My whole life I have been embarrassed about my smile. They always been crooked and had baby teeth long after their recommended expiration date. Things have not improved. Not only do I have two genetically missing teeth (which have now lost the baby teeth), but now I have a damaged tooth that will need to be extracted. I really want to fix my smile, including straightening it. I’m going on the assumption I will need to replace these missing teeth. Do you know if Invisalign is good at working around missing teeth or will I need to go with the metal wires that come with regular braces?
Gina
Dear Gina,
Invisalign does fine working around missing teeth. There are other factors that determine whether or not you are a good candidate. You may find that dentists are more comfortable doing this than orthodontists. This is because orthodontists went to school to learn braces and have been a bit slow in embracing the technology, though they are starting to come around.
You are correct that you will need to replace the missing teeth. Invisalign will open up the space needed to replace them, but if you don’t actually replace them, your other teeth will start drifting or tipping into the extra spaces. The best tooth replacements are dental implants, but you can talk to your dentist about all of your options.
You will find another hidden benefit to Invisalign as well. The clear aligners which are used to straighten your teeth can also double as teeth whitening trays. This means that you can straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time, giving you the equivalent of a mini smile makeover. You just have your dentist provide you with some whitening gel and you can wear in the aligners at a time most convenient for you.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamzoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.