If you're interested in getting a better-looking smile, it may be surprising to hear that you need to have one or more teeth extracted prior to getting braces. While this isn't the case for everyone, some people do need to have teeth pulled in order to gain the full benefits of braces. If you're one of them and wondering what to expect, keep reading this guide.

Why It's Sometimes Necessary

Teeth are only extracted before braces due to an overall lack of space. This can confuse some people, as you might get braces thinking that they would relieve the lack of space in your mouth.

The issue here is that braces are great for fixing alignments of teeth and to make the most of the space that you have in your mouth. However, some people simply have jaws that are too small in order to comfortably space out all of the teeth that one has. When this happens, braces can't correct the smile completely. Removing some of your teeth will provide your mouth with more space. Then your orthodontist will move your teeth around to make the most of this space, leaving you with a corrected, evenly-spaced smile.

The Process

Getting your teeth pulled for braces isn't as bad as it sounds. Your dentist will ensure that you're comfortable during the procedure and know what's going on. In most cases, general anesthesia is not necessary to have a tooth pulled. Your dentist will numb the area with Novocain or another numbing solution. Once this is done, you shouldn't feel anything that the dentist does during the procedure.

Your dentist will then loosen the connection the tooth's root has to the jaw and will pull the entire tooth out, root and all. They will then stitch the gums closed to prevent bacteria from getting into the area, and you'll be sent home with pain medication to heal comfortably.

After

Once your gums have fully healed, you'll be ready to go back to your orthodontist to have your braces put on. Your orthodontist may first want to take an x-ray to get a better idea of how much space you have in your mouth and to ensure that everything has healed from your extraction procedure. If everything looks good, you can begin your braces treatment immediately and start working towards getting the smile that you want.

Not everyone needs tooth extractions for braces, but it's no different than some people being able to keep their wisdom teeth. If you don't have enough space in your jaw, some teeth may need to go. Talk to your dentist to find out more about the tooth extraction process.

Contact a company like Pacific Implant Group today to learn more.