get rid of lateral incisor?

[catoon]

Hi,


My ortho. recommended me to get rid of both lateral incisor on the upper jaw before putting on braces, as one of them has some bone loss. the problem is canine teeth are different, although my ortho. said he can reshape them by cutting the sharp edges at the end. I am worried about the final turn-out. anyone has similar experience? thanks.

[mikeg]

let's see what someone else says who has had that done, but I would DEF get another professional opinion. I wouldn't pull out a tooth unless it was absolutely necessary. Have another ortho or 2 check it out and see what the general consensus is.

[Sunny]

I definitely think you should consider anothr consult or two, as rarely is it wise for the canine teeth to be moved from their position, due to the work they do to help your bite.

On my right side, I have an impacted canine, and my teeth behind that have been moved forward. My ortho will do some work on the first pre molar, to make it look a little less 'full' and help guide by bite, but I'm not too concerned, as it's three teeth back on the right and not that noticable.

Good luck with hearing what another ortho or two consider is the best treatment for you!

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

While almost no one ever wants to have teeth taken out, there are reasons for teeth to be removed, such as the reason described. If there is a severe periodontal problem or root resorption with that tooth, it may be moved into position, with the risk of subsequent loss after treatment.

Another alternative is to leave that lateral incisor in as long as possible and then have an implant placed. Keep in mind that you may require an adjunctive procedure to increase the amount of bone if there is not enough support for an implant.

It may be prudent to visit a periodontist to get their opinion so that you can better idea of any restorative options.