Notice anything about these teeth?
They're all missing a lower incisor — like me.
I had one removed when I was younger (my first round of braces) to fix crowding. Now, I'm left with only three lower incisors and I regret the extraction. My orthodontist, though, said it's common and will be virtually unnoticeable once my teeth are straight. I'm still considering an implant. I have to get one anyway and, if I'm spending all this money, I don't want to settle for "good enough."
Pros:
Perfect, wide smile — no settling
No missing teeth (my orthodontist said I have room for the tooth and didn't agree with the previous decision to extract)
Cons:
Spending an extra $4,000 to $6,000 for an implant
Extended treatment time (my current is 18 to 24 months but making room for an implant would likely add months)
What do you think? How noticeable is the missing tooth? Is an implant worth the extra time and money?
If you only have/had three lower incisors, what decision did you make and how do you feel about it now?
Photos sources: [1] [2] [3]
Does this look weird to you?
Moderator: bbsadmin
Does this look weird to you?
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- Posts: 102
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Re: Does this look weird to you?
I wouldn;t have noticed if I didn't read your text first. I wouldn't get a four tooth added unless it was noticeable. DO you show your bottom teeth when you smile? Only my top teeth show. Also, how is your bite without the additional tooth? If you are in a class 1 bite and have no overjet, then won't you end up as a class 2 bite? My lower teeth are pretty big, I have no overbite/overjet and I'm ending in a slight class 2 bite. If my bottom arch was smaller (i.e. missing an incisor) i could probably end up as a class 1.
Re: Does this look weird to you?
I had my left lower central incisor extracted for Invisalign treatment. Because my upper jaw is so narrow, I opted for the extraction of one lower tooth rather than surgery for my upper jaw. We spoke about it for so long before deciding it was best, my ortho didn't want to extract and I didn't want it either but with the clincheck video it was really obvious that the only way I would have a functional bite was with the tooth gone, if I had left it in and straightened out the bottom crowding it would have ended up with my lower teeth sitting just in front of my upper teeth because my bottom arch would have widened out so much, so that was definitely a no go haha. But he showed me other outcomes of lower incisor extractions he has done and they actually looked so good, I was quite shocked because I couldn't even tell!
If your current ortho says that the extraction shouldn't have been done then I can definitely see why you would want to reverse the extraction, if I didn't have such a narrow upper arch I would have been definitely opting to keep all my teeth.
Would your bite be better if you had an extra tooth? Because if your bite would be better with the extra tooth, I would definitely go for it.
If the extra tooth isn't going to mess up your bite and would make you feel better about yourself and you have the cash to splash on it, I would also go for it.
But if your bite is good now and you're just worried about the look of having one less tooth than you should, maybe just save the few thousand, you definitely can't tell with those pictures, the teeth all look great.
As for me, my extraction gap is only half way closed at the moment. If it ends up like my ClinCheck video, I'll be extremely happy. If not, my ortho says he won't let me finish treatment until I'm happy haha. My treatment coordinator had her lower incisor taken out 10 years ago and there is absolutely no way I would have known until she told me, I remember complimenting her beautiful teeth when she was first taking my pictures for my file. She has a very toothy grin where her top and bottom teeth are visible and it wasn't noticeable to me at all
If your current ortho says that the extraction shouldn't have been done then I can definitely see why you would want to reverse the extraction, if I didn't have such a narrow upper arch I would have been definitely opting to keep all my teeth.
Would your bite be better if you had an extra tooth? Because if your bite would be better with the extra tooth, I would definitely go for it.
If the extra tooth isn't going to mess up your bite and would make you feel better about yourself and you have the cash to splash on it, I would also go for it.
But if your bite is good now and you're just worried about the look of having one less tooth than you should, maybe just save the few thousand, you definitely can't tell with those pictures, the teeth all look great.
As for me, my extraction gap is only half way closed at the moment. If it ends up like my ClinCheck video, I'll be extremely happy. If not, my ortho says he won't let me finish treatment until I'm happy haha. My treatment coordinator had her lower incisor taken out 10 years ago and there is absolutely no way I would have known until she told me, I remember complimenting her beautiful teeth when she was first taking my pictures for my file. She has a very toothy grin where her top and bottom teeth are visible and it wasn't noticeable to me at all
Re: Does this look weird to you?
Didn't notice the missing lower incisor til you mentioned it. All I noticed were the beautiful straight teeth!
Braced: April 07, 2017
Debraced: February 08, 2019
Sentence: 18-24 months
Actual time in braces: 22 months and 1 day
Reason: Straighten teeth, correct crossbite and edge-to-edge bite
http://myjourneyandlifewithbraces.blogspot.ca
Debraced: February 08, 2019
Sentence: 18-24 months
Actual time in braces: 22 months and 1 day
Reason: Straighten teeth, correct crossbite and edge-to-edge bite
http://myjourneyandlifewithbraces.blogspot.ca
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Re: Does this look weird to you?
I'm missing an incisor/Premolar and I could have gone the route to get the space opened and get an implant, but I already need 2 implants for much more noticeable teeth, so I choose to go with what my Ortho decided and just got the gap closed.
Realistically nobody besides you or a Dentist/Ortho will really notice, so I wouldn't bother with it; but everybody makes their own decisions and if you really want that, go for it.
Realistically nobody besides you or a Dentist/Ortho will really notice, so I wouldn't bother with it; but everybody makes their own decisions and if you really want that, go for it.
Lots of crimes here
1. The upper molars bite too far ahead of the lower molars
2. Missing teeth #s 9, 14, and, 29
3. Open bite
4. Upper midline left of center
5. Lower midline right of center
6. Upper and lower teeth not straight
Sentence - 24 months, turned to 27 month.
Braces removed since 11/06/17
1. The upper molars bite too far ahead of the lower molars
2. Missing teeth #s 9, 14, and, 29
3. Open bite
4. Upper midline left of center
5. Lower midline right of center
6. Upper and lower teeth not straight
Sentence - 24 months, turned to 27 month.
Braces removed since 11/06/17
Re: Does this look weird to you?
Didn't notice at all!
Re: Does this look weird to you?
Thanks for all the thoughtful responses. Many of you suggested good questions to bring back to my orthodontist.
I'm realizing it's more emotional than practical -- I mostly want the implant because I regret allowing the extraction to happen now that I know it was a fast work-around versus a necessary measure.
My new orthodontist even called the old one a "crazy person" for extracting the tooth, but ultimately I don't think it's causing any issues with my bite, etc. He would have suggested an implant if that were the case.
The practical case is more compelling (especially since none of you noticed), but I'm still having a hard time with knowing I could have had a full set of teeth. Probably not a good enough reason to move forward with an implant.
I'm realizing it's more emotional than practical -- I mostly want the implant because I regret allowing the extraction to happen now that I know it was a fast work-around versus a necessary measure.
My new orthodontist even called the old one a "crazy person" for extracting the tooth, but ultimately I don't think it's causing any issues with my bite, etc. He would have suggested an implant if that were the case.
The practical case is more compelling (especially since none of you noticed), but I'm still having a hard time with knowing I could have had a full set of teeth. Probably not a good enough reason to move forward with an implant.