I am 23 years old and I have always been embarrassed of my teeth. My baby lateral incisor fell out and the permanent tooth never grew. I have made a orthodontic appointment about a month from now. Will braces help? and what kind of treatment would be best for my situation? Thank you
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Answers (2)
From board-certified doctors and trusted medical professionals
Your "small smile" is a very common problem and the reason most people go to an orthodontist in the first place. Let me explain. It all starts with a small (underdeveloped) upper jaw. Then with normal sized upper teeth developing, they just don't have enough room to come in...
Your orthodontist may be able to correct the malocclusion quickly with Invisalign or short ther braces. The best way I've seen to retain the teeth in place once correct is to bond a wire on the lingual or tongue- side of the front 6 teeth, top and bottom. A bit more tedious to clean but teeth...
Even in adults, by improving the angulation of the upper front teeth, the lower jaw does move into a better position. I have seen this improv even without the use of elastics. You could use Invisalign or fixed orthodontic braces to straighten your teeth.
