Growing up I had two molars removed to make room for my teeth to move backward with braces. The orthodontist said my teeth were too big for my mouth and that I needed the extra space. Literally every dentist I’ve been to over the 30 years since then has asked why I didn’t have those molars. I always tell them, and they always say it doesn’t make sense. I’m guessing my family got “up-sold.”
I was going to skip this response because it’s controversial and scientifically uncertain (as a scientist in a previous incarnation, but seem to have reasonable evidence, look at it yourself), but screw it, I feel your pain, downvote me. Given preamble…
It seems likely that soft foods in the developmental stage of the jaw cause the orthodontic issues common to current first world countries. It may be possible to remedy this with straight up chewing gum at around age 8, but preferably use actual whole food that requires chewing, basically jaw development, and hence teeth positioning requires work. Wish I knew it earlier…
If you go this route, I wouldn’t tell them what the others said. If they don’t agree then somethings wrong. If you tell them they might just agree because they may be the ones who make more money.
Growing up I had two molars removed to make room for my teeth to move backward with braces. The orthodontist said my teeth were too big for my mouth and that I needed the extra space. Literally every dentist I’ve been to over the 30 years since then has asked why I didn’t have those molars. I always tell them, and they always say it doesn’t make sense. I’m guessing my family got “up-sold.”
Fuck… That’s terrifying.
I’ve discussed this with my wife. If any dentist tell us our daughter needs teeth removed we’re getting a 2nd and maybe a 3rd opinion.
I was going to skip this response because it’s controversial and scientifically uncertain (as a scientist in a previous incarnation, but seem to have reasonable evidence, look at it yourself), but screw it, I feel your pain, downvote me. Given preamble…
It seems likely that soft foods in the developmental stage of the jaw cause the orthodontic issues common to current first world countries. It may be possible to remedy this with straight up chewing gum at around age 8, but preferably use actual whole food that requires chewing, basically jaw development, and hence teeth positioning requires work. Wish I knew it earlier…
If you go this route, I wouldn’t tell them what the others said. If they don’t agree then somethings wrong. If you tell them they might just agree because they may be the ones who make more money.
That’s what I had planned in my head.
If they don’t discover on their own that some tooth needs to come out, it probably doesn’t need to come out.