Hey everyone,

I'll be having orthodontic treatment soon and have recently seen a program on the potentially face-changing effects of extractions.. Are they really a worry? Or just people causing trouble? Looking on the internet most sites seem to support the status quo but then, that's to be expected.

So, I was hoping for some more personal insight. Anyone have any input on this?

Thanks!

face changing effects of extractions? what kind of changes? i've never heard of this myself, only for example if a patient has had all of their teeth taken out, the bone that was holding them in resorbs away and obviously alters the structure of the face and the look of the face from the outside.

as for extractions for orthodontic reasons i'm assuming you'll only be having a few teeth taken out, in which case your face shouldn't change! i had 4 taken out for orthodontic reasons to make room as my teeth were overcrowded, my face didn't change. as for the internet, there's bound to be a tonne of scare-monger type websites showing the absolute worst situations, but really there's nothing to worry about.

if you are worried then do share your concerns with your dentist, make an appointment just to talk to him/her before the extractions, they'll tell you the truth, they're not there to gloss over the facts just to make you feel better, you will get straight answers so don't be afraid to ask.

hope everything goes well for you