Having second thoughts about my lower incisor extraction

[derekwilliams]

Are there any alternatives? I have straightened lower teeth from wearing braces when I was young but now I am 27 and my upper teeth are in a reverse curve and do not show at all when I smile or talk. My dentist said he can't bring them down before he extracts a lower incisor. I think crooked lower teeth look better than straight ones, so I am uneasy about having one extracted for good. Would making my lower teeth really crooked have the same effect as extracting a lower tooth to clear up space?

[newbite]

I don't think you'll find an ortho who will put your teeth out of alignment to make room. At least, I hope you don't!

Straightening and properly aligning all teeth is important, especially the bottom front, because teeth naturally drift forward with age so if you have crooked teeth now it will likely only get worse as you get older.

A non-invasive alternative is IPR, but you may need more room than that can provide.

I'd suggest you get another ortho opinion. Orthos do things differently, maybe another will say that all you need is IPR.

[sirwired]

FYI, "IPR" = Inter-proximal reduction. Basically, the ortho sticks a sanding disk to his Dental Dremel-tool-like thing and removes some from the sides of your teeth. This can provide a little bit of room and/or reduce the "black triangles" caused by gum recession.