I want to straighten my teeth. I spent my life embarrassed by my smile. My parents did not have much money and couldn’t get me braces when I was a child. I had some baby teeth that didn’t have adult teeth underneath them. One of them had to come out last year because it got infected. The other one probably needs to come out. I don’t really want metal braces and wondered if I can still get Invisalign if I have missing teeth?
Patti
Dear Patti,
Left: a smile with braces. Right: a smile with Invisalign
Invisible braces are a great choice for straightening your teeth. They can definitely work around missing teeth. You should be aware that some dentists are more comfortable with “complicated” cases than others. If you encounter a dentist who says it is not a good idea, do not force the issue. Instead, go to a dentist who is comfortable. When you push a dentist out of their comfort zone, mistakes are made.
There is another issue to deal with. You may already have planned for this, but just in case I need to make sure you are aware that the missing teeth will need to be replaced or your teeth will shift back into misalignment.
The best tooth replacements are dental implants. They are expensive but are worth saving up for if you can’t get them right away. A prosthetic tooth root will be implanted in your jaw and a dental crown placed on top. It is the most like having a healthy natural tooth. While you are waiting, a dental flipper is an inexpensive temporary treatment, which can hold the spot in place.
A Secondary Benefit to Invisible Braces
While you are straightening your teeth, you can simultaneously whiten them. The aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This will save you a lot of money because you will only need your dentist to provide you with the whitening gel.
This blog is brought to you by Libertyville Dentist Dr. David Potts.