Anyone pleased with outcome following extractions?

[rolo]

There is a lot of negative press out there about extractions, most would recommend getting several opinions, as it's irreversible and clearly not a good solution in every case. However, I thought it might be interesting to start a thread to see if others out there have been as pleased with outcomes following extractions as I have.

My story is I had 2 lower premolars extracted, after getting four opinions, three recommended the same extractions, one recommended additional extractions. My teeth were terribly crowded, my canines stuck out like fangs, so much they gave me mouth ulcers. I was so scared about getting extractions done. I was a complete baby and cried afterwards, not because the procedure was unplesant, it wasn't too bad, but, just because I had lost two healthy teeth!

All that said and now I'm so pleased I did it, it's made such a positive difference to appearance and function of my bite. I get just as fed up with braces as so many people on here, but 6 months in and my teeth are straight and gaps are about half the size they were, we are due to start closing the remaining couple of milimeteres of gaps in a couple of weeks. When I look at my teeth I can't believe they are mine.

[Her]

My three sisters all had extraction of 4 teeth before braces. They had very crowded teeth with teeth growing up above the front teeth because there wasnt enough room, and teeth under the tongue. After the braces, however, they had enough room to keep their wisdom teeth they so they never really noticed the absence of the teeth. Most people pull their wisdom teeth anyway so although they lost four teeth, they gained the four that most people pull on account of lack of space. They were all very happy with the results. I never noticed anything about them having sunken cheeks, etc.

[jennandtonic]

I had four extractions, plus four wisdom teeth taken out.

I'm VERY pleased with it. I have such a small mouth that the teeth going out were the only result I could see working for me.

So NO, you are not alone in being happy about the extractions.

[jennandtonic]

I had four extractions, plus four wisdom teeth taken out.

I'm VERY pleased with it. I have such a small mouth that the teeth going out were the only result I could see working for me.

So NO, you are not alone in being happy about the extractions.

[Ravishing]

I had 3 extractions instead of surgery. I started with a 12mm overjet and am down to 5mm right now. Still have a slight gap to close but I'm really close to getting my braces off. My teeth won't meet perfectly in the end but I knew this when I opted out of surgery and am still very happy with my decision.

[lindesd]

Thanks for posting this question. I was braced last February and had to have extractions. All of this talk about the negative end results has scared me $hitless!!!

So, I definately want to hear from some of you that have had a positive end result!!

Stacey

P.S. No disrespect intended to anyone. I am just a little concerned now.

[beachmommy]

I am happy to hear this too. I am having two upper teeth extracted (my wisdom teeth were impacted and removed several years ago), but since I have such a narrow palate, the braces are supposed to make my teeth come out wider (I didn't want surgery), and I thought it would compensate for the two teeth gone.

[TumbleDryLow]

I had 3 wisdom teeth out in my 20's (it would have been 4 but lucky me, only 3 developed). Then in my 30's when I decided to get braces I was presented with the same two options by 4 different orthos: surgery or have 4 bicuspids removed. I decided to have the teeth removed. My teeth were very crowed. I had "fangs" and many teeth stacked behind others. My upper palate is 28mm and the average is 38mm. There was simply no room for all my teeth. I've had braces for 9 months and, unbelievably, my teeth are nearly straight. Like rolo, I cannot believe that my smile is really my smile. Aside from small gaps from the extractions that still need closing, I really do not notice the fact I lost 4 teeth. Most importantly---I've had NO change to my face whatsoever.

[SueFromNJ]

I been out of braces for 2 years, and I am still very very thrilled with my appearance. I had 8 extractions - the 4 premolars and the 4 wisdoms. Like others mentioned here, I had fang teeth in their own rows in front of the rest of my teeth; plus had a couple of teeth pushed way behind. For all these out-of-row teeth, there was no gap in my main row of teeth to even push them into. So it was extractions or do nothing and let my horribly crooked teeth remain. My ortho saw no other choice and neither did I.

I believe my profile hasn't changed much since my teeth weren't really pushed back, since the protruding teeth were instead brought into the extraction gaps.

I simply was going nowhere in life socially and professionally with my badly crooked teeth, so the extractions were the lesser of two evils, in my opinion. I still see fixing my teeth as the best thing I ever did for myself, and finally gave me a chance to be just plain normal-looking, which is fine by me!

[jennandtonic]

SueFromNJ Said:

I been out of braces for 2 years, and I am still very very thrilled with my appearance. I had 8 extractions - the 4 premolars and the 4 wisdoms. Like others mentioned here, I had fang teeth in their own rows in front of the rest of my teeth; plus had a couple of teeth pushed way behind. For all these out-of-row teeth, there was no gap in my main row of teeth to even push them into. So it was extractions or do nothing and let my horribly crooked teeth remain. My ortho saw no other choice and neither did I.

I believe my profile hasn't changed much since my teeth weren't really pushed back, since the protruding teeth were instead brought into the extraction gaps.

Your situation sounds almost identical to mine!

I'm not out of braces yet, but I'm very pleased with how it's coming along. And exactly like you said, there would be no aligning my teeth without the extractions.

[Wobblydeb]

I do not know whether my extractions many years ago were the right or wrong decision. With teeth the best solution may still not be perfect!

I was given the choice of removing either the last molars, or my (not yet erupted) wisdom teeth. I opted for the molars knowing that taking the wisdom teeth would be far more traumatic.

Not long after my wisdom teeth came through without problems. Over the years however my front teeth have ended up crowded once again. Should the dentist have recommended pre-molars or insisted on the wisdom teeth coming out? Who knows....

I do know that teeth had to be removed though! My mouth is crowded enough without having the extra 4 molars that were extracted.

[TumbleDryLow]

Over the years however my front teeth have ended up crowded once again.

Do you have a retainer? From what I understand, retainer use is critical to avoid relapse---especially front crowding relapse.

[Wobblydeb]

Over the years however my front teeth have ended up crowded once again.

Do you have a retainer? From what I understand, retainer use is critical to avoid relapse---especially front crowding relapse.

I had all sorts of retainers from what I remember - its a lot of years ago! They were initially 24/7 and then one I wore just at night. At one point I had a permanent wire bonded to the upper incisors but it came loose and the orthodontist decided to remove it. I'm guessing I spent somewhere between one and two years in retention.

Once I had stopped, the upper lateral incisors had moved towards their original position within 5 years. The bad crowding of the lower incisors has been a more gradual process, and I think possibly has more to do with leaving the wisdom teeth in place.

This time around I will be getting a permanent bonded wire on both upper and lower front 6 teeth, and I will be checking it on a daily basis! I think I stand a better chance of keeping everything in place because my bite has been settled for good while now