In our latest Smile Study Discussion, Dr. Jason presented an interesting case of a 12-year-old patient named Angie who came to his office concerned about crowding and flaring of her teeth. Angie didn’t like the appearance of her smile, especially since her front teeth weren’t very visible when she smiled big.
Upon examination, Dr. Jason noted crowding in both Angie’s upper and lower teeth, and X-rays provided a good look at the positioning of her teeth in relation to her lips. Dr. Jason felt that if they simply put braces on to straighten the teeth, it would cause the teeth to flare out even more, not providing the best aesthetic outcome for Angie.
So in this case, Dr. Jason elected to remove some of Angie’s premolar teeth – two on the top and two on the bottom. While not done in every case, selectively extracting teeth is a treatment option when the orthodontist believes it will enhance the patient’s smile. By removing these teeth, it creates extra space to allow the remaining teeth to be aligned properly. The end result of Angie’s treatment was excellent! Her finished smile shows beautifully straight teeth with good alignment., and when she smiles big now, her upper teeth are nicely visible and no longer protruding like before.
As Dr. Jason points out, tooth extractions are not part of every orthodontic treatment plan, but are sometimes recommended when deemed the best way to achieve an optimal result. Every patient’s needs are unique. Consulting with an orthodontist is the best way to determine the right approach to crafting your perfect smile!
Find More Resources
For more educational videos and resources that can help keep your child’s smile happy and healthy, check out our YouTube Channel! Make sure you subscribe and click the bell to receive notifications when we drop our latest videos!
