Q5 : Is it true that teeth are often taken out for orthodontic treatment?
It is unreasonable to simply straighten crowded teeth without tooth extraction in some patients. Multiple factors must be considered in making non-extraction vs. extraction decisions (which teeth, how many teeth, etc. if extraction is indicated) for each individual patient. Orthodontic treatment is never equal to tooth extraction. Some people argue that tooth extraction results in poor chewing function. This would not be the case with a proper treatment.
Example with 2 teeth extracted
Because it was undesired to retract the lips, two upper premolars were extracted. There was some crowding in the lower teeth as well, but extraction was avoided, and teeth were aligned by gradually decreasing them in size.
Example with 6 teeth extracted
Taking into account crowding of teeth, positioning of lower jaw, and gummy smile, two premolars and two first molars were extracted from the upper jaw. To treat cross bite, two lower premolars were extracted.
