2 Questions answered
How do dentists determine when teeth need to be extracted for orthodontic treatment?
Whether teeth need to be extracted for orthodontic treatment depends on the patient's dental condition. For example, some patient would like to correct severe overcrowding, which is a case where there are too many teeth for the size of the upper and/or lower dental arch. Extractions in these case are most likely to allow for relief of crowding. This will create space in the dental arch and allow the other teeth to be aligned correctly. If extractions are needed, the ones that are frequently removed are the premolar teeth.
Will my orthodontic treatment time and cost be reduced if I wore braces in the past?
The duration and fee of retreatment depends on the extent your teeth has shifted - how much the teeth have moved and how many teeth are involved. If it is a mild case of relapse, a simple aligner treatment is possible. The fees for this will definitely be lower than a full orthodontic treatment. However, if the extent of movement is greater, full fixed braces or Invisalign (full) may be required. In such cases, the fee will generally be the same.