Hi Twinkletoes,

No two ortho cases are alike, not even with twins!

The thing with removing the canines is a bit riskier than the premolars because as I said, these are anchor teeth for the alignment of the rest of the quadrant. It is almost impossible to line up a bite properly once the canines are gone. Then again, some people will have a problem and others won't.

Some general dentists also do ortho work, but only limited cases, nothing extensive. They do not have the training that an orthodontist does at all!! It is best to seek several opinions before pulling any teeth or going into braces.

The problem with waiting til the child is older to do ortho is that the bone is much more dense in teenagers and older people than it is in younger children which makes it harder for the teeth to move as quickly. If the case is rushed in any way, the teeth could die (at any time in the future) from the trauma of the movement. Some cases need to wait for certain growth issues, but most of the time it is advantageous to do ortho when the children are younger and still growing. A well trained orthodontist can estimate the growth pattern of the child through different means and this helps to determine the right time to do ortho.

Let us know how things go!!

Bryanna