Is it possible to move my (r) first molar & reshape it as canine to replace my missing (r) canine?

Question

when i was still young my doctor extracted my (r) canine because he thought it was a temporary one, but as the years rolled by, no canine appeared leaving it a "gap"/space between my (r) first molar and (r) lateral incisors. right now, i have braces and my dentist suggested & told me that he would do a fixed bridge to fill in the gap. my question is, is it possible to move my (r) first molar & reshape it as canine to replace my missing (r) canine? Co'z honestly i think fixed bridge is hard to maintain and more or less fails within 7 yrs and the bad thing about it is it would reshape my (r) lateral incisor bcoz it would serve as a tooth to be crown to anchor the artificial canine. bottomline is all i want is to have a align perfect smile without any bridge, or external implants etc...

Lance Timmerman, DMD, MAGD · Answer

Yes, you can do that, but an implant would be best.  A canine is very important with both function and looks.  Without the proper root placement your face will not be symmetrical, and with a constricted arch you will have a compromised airway and may develop TMJ issues.

	Moving the premolar means you need to move the molars too, which takes a LONG time.

	The vast majority of bridges last much longer than 7 years.  Moving and reshaping the premolar should be the LAST option.

Svetlana Novak, DMD · Answer

Your dentist is right, a bridge is a better option. The best option would be an implant, this treatment may require a graft. This is because not have a tooth there most likely made bone collapse in that area.

Kevin Coughlin, DMD · Answer

The short answer is yes you may need a veneer placed over the tooth to look even better I suggest a diagnositc wax up or computer moc up to see what it would look like before treatment is started good luck

	 

	 

	KevinCoughlin DMD, MBA, MAGD     CEO Baystate Dental PC

Allen Mortimer, DDS · Answer

You may be able to have an orthodontist move the first premolar into the place of the canine, but I wouldn't recommend it. The premolar will be difficult to make it look like a canine, plus you will still have the space where the premolar was (which would still need a bridge or an implant to restore). Your best option is to have an implant placed where the missing canine is. It will last a long time (it is likely to outlast most of your teeth) and will be much easier to maintain.

Murray Bruckel, DDS (retired) · Answer

Your best bet is to have a single implant for the canine.  It is the most cost effective and other teeth will not have to be touched.

Is it possible to move my (r) first molar & reshape it as canine to replace my missing (r) canine?

Answers (5)