Lower Incisor Extraction Followed by Braces Left Me with an Overjet. Can This Be Fixed?

asked 9 months ago by J Madison in Bloomfield Hills, MI
Latest answer by Lawrence Singer, DMD
Question viewed 500 times
Tags: extraction, incisor, options

As an adult I recently had braces. I had crowding in my lower teeth so prior to braces I had one my lower incisors removed. Now, post braces, my teeth are perfect on the top. On the bottom the incisors go straight across instead of rounding the same way the the top row does (because I only have three incisors). This has left me with a 4mm overjet. Can this overjet be fixed for a person who is missing a lower incisor?

6 answers to Lower Incisor Extraction Followed by Braces Left Me with an Overjet. Can This Be Fixed?

Excess overjet

Sometimes there is a compromise to achieve a better result. We can't in all cases achieve an ideal result because it may take 2 or 3 times longer than the more practical route and the patient gets worn out. Would you be willing to wear braces for 5 or more years. You might be able to correct the overjet by reproximating some of the upper teeth and pulling them back. But then your face may look sunken in and not as attractive. You need to consider aesthetics... more

Lawrence Singer, DMD
Washington Cosmetic Dentist

Removing a Lower Incisor

For the upper and lower teeth to fit together in an ideal relationship, the number (size) of the upper teeth must be matched by the number (size) of the lower teeth. An orthodontist named Dr. Bolton described this relationship decades ago. If the upper teeth are relatively smaller in size or number than the lowers, there will be spaces between them, an underbite, or crowding in the lower. If the lower teeth are relatively smaller in size or number, an overbite, spaces in the lower, or... more

Greg Jorgensen, DMD, MS
Albuquerque Orthodontist

Missing lower incisor and residual overjet

I wonder if there was a plan in place to reduce the overjet when the decision was made to extract the lower incisor. A single lower incisor extraction works best when there is a natural compensating REDUCED tooth width on the upper incisors, especially the laterals, or when there is an underbite "tendency" present. Absent either both of these conditions, overjet will result from a lower incisor extraction. To compensate for this you can wear elastic to CREATE a... more

Brian Povolny, DDS, PhD
Seattle Cosmetic Dentist

www.smilesatsouthcenter.com

Get an Orthodontic Opinion

Without photo's it is very hard to envision what is going on in your case. Anything that you try to do will be a compromise. If you flare the lowers to close the overjet, spaces will open between your teeth. Once bonded (or veneered), those teeth will appear larger in size which may bring attention to them or bother you. You have also now lost your midline as one lower tooth sits between your upper two front teeth. My best recommendation would... more

Gary Nack, DDS
Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist

Overjet should be able to be corrected

I would think that this overjet problem could be corrected at least partially. I wonder what your overjet was before you began treatment? This can sometimes be a problem with extractions to gain space for orthodontic tooth movement. To close the space the teeth must be retracted. This can cause that problem. The teeth can probably be moved outward to reduce the overjet but know that if you do this you will probably open gaps between your lower... more

Martin Frankel, DDS
Toronto Cosmetic Dentist

Overjet after lower incisors extraction with braces

As you noted in your question, you have overjet due to what we call a tooth size discrepancy (TSD) due to the fact that you have one less tooth on the lower. The only way to really address this would be to negate the TSD by either opening space on the lower to address the missing tooth (bridge or implant), or by reducing tooth structure on the top by (in this case I'm assuming since you are saying there is no crowdin) tooth reduction between teeth (IPR) to gently... more

Mazyar Moshiri DMD, MS
Saint Louis Orthodontist

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