Selective tooth extractions in orthodontics are considered to maintain or enhance facial profile by preserving lip support. Which statement is true?

Selective tooth extractions in orthodontics are considered to maintain or enhance facial profile by preserving lip support. Which statement is true?

• A. Four first premolars extraction for crowding is one such strategy
• B. Profile considerations are never used in extraction decisions
• C. Always extract first molars
• D. Extract only canines

Answer: (A)

Selective extraction decisions aim to balance crowding, tooth alignment, and facial soft tissue, including lip support. When there is crowding with protrusive incisors, extracting four first premolars in both arches creates space to retract the front teeth. This retraction reduces incisor protrusion and helps the lips sit more favorably against the teeth, preserving or even improving lip support and the overall facial profile. Other strategies like extracting only canines or always extracting molars don’t routinely address both crowding and lip support in the same way, and profile considerations guide which teeth to remove. Thus, four first premolars extraction is a recognized approach to maintain or enhance facial profile in suitable cases.

Selective extraction decisions aim to balance crowding, tooth alignment, and facial soft tissue, including lip support. When there is crowding with protrusive incisors, extracting four first premolars in both arches creates space to retract the front teeth. This retraction reduces incisor protrusion and helps the lips sit more favorably against the teeth, preserving or even improving lip support and the overall facial profile.

Other strategies like extracting only canines or always extracting molars don’t routinely address both crowding and lip support in the same way, and profile considerations guide which teeth to remove. Thus, four first premolars extraction is a recognized approach to maintain or enhance facial profile in suitable cases.