Will I need to have teeth extracted prior to getting braces?

15 Apr Will I need to have teeth extracted prior to getting braces?

In patients with severe crowding of the teeth, tooth extraction may be necessary before a patient can get braces to re-align the smile. Extraction may also be recommended as part of correcting a malocclusion, to address protruding teeth or to remove impacted teeth.

If you need to correct such an issue, your orthodontist may refer you to an oral surgeon to be evaluated for extraction, especially when the tooth is impacted or other complicating factors are present that make a simple extraction unlikely.

Adult orthodontic patients may be more likely to need tooth extraction, as their jaw development is complete and cannot be manipulated to create more room for the teeth, as is sometimes possible in children and adolescents whose jaws are still growing. 

Tooth extraction can be a major factor in achieving your desired orthodontic results, so it’s not something that should necessarily be dreaded or feared. In most cases, the procedure can be completed in an oral surgeon’s office, using local anesthesia and sedation, if the patient would like to be a little more relaxed.

Targeted teeth should be removed prior to orthodontic treatment, rather than during or after treatment, to create the space necessary to allow the remaining teeth to move into the desired positions.

Some patients may also wish to have impacted wisdom teeth removed before they get braces. You may want to discuss this option with your orthodontist or surgeon as well.

In cases when a patient does need to have teeth extracted prior to orthodontic treatment, your orthodontist will collaborate with your oral surgeon to determine the best timing for the extraction. Depending on the extent of the extraction, you may need to allot additional time to heal from the procedure before moving forward with your orthodontic treatment.

If your orthodontist has recommended that you have a tooth or teeth extracted prior to getting braces, contact our skilled team at Central Oklahoma Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates. Call 405-624-1300 today to schedule an initial evaluation and learn more about this process.