Having one or more missing teeth can be an emotionally challenging and stressful experience for many people. This predicament can significantly impact your oral health, affecting your ability to eat, speak, and maintain proper dental hygiene. It can also lead to self-consciousness, embarrassment, and even social isolation.
While feeling upset about this situation may be understandable, you must act immediately to prevent further complications. As you schedule an appointment with your orthodontist, you may wonder if you can get Invisalign with a missing tooth or teeth. Although you can get this solution, dental experts recommend replacing the missing tooth after the treatment.
If you’re ready to restore your best smile, this article will explain if your orthodontist can give you Invisalign if you’re missing a tooth.
What Are the Advantages of Replacing a Missing Tooth?
When missing a tooth, you can enhance your appearance and boost your confidence by replacing it with dental implants, crowns, bridges, and partial dentures. However, dentists recommend completing Invisalign treatment before selecting a tooth replacement option.
What Are the Effects of Having a Missing Tooth?
A missing tooth causes nearby teeth to move into the gap and cause alignment issues. This predicament can lead to more dental work and difficulty caring for the teeth. Meanwhile, realigning nearby teeth can make room for a replacement tooth and improve overall dental health.
Can I Get Invisalign If I Have Missing Teeth?
Missing teeth can affect self-esteem and confidence, but options like dental implants, crowns, denture implants, and bridgework can restore them. We recommend considering this treatment after clear aligners to avoid teeth shifting and possible future dental work. Also, clear retainers can help move the teeth around the gap into the correct positions and prevent bacteria growth in the holes.
Are There Complications with Having Invisalign with a Missing Tooth?
Complications may arise with clear retainers if a tooth is missing due to gum disease because the surrounding gum and bone tissue might be unhealthy. You can avoid costly consequences and enjoy a successful treatment by ensuring your teeth and gums are as healthy as possible.
2 Advantages of Invisalign with Missing Teeth
You deserve to smile confidently with a mouth of healthy teeth and gums. This section will enumerate the perks of wearing clear retainers with missing teeth.
1. You Can Have a Fake Tooth with Invisalign
You can wear clear aligners with missing teeth because they can be a temporary medium for fake teeth and slowly move them into the correct alignment. Also, your orthodontist can place artificial teeth directly into your aligners to fill in gaps and improve your smile.
2. Invisalign Can Prepare Your Mouth for Tooth Replacement
Losing a tooth can cause nearby teeth to shift, making it difficult for a dentist to replace the missing tooth. While clear aligners can help prepare for a replacement tooth, remember that they can’t permanently replace a missing tooth.
Your dentist may suggest you get clear aligners to create space in your mouth for a replacement tooth. Once your teeth have shifted back, your dentist can fit the replacement tooth more accurately.
What Should I Do After Invisalign?
Once your teeth straighten, you may need a tooth replacement like bridges, implants, or partial dentures. Regardless of the type of replacement, you must wear a retainer after orthodontic treatment to prevent teeth from returning to their original places and stabilize them in their new positions.
Dentists may make the retainer after the patient receives a tooth replacement to ensure a proper fit. Also, only eat soft foods while waiting for the retainer because hard foods can misalign your teeth.
Realigning for a Better Smile
Getting Invisalign with a missing tooth is okay, but you shouldn’t consider it a permanent tooth replacement solution. You can smile better by consulting your orthodontist for the best treatment and adequately caring for your teeth afterward.
If you need Invisalign to temporarily address your missing teeth in Atlanta, visit Orthodontist Kennesaw! Our expert family dentists can address your orthodontic needs to help you smile, talk, and eat confidently. Schedule an appointment now!