Orthodontic Treatment for Crooked Teeth: Insights from a Dental Clinic near Gangnam Sinsa Station

Hello.

I am Dr. Oh Su-hwan, the director of Smile:D Dental Clinic near Gangnam Sinsa Station.

Have you ever covered your mouth when smiling because of crooked teeth, or felt particularly self-conscious when taking photos?

Today, through two actual cases of crooked-teeth orthodontic treatment at our clinic, I would like to answer two common questions:

Can my crooked teeth also be corrected?

Do I necessarily need to have teeth extracted?

This image was staged to aid understanding.

Why do crooked teeth develop?

The main reason crooked teeth develop is that there is not enough space for the teeth to be arranged.

In particular, the canine teeth tend to emerge later than other teeth. Because they erupt when the space at the front has already become limited, they often cannot find their proper position and protrude outward.

The key to correcting crooked teeth is therefore “how to create enough space.”

There are two main ways to create space.

• Extraction orthodontics, which creates space by removing teeth
• Non-extraction orthodontics, which secures space through other methods without removing teeth

The appropriate method must be determined by considering the condition of the teeth, the jaw structure, whether the lips protrude, and other factors as a whole.

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📞 Smile:D Dental Clinic
0507-1449-2087

This image was staged to aid understanding.

CASE 1: Crooked teeth on one side?

This patient had a severely protruding upper-left canine.

The psychological stress was significant enough that the patient covered their mouth with their hand when smiling.

Skeletal analysis showed a tendency toward a slightly recessed lower jaw, but the patient wanted correction of the crooked tooth only, rather than changes to their appearance.

This image was staged to aid understanding.

To achieve clear improvement in the crooked tooth, we decided to proceed with extraction orthodontics.

Because the patient strongly wished to minimize the number of extractions, we chose unilateral extraction, removing only the upper-left premolar next to the crooked tooth.

When extraction is performed on only one side, the dental midline may shift toward the extraction side.

To prevent this, an orthodontic screw (mini-implant) was placed on the opposite side to maintain the midline.

Approximately seven months after orthodontic treatment began, the alignment of the teeth had visibly improved.

The orthodontic appliances were removed after a total of 18 months (one and a half years).

This image was staged to aid understanding.

The patient’s side profile and appearance were maintained as they had been before treatment, while the crooked tooth was brought fully into alignment to create an even dental arrangement.

Many people feel frightened or burdened by tooth extraction, but extraction orthodontics performed under an appropriate treatment plan can be conducted safely and can produce good results.

CASE 2: Crooked teeth on both sides + missing molars — A case resolved without extraction

This patient had mildly crooked teeth on both sides and an uneven arrangement of the front teeth.

Because there was not enough space to align the teeth, the gums were also swollen. This was a complex case in which three large molars had already been lost.

Because the patient had no lip protrusion and a normal skeletal structure, we decided to focus on aligning the teeth evenly without changing the appearance.

Instead of extraction, we created space using the following two methods.

Arch expansion	Interproximal reduction
A method of slightly widening the arch in which the teeth are arranged to create space	A method of delicately reshaping the surfaces between the teeth to secure additional space

Aesthetic ceramic orthodontic appliances were used, and the correction of the crooked teeth and placement of molar implants were both completed after approximately 16 months.

💡 Is orthodontic treatment impossible if you have implants?

There is one point many people wonder about in this case.

Should implants be placed first, or should orthodontic treatment come first?

The answer is to undergo orthodontic treatment first.

Because implants are fixed directly to the bone, they cannot be moved using orthodontic appliances.

If implants are placed first, significant limitations may arise when moving the teeth and creating space.

This image was staged to aid understanding.

Therefore, even if molars are missing, it is much more advantageous to undergo orthodontic treatment first, organize the alignment of the teeth and the available space, and then place the implants.

This image was staged to aid understanding.

Key takeaways from the two cases

Having crooked teeth does not necessarily mean that teeth must be extracted.

• Significant space shortage or severe protrusion → extraction orthodontics
• Limited space shortage or normal skeletal structure and lip position → non-extraction orthodontics

Extraction orthodontics can also be performed with the minimum number of extractions, as in unilateral extraction.

Non-extraction orthodontics secures space by combining various methods, such as arch expansion, interproximal reduction, and distal movement of the molars.

This image was staged to aid understanding.

The important thing is to choose a method suited to the condition of your teeth, and that decision should be made through an accurate examination.

If you are looking for a recommended dental clinic in Gangnam, we recommend that you first have your oral condition thoroughly examined.

< Smile:D Dental Clinic Location >

< Learn More About Smile:D Dental Clinic >

📞 Smile:D Dental Clinic
0507-1449-2087

※ This post is an informational post prepared by a medical institution in compliance with Articles 56 and 57 of the Medical Service Act.

It was written based only on informational content exempt from review as medical advertising.

These images are explanatory materials intended to aid understanding, and the actual treatment will be determined after consultation with a medical professional.