At six years old, Lily’s routine dental visit revealed an extra incisor tooth, prompting a referral to the Boston Children’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program. After its removal, Lily’s development was monitored, and when follow-up X-rays showed the tooth had shifted, her dentist recommended an orthodontic evaluation.
Lily’s mother, Jade, chose Boston Children’s based on her own positive experiences. Dr. Marc Ackerman, from the Orthodontics Program, found that Lily’s permanent left canine had erupted incorrectly, affecting her lateral incisor root. To address this, Dr. Ackerman planned for the extraction of the misplaced tooth and subsequent braces to create space.
Lily began wearing braces and enjoyed customizing them with colorful elastic bands. She also used a temporary retainer with a tooth attachment to fill the gap, which she found comfortable and confidence-boosting.
For a permanent solution, Dr. Aram Kim recommended a resin-bonded bridge. “Dr. Kim ensured the bridge perfectly matched Lily’s teeth,” Jade says. With the bridge in place, Lily now only needs a nighttime retainer and continues to shine on stage with her newfound confidence. “It’s amazing to see her so self-assured,” Jade concludes.
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