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Dentistry/palate widening expansion surgery?

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Question
hello...
i have a cleft lif and i had to have braces on my teeth when i was younger... one tooth on the right side was missing so the dentist brought the teeth around and they joined but they are nearly a tooth off centre... and really narrow smile now also from it... i went to the dentist and he said have braces and take a tooth out at the opposite side and bring them back round to close the gap and open a new gap at the other side and have a implant put in there and the surgery to widen them out... he didnt really say how long it would take... i mean would i have them moved around then have the surgery??? do you have to have a widening plate put in or anything to widen after the surgery or is it just wider after surgery??? please explane how this works please im confused... im 25 do you think it is a good idea or not to move my teeth?????
many thanks oliver

Answer
Your situation is a complicated one but there are probably solutions available for you.  These may very well involve braces, palatal expansion and surgery.  The details that you are asking, however, can only be answered after thorough examination and evaluation of x-rays, dental casts and photographs.  I suggest that you make an appointment with an orthodontist for a complete evaluation and workup so you can consider your options carefully.

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Dr. Randolph Myerson

Expertise

Please limit your inquiry to questions about orthodontics (braces) and children's dentistry. I am both an Orthodontist and a Pediatric Dentist, having been trained in both of these dental specialty fields. Orthodontics is the dental specialty that treats problems of tooth, bite and jaw alignment using braces and removable appliances. Pediatric Dentistry is the dental specialty also known as dentistry for children, which deals specifically with the dental problems of this special age group from infants to adolescents. I am also experienced in Forensic Dentistry, the application of dentistry to law enforcement and identification using dental records.

Experience

I have been in the private practice of orthodontics and pediatric dentistry for over 20 years. Prior to that I served for three years on the Cleft Palate and Cranio-facial Reconstruction team at Children''s Hospital of Philadelphia and was an Assistant Professor of Dentistry at University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. I also served as a dentist in the U.S.Air Force, stationed at Andrews AFB in Washington, DC.

Organizations
I am a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and a member of the American Association of Orthodontics, as well as a member of the American Dental Association and the Dental Society of the State of New York.

Education/Credentials
I received my BA in Biology from Frankin & Marshall College in 1969, and my dental degree from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1973. In 1978 I received both my Certificate in Orthodontics from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, and my Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from Children''s Hospital of Philadelphia after completing a three year Teaching Fellowship in Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in 1978.

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