Our Blog:
Archive:
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
Tags
- celebrity smiles (76)
- cosmetic dentistry (11)
- bonding (2)
- periodontal disease (2)
- gum disease (15)
- oral health (24)
- osteoporosis (2)
- nightguard (1)
- grinding teeth (1)
- bleeding gums (1)
- dental implants (7)
- tooth decay (7)
- teeth whitening (5)
- crown (1)
- dental injuries (4)
- (1)
- oral hygiene (24)
- clear aligners (1)
- orthodontics (4)
- diabetes (2)
- orthodontic treatment (21)
- tooth extraction (1)
- periodontal surgery (1)
- dental hygiene (1)
- dental erosion (1)
- muscle frenum (1)
- wisdom teeth (5)
- snoring (2)
- sleep apnea (2)
- braces (10)
- tooth grinding (1)
- smile makeover (2)
- pediatric care (1)
- tmj disorders (2)
- tmd (1)
- chipped teeth (2)
- antibiotics (2)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- teeth wear (1)
- dentures (2)
- cosmetic gum surgery (1)
- dental emergency (1)
- dental injury (7)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- nutrition (1)
- porcelain veneers (5)
- crowns (3)
- sedation dentistry (1)
- retainers (4)
- gum recession (4)
- teeth grinding (3)
- mouthguard (1)
- geographic tongue (1)
- dry mouth (2)
- burning mouth syndrome (1)
- thumb sucking (1)
- fluoride (4)
- pediatric dentistry (13)
- oral cancer (2)
- bad breath (3)
- x-rays (1)
- chipped tooth (4)
- tooth pain (2)
- retainer (1)
- toothbrush (1)
- periodontist (1)
- periodontal (gum) disease (1)
- gummy smile (1)
- root canal treatment (7)
- mouthguards (3)
- tooth wear (1)
- GERD (1)
- pregnancy (1)
- bonded retainer (1)
- apicoectomy (1)
- dental implant (5)
- bridge (1)
- teething (1)
- topical fluoride (1)
- removable partial denture (1)
- lingual braces (1)
- crown lengthening (1)
- sealants (1)
- veneers (1)
- smoking (1)
- extraction (1)
- vaping (1)
- root resorption (1)
Categories:

Moving teeth through orthodontics may involve more than simply wearing braces. There are many bite conditions that require extra measures before, during or after traditional orthodontic treatment to improve the outcome.
One such measure is extracting one or more teeth. Whether or not we should will depend on the causes behind a patient's poor dental bite.
Here, then, are 4 situations where tooth extraction before orthodontics might be necessary.
Crowding. This happens when the jaw isn't large enough to accommodate all the teeth coming in. As a result, later erupting teeth could erupt out of position. We can often prevent this in younger children with space maintainers or a palatal expander, a device which helps widen the jaw. Where crowding has already occurred, though, it may be necessary to remove selected teeth first to open up jaw space for desired tooth movement.
Impacted teeth. Sometimes an incoming tooth becomes blocked and remains partially or fully submerged beneath the gums. Special orthodontic hardware can often be used to pull an impacted tooth down where it should be, but not always. It may be better to remove the impacted tooth completely, as well as its matching tooth on the other side of the jaw to maintain smile balance before orthodontically correcting the bite.
Front teeth protrusion. This bite problem involves front teeth that stick out at a more horizontal angle. Orthodontics can return the teeth to their proper alignment, but other teeth may be blocking that movement. To open up space for movement, it may be necessary to remove one or more of these obstructing teeth.
Congenitally missing teeth. The absence of permanent teeth that failed to develop can disrupt dental appearance and function, especially if they're near the front of the mouth. They're often replaced with a dental implant or other type of restoration. If only one tooth is missing, though, another option would be to remove the similar tooth on the other side of the jaw, and then close any resulting gaps with braces.
Extracting teeth in these and other situations can help improve the chances of a successful orthodontic outcome. The key is to accurately assess the bite condition and plan accordingly.
If you would like more information on orthodontic options, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Removing Teeth for Orthodontic Treatment.”