Pulling Canine teeth on my 8 yr old to make room for teeth to grow, sound advice or not? (pulled, dentist)
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Hi, My daughter who is 8 yrs old (+3 months) has very crowded teeth. From center, the 2nd top left tooth can not grow out due to space issues -- the front top center tooth is very big. Ortho doctor suggested to remove 2 top canine teeth to make room for the tooth to come out (has to pull two to make sure it's symmetric). He said after adult teeth are out, eventually more teeth will be removed to make room for ortho work in the future.
Right now, only baby Canine teeth are there. No adult Canine teeth are out.
Our pediatric dentist suggest we remove all 4 (including the bottom 2) canine teeth to make room for future adult teeth. The bottom is a also crowded but not as severe as the top. He suggested permanent dental space maintainers after this is done.
Is this sound advice? Does he suggest this to make money or is it for my kid's good?
Why pulling baby canine teeth when it's not so necessary? Has anyone done this? Any advice on space maintainer?
I'm not a dentist, but both of my siblings and I had to have teeth removed because our jaws weren't large enough for all the adult teeth. I'm not sure if they were baby teeth or adult teeth, though, when they were pulled. Perhaps your dentist wants to make space for the new teeth coming in correctly. If there's a baby tooth in the way, it may make the new tooth come in crooked.
If your dentist doesn't explain his reasoning to your satisfaction, get a 2nd opinion.
Generally the earlier you start with ortho work, the shorter the time overall that is needed. If nothing else, getting rid of those baby teeth in an already crowded mouth will make more room for the next ones, and there may be shorter time periods for adjustment later, etc. Get another opinion because you wont be happy with this dentist until you do so. Its probably a good idea anyway. Wish I would have done this more often on my own teeth and my kids teeth.
I have large teeth and a small mouth. My adult upper canines failed to descend due to the crowding, and had to be removed surgically when I was a teen. One of my lower canines came in behind the line of my other teeth, and had to be pulled later. I'd rather have had the baby ones removed earlier.
Can any orthodontist respond with some professional opinion? Of course I still love to read anyone else's experience!
As I was researching on this topic, I read one orthodontist saying he would not remove any lower canine tooth until 12 or 13 years old.
The top tooth(teeth) needs to be removed because one adult/permanent tooth can not grow(it's stuck there for almost a year), so I am OK with that. But my orthordontist has not said the bottom ones need to be out. And the general dentist (pediatric dentist) suggested we remove all four canine teeth.
My major concern is that, whether this will affect her facial development down the road. I thought canine teeth are really important. What are your opinions on canine teeth?
Most orthodontists will give free evaluations, so I would get a second or third opinion. That may help set your mind at ease.
Agreed.
Honestly, if you are questioning this, seek out another opinion. Frankly, you need to be able to trust the Dr's telling you the treatment option. If you don't, find one you do. Questioning random people on an internet forum will not give you the best answer. We aren't looking at her X-rays, we aren't qualified to give you treatment advice and getting second hand information from someone's cousin's best friends sister who had to have her canine teeth removed at age 12, is not going to help your decision. Getting sound advice directly from a Board Certified Orthodontist, face to face is the best course of action here.
Asking for an Ortho's advice on the internet, where you have no clue if they are who they actually say they are is sort of silly isn't it?
I completely understand that you want the best for your daughter but asking this question here, won't give you that.
Thanks for the comment! I was just concerned... But after my original posting, I have made two appointments for next week to get real advice from two different orthodontists. Will take this route. Thanks.
That is a real common things for them to do on children with crowded teeth. I had 2 teeth pulled to make room and eventually needed braces, but because I had those 2 teeth pulled I only had to wear braces for a year.
May I ask: did you get space maintainers after your teeth were pulled? This is what the dentist suggested.
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