ORTHODONTIC EXTRACTIONS

Traditional treatments often involve prescribing
the lengthy repeat process of serial extractions
of baby teeth followed by permanent teeth.

(SOURCE: International Dental Journal---2003)
Your Jaws ~ Your Life (page 101)

Teeth are not always too big for the mouth. More often, the dental arches of the mouth are too small for the teeth. Two main choices determine the approach to solving the problem of crowded and crooked teeth. One option pulls teeth. One option attempts to make room for the teeth to fit in. Traditional orthodontic treatments and FJO treatments differ profoundly on how to handle tooth crowding problems.

Traditional treatments often prescribe the lengthy repeat process of serial tooth extractions. This invasive and costly sequential tooth removal process causes loss of tooth space and airway space as dental arches collapse. It is really guided dental arch collapse. Orthodontic extraction philosophies and rates vary from practice to practice. One study found actual extraction rates ranged from 25% to 85% of patients. After a small or large number of teeth are removed, remaining teeth are aligned.

FJO techniques act in a totally opposite fashion to actively guide dental arch development. FJO treatments help to make room for erupting teeth, which often results in no teeth needing to be removed. After steps are taken to make room for the teeth, they are aligned after they grow in. The key to sucessful dental arch development is to start as early as a problem is recognized--even at ages 2 to 8.

David C. Page, D.D.S.
Your Jaws ~ Your Life (page 101)