Hello,
I have a slightly unusual question: my upper right lateral incisor is crooked or set back because there is not enough space between the central incisor and canine. I would like to know whether it is possible to grind down this lateral incisor (it is otherwise completely healthy) and then place a crown on it that would not be set back. This would also solve a slight speech defect, because the lateral incisor actually protrudes backward and therefore I pronounce sibilants differently. I have already asked my dentist for an opinion, and she says there is no solution other than braces. I do not want braces; I would like a different solution, which dentists probably do not favour given that the tooth is healthy and there is too little space for it. In my teenage years I wore an external orthodontic appliance for several years, which was supposed to push the second molars backward so that the other teeth would spread out a little and there would be more room, because I have a very narrow jaw. When the other teeth, which had previously been straight, consequently started to become crooked because of the increased spacing (especially the upper central incisors), I became frightened and stopped wearing it. The problem therefore remained unresolved. Because of the lengthy process and high cost, I do not want braces now. Is there any other solution for me? If there is not enough room for a dental crown or another solution, can a dentist extract the healthy lateral incisor? In such a case the teeth would probably spread out a little by themselves over time and the empty space instead of the lateral incisor would be less noticeable? Any advice would be welcome.
Thank you very much in advance!