I'm 34 years old and I've had braces on for about 5 years because I lost my job in the middle of my treatment and moved to another state, where I was unable to find work and could not afford to continue treatment. About 2 years ago I got a good job and started treatment again. One of my K9 teeth never came down and wasn't addressed yet by my old Orthodontist. My new Orthodontist told me that it might be fused to the bone because it has not responded to treatment after about 4-5 months of pulling on it with a rubber band connected to 2 teeth below it.

He gave me the option of continuing to try to see if it responds, or possibly just extracting it after I get my braces off for an implant. However I saw an Oral Surgeon that said that because of my age it may just take a really long time (6 mo. to a year or even more) to move and I should avoid extraction if possible (he said it was not fused). I'm not sure what to do because I want to get my braces off this year, I don't want to have them on for another year or so.

The other part of the dilemma is that he told me that you should never pull on a tooth by attaching it with a rubber band to the lower teeth and one of the reasons why my orthodontist wanted to stop pulling on it is becuase the teeth on that side of my mouth are starting to move up creating a crooked row of lower teeth. Since stopping it seems to have slowly returned to almost normal. The upper k9 tooth never appeared to move.

The oral surgeon said it's because I'm 34 that the tooth has such a long root it will take a really long time to move, but going with the extraction plan I would get my braces off after the summer. After 5 years I kind of just want to be done, not only that I've really gotten the feeling that my orthodontist is not that good, and I really want to get out of there as soon as I can before I have to pay even more money. Currently my braces are paid off... but continuing to try to move the tooth would extend treatment meaning I'd have to pay even more money.

Any advice or suggestions?