Question about braces and teeth removal?!
Question: Question about braces and teeth removal?
I went to orthk today and he said i would need 4 teeth removed. 2 from top and 2 from bottom.
I have over crowding on bottomm set of teeth.
My top teeth are straight but i have a overbite. Ortho wants to remove 2 teeth from top to deal with overbite.
Why do he have to remove teeth at the top to deal with a overbite?
Answers:
Traditional orthodontists are taught to extract bicuspids (aka premolars) to treat crowding although such treatment causes a dished-in profile with the nose and chin made more prominent and the area around the mouth look sunken in, make the mouth smaller than it should be, make the upper back teeth not line up with the lower back teeth, and have a high potential to cause TMJ problems, especially in females. Extracting bicuspids is "quick and dirty" and gives the orthodontist a ton of room to uncrowd teeth but it has too many disadvantages. It would be in your best interest to refuse to have 4 perfectly good teeth pulled and ask to have non extraction treatment instead. Without your permission (or your parents', if you are a minor) an orthodontist cannot treat you so exercise your right to voice your opinion regarding how you are to be treated orthodontically.
functional orthodontist; treated TMJ since 1984