Should I continue with braces after having extractions?
I’m 17Y, F and got braces in October 2025. My reason for wanting braces was because I had an overjet which I was highly insecure of and was also causing issues as I couldn’t bite into things properly. Before this, I’d been on the waiting list for 2 years for braces and had a whole process of reapplying for a dentist etc. I think this may have factored into my desicion which I’m now starting to regret, extractions.
During the consultation before getting braces, my dentist said that I’d need extractions to correct my teeth, as I also had an overbite too. I admit that I should have researched more because the idea of finally getting straight teeth made me accept this despite finding out later bad experiences of having teeth extracted. There was no mention of overcrowding of my teeth, the dentist just said it was necessary to correct the alignment.
Fast forward to current, my overjet seems mostly fixed and I still have an overbite that is being corrected with bands, hooked from the front of my mouth to the back. I’ve had the bands on for a week and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t experiencing anxiety from this. I’ve seen more experiences of people having extractions which later on now they’re experiencing things like sleep apnea. It isn’t something to be taken lightly and honestly it worries me if I made the wrong desicion. I trusted my dentist that this was the right desicion, but now I’m not sure and I’m considering ending the braces treatment early before the gap closes more.
If anyone who’s had extractions or is more educated on this topic can please share their opinion as to advice of what to do, it’d be greatly appreciated.