Cuspids, commonly known as “tiger teeth”, are usually the last of the upper rows of teeth to grow, and if there is not enough space left, they tend to push out from above the gums, making them particularly obtrusive and so named because they resemble the tiger’s teeth, which are particularly visible. Usually, dentists do not recommend extracting this “tiger tooth”, which has a long root and is located in an important part of the dental arch. If it is too crowded, the dentist will recommend extracting other teeth to make room for the cuspids, so don’t think that the problem will be solved by extracting the baby tooth. Whether or not to extract a tooth and which tooth to extract should be carefully evaluated by an orthodontist before aligning the upper and lower jaws in order to obtain a perfect bite function and aesthetics. Oriental people’s teeth are large, resulting in overcrowding of the teeth is common maxillary teeth protruding, become the characteristics of the former Japanese, and some people think it is very cute, but from a health point of view, the overlap of the teeth is not easy to clean, prone to cavities and periodontal disease, so aligning the teeth should still be a better choice. I’ve heard that straightening teeth can be painful, can there be a painless orthodontic method? Pain is a necessary part of orthodontics When the teeth are subjected to a slight but continuous external force such as orthodontics, the teeth themselves do not hurt, but the force causes the periodontium, which is located between the teeth and the alveolar bone, to be crowded and pulled. In addition to the periodontal ligament that connects the teeth to the alveolar bone, the periodontium is composed of nerves, blood vessels and cells. When the tissue is deformed by the force, the blood flow is blocked, creating a state of hypoxia, at which point the surrounding cells release some neurotransmitter substances to stimulate the nerves and inform the brain. At first, the concentration of these substances is very low, not enough for the brain to feel pain, almost 5 to 6 hours after the installation of braces, its concentration is enough to trigger the feeling of pain. Pain is the body’s response to protect its organs, and its purpose is to alert us to move away from the external force that is causing the pain in order to avoid tissue damage. However, since fixed braces cannot be removed by the patient, in order to allow blood flow, the cells around the point of force will actively activate “osteophagocytes” to devour some of the crowded bone, creating a new blood path for the blood vessels to supply nutrients and oxygen to the tissues. At this time, the tooth is also moved because the localized alveolar bone is swallowed and absorbed. Although no one likes pain, it seems to be a necessity in order to see the teeth aligned properly. Pain varies from person to person How much does it really hurt? It comes down to each person’s tolerance level. In terms of statistical normality, about 70% of people experience generalized pain, 15% feel quite a bit of pain, and 15% feel not too much pain. Which category do you fall into? I’m afraid the only way to find out really is to have it done. Generally speaking, the pain will last for 3~5 days and is generally tolerable, but the symptoms will be more obvious when you eat hard things. After the initial fitting of braces, it is the hardest period as never every tooth is uncomfortable. Symptoms may also occur after monthly adjustments, but since you already have experience and your teeth are gradually straightening out, you will forget about the pain if you keep yourself busy. Taking painkillers can alleviate the symptoms, but continued use may slow down the movement of the teeth. As for whether there is a painless orthodontic treatment, if you understand the mechanism of tooth movement mentioned above, you will know that there is no such thing as a fixed aligner that is painless. The use of removable braces is better in terms of pain, but it is not possible to adjust the position of the teeth in three dimensions, and is only applicable to some cases. Anyway, the process of orthodontic treatment can be uncomfortable at times, but it will be worth it when you are done. I would like to straighten my teeth but I am afraid that it will be hard to see, is there any invisible braces? Yes, there is an invisible braces that can solve this problem, because this braces are made of transparent plastic film, so it is not easy to see and this braces can be removed by themselves, so now it is favored by the majority of adult patients, but the invisible braces are limited to the simpler cases. There is also a completely invisible orthodontic technique that is worn on the inner side of the teeth —- Lingual Orthodontics, but there are not many doctors who are formally trained to do it, and it is more expensive.