Bicuspid extractions for orthodontic purpose

[nittionia]

Has any here had bicuspids extracted for the purpose of orthodontic treatment? I don't mean wisdom teeth removal, but just the extraction of premolar teeth followed by retraction using braces.
If you have, what changes have you noticed in your health and aesthetics?

[Vasag]

Let me tell you, getting my bicuspids extracted was a living hell. I mean, I knew it was gonna be uncomfortable, but I had no idea it was gonna be this bad.

The pain was excruciating. It felt like someone was drilling into my jawbone with a jackhammer. And it didn't stop for days! I couldn't eat anything solid, and even drinking water hurt like hell. I was popping painkillers like they were candy, but they barely took the edge off. But the worst part was the way it changed my looks. I mean, I always thought my teeth were pretty good before, but now? Now I look like a completely different person! I've got these big gaps where my bicuspids used to be, and my cheeks look all sunken in. It's like someone took a chunk out of my face!

And don't even get me started on the embarrassment. I mean, I couldn't talk properly for days! Every time I tried to say something, I sounded like I had a mouth full of marbles. It was so embarrassing! And forget about trying to smile. I looked like I was trying to impersonate a jack-o'-lantern. In the end, I know it was worth it for the sake of my orthodontic treatment. But man, I wouldn't wish that experience on my worst enemy. If you ever need to get your bicuspids extracted, just remember: it's gonna be a living hell.

[lei.talk]

Wikipedia

Orthodontics

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The four first premolars are the most commonly removed teeth, in 48.8% of cases, when teeth are removed for orthodontic treatment (which is in 45.8% of orthodontic patients). The removal of only the maxillary first premolars is the second likeliest option, in 14.5% of cases. The practice of premolar extraction developed in the 1940s in the United States, and was initially greatly contested in the orthodontic field, due to the changes to the facial structure caused by the retraction of the arches. Known as "the Great Controversy in Orthodontics", the debate over extractions was revived in the 1990s, following numerous patient reports of health consequences due to extraction/retraction, from TMD to Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and published research on the reduction of the pharyngeal airway due to the retraction. The debate has to date not been resolved. Today more and more orthodontists are avoiding the use of what is termed 'extraction therapy,' and in the United States, the official rate is now 25%.