Uprighting a Lower Molar to Make Room for a Dental Implant
February 12th, 2012
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When a lower (mandibular) six-year molar (1st molar) is missing or was previously extracted the twelve-year molar (2nd molar) tends to tip forward into the vacant space. This can become a problem if you want to replace the missing tooth with either a dental implant or a bridge. The twelve-year molar can be uprighted using Damon braces to reopen the space and create room to replace the missing tooth. We will often use a mini-screw in conjunction with the braces as an anchor point to leverage the uprighting of the molar against. In some cases we can also use a mini-screw as an anchor to pull the twelve-year molar forward into the vacant space thereby eliminating the need for a dental implant or bridge.