Expert answers
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Do I need teeth to be extracted before braces treatment?
Hi Dr. Jennifer Pinder,
I’m 16 and I have been told i need braces. I have an overbite and haven’t gotten braces yet – and I don’t have access to regular dental checkups.
um… my teeth have otherwise been very healthy, with only 1 cavity. I had four molars [1st teeth] removed by a dentist as they were blocking each other. i already have a retainer/mouthguard thing because I have a problem with grinding my teeth…
I have started to grow wisdom teeth, but the wisdom teeth [or the area at the back of my mouth] has always had quite large balls of gum. my bottom wisdom teeth haven’t emerged from there, even though have been growing for 2 years. I can feel the points through the gum…
Do I need to have the wisdom teeth removed before i get braces, and what kind of surgery will they give me?
Even if they do take the wisdom teeth out, there is still that extra gum. WIll they remove that too or stick hooks into it for my braces?
Thank you – I hope I haven’t rambled and that I’ve put in enough information…
Esther :)
Hello
You need to see the person who will do the brace work for you for a thorough check and X rays .
They will tell you if the plan for you that’s” chosen needs the wisdom teeth to be removed .
Don’t worry about the gum over them , it will remodel itself and there will be no hooks into any soft tissues .The surgery will be discussed with you , and it might be possible to have some form of sedation along with the local anaesthetic .
Hope you get your braces and nice straight teeth
