating!)

I initially asked if there was an alternative to removing teeth. Very charismatic orthodontist replied “don’t have braces”

I’d read that in America they tend not to remove teeth but push them all outwards instead, hence their big cheesey smiles! Don’t know if that’s true, but clearly on NHS you have to take their word for it.

Here’s a couple of before and afters. He’s very pleased with the result!

I had 13 removed and DD has had 8 removed. DD still has her brace and you would be hard pressed to notice that my teeth are any different to anyone elses.

Dd12 had four removed, two upper, two lower a month apart. She had appointments with orthodontist in between and a spacer fitted, to ensure the gap didn’t disappear due to the overcrowding, before the braces were fitted. She’s got canine ‘fangs’ which have no room and came out above her teeth in the gums.,
Still only two months in. Her normal healthy teeth have already twisted around. It’s weird to see, as there was nothing wrong with them, but they’re moving to make room, then they’ll move back.
It’s going ok so far. Weird to have four healthy teeth removed, but it was so obvious she didn’t have enough room in her mouth for all her teeth.

We decided against the treatment and removal after reading various studies.

DD had 2 top molars removed almost a year ago. His teeth are already beautifully straight after 9 months of braces. Everything has slotted into its new place.

We were told by orthodontist and dentist that dd had to have extractions for braces. We got a second opinion from a different dentist who referred her to the hospital asking whether Damon braces would work for her. The consultant said yes, took her on and long story short, the Damon braces worked brilliantly and she now has perfect teeth. Her teeth before the braces were really terrible, not just out of alignment but all over the place.

Do get a second opinion if you want to avoid extractions. Ask about Damon braces. I think dentists are sometimes keen on extractions to make things easier for themselves, but it seems ridiculous to me that they are so keen to remove healthy teeth if it’s avoidable.

My 8 year-old is having 4 baby teeth removed later this year in preparation for braces. He has to have major surgery on his gum and lip as well so the surgeon is doing it all at the same time.

My 27 year old daughter had 4 back teeth out at 14 years....massive they were....huge roots.....they bled like crazy....she had to have stitches in them all...took a while to heal.....now she has the most amazing straight teeth, top and bottom....it was a bit of a blood bath at the time though

Ps....she has no gaps now after braces

I had way too many teeth come through (rare but it happens) so needed a whopping 12 removed (both baby teeth and adult) before they could give me the train track braces. It sorted out the seriously wonky situation I had but they did shift a little bit when the bastard wisdom teeth popped through.

I had my braces in my twenties.

My dentist pushed me to do it because I had overcrowding but also two teeth that had been broken in an accident. She assumed it would be win win to have them extracted.

My orthodontist was excellent but insisted my overcrowding wasn't severe enough for extraction. She told me that modern thinking was not to extract wherever possible as the goal is not juat straight teeth but a wide smile without dark corridors at the corners. And to be fair, now that I know about it I do often notice the dark corridora on others.

Maybe get a second opinion?

@Muststopeating

I had my braces in my twenties.

My dentist pushed me to do it because I had overcrowding but also two teeth that had been broken in an accident. She assumed it would be win win to have them extracted.

My orthodontist was excellent but insisted my overcrowding wasn't severe enough for extraction. She told me that modern thinking was not to extract wherever possible as the goal is not juat straight teeth but a wide smile without dark corridors at the corners. And to be fair, now that I know about it I do often notice the dark corridora on others.

Maybe get a second opinion?

But this is not always the case.....my daughter had 4 teeth removed at the back as she had 3rd teeth (canines) growing and therefore massive overcrowding.....so after the extractions 2nd to back teeth....the braces closed the gap between the back tooth and the 3rd back tooth....so no ‘dark corridors’.... apparently it’s a lot more common than you think, 3rd teeth coming through

They know what they're doing, op. The end result will be gorgeous.

I had 4 out for my braces. All looks great now. They were awful before.

Thank you for all the advice, it's good to hear so many positive stories.

What are dark corridors?

I will look into Damon braces

@wolfstarling

We decided against the treatment and removal after reading various studies.

Thanks for your reply. What did you do instead? What in the studies made you choose not to do it?

No because the tooth was removed for an implant on the NHS, but by the time she was ready for it they’d stopped doing them on the NHS.
She now has a gap.