Braces can help straighten all your teeth, but what happens if all your teeth aren’t there? Can you get braces with missing teeth? Can braces fix missing teeth spaces? What is the best option for replacing missing teeth?
Smith & Davis Orthodontics can recreate your smile, whether you have all your teeth or a few missing. We know how important your smile is, both to your mental health and physical health. Even if you’re missing teeth, Smith & Davis Orthodontics can help you get a healthy, new smile!
Why Am I Missing Teeth?
Missing teeth isn’t as uncommon as you might think. About 20% of the population is missing teeth. For some, it’s the lateral incisors — the teeth between the front two teeth and the canines. Others are often missing wisdom teeth — the third molars in the back. Some may even be missing a set of premolars — the bicuspid teeth in front of the molars.
In most cases, missing teeth are genetic. For others, teeth are missing either from injury, tooth decay, or gum disease. Weakened bones from autoimmune and other diseases can cause teeth to fall out.
Whatever the case, there are solutions to restoring your smile. Working with your dentist, Smith & Davis Orthodontics can close the gaps with clear braces or Invisalign clear aligners if they are small or with dental implants and dental bridges for larger gaps.
Orthodontics Before Replacing a Tooth
Missing teeth orthodontics is about more than closing a gap with braces. Orthodontic treatment for missing teeth can include treatments to help hold or open gaps for dental repairs, such as dental implants or bridges.
A bridge consists of a false tooth in the center with two crowns on either side. The crowns fit over the teeth on either side of the gap, holding the new tooth in place in the gap.
A dental implant is a cone-shaped device that is embedded in the jaw, and a false crown (the part of the tooth above the gum line) is screwed into the implant, holding it in place.
When a tooth is missing, falls, or is knocked out, the surrounding teeth can move to close the gap, eliminating room for a new tooth.
Your orthodontist can implant space maintainers and other appliances to keep the gap wide enough for a new tooth. We can also use braces or clear aligners to widen the gap by moving the other teeth out of the way while straightening them.
Why do you need orthodontics for a missing tooth?
New implants or bridges may not be successful if the other teeth are not in their proper places. They may crowd or move the new tooth or bridge. Orthodontic treatment can help prevent this.
What is the best option for missing teeth? How to replace missing teeth depends on the number of teeth and the condition of your jaw. Your dentist can work with you to determine the best solution, and we will work with you to ensure your other teeth look just as amazing as your new teeth.
Braces Treatment After Dental Work
What happens if you’ve already filled those missing teeth gaps with dental implants, crowns, veneers, or bridges? Can you get braces with these?
We can use a special bonding agent for crowns, which are slid over the remains of a tooth, to prevent damage to the crown. We can work with bridges as well. When it comes to dental implants vs. braces, dental implants cannot be moved, but the surrounding teeth can be moved. We can work around your dental implants when treating you with braces.
It’s easier to work with pre-existing dental implants and crowns using Invisalign clear aligners. These clear acrylic trays are custom-molded to your teeth and slide over them. That means they can slide over your dental implants and move the teeth around them while holding the dental implant in place.
So if braces aren’t the best solution for your pre-existing dental work, clear aligners may be a better option. Smith & Davis Orthodontics offers both!
FAQs About Orthodontic Treatment for Missing Teeth
Here are some frequently asked questions about braces treatment and missing teeth.
Can I still get Invisalign if I have missing teeth?
Yes! Because Invisalign is custom-molded to your teeth, we can create Invisalign trays that will move your teeth even if you have one or two teeth missing. We can also work around bridges and partial dentures.
Should I replace a missing tooth before or after getting braces?
It depends. In some cases, we can use braces to move your teeth to close the gap, giving you a seamless smile. In other instances, you may need a dental implant to correct your smile, such as with the loss of a central incisor or a molar. It’s better to do your braces treatment first, as we can put a space maintainer in place in anticipation of a future dental implant. But we can work with you if you already have a dental implant in place.
What is a space maintainer and do I need one?
A space maintainer is, as it sounds — it holds the space where your missing tooth used to be. The idea is to provide space for a future dental implant or bridge to replace the missing tooth. Without it, the teeth around the space can start to move into the space, leaving no room for the new tooth.
Can braces move teeth into a gap to close it completely?
Yes, depending on the size of the gap. The gap from a single tooth can be closed, depending on the tooth. It can be done for canines, lateral incisors, premolars, and in some cases, molars. However, large molars or central incisors may create an awkward gap that a dental implant or bridge may better fill.
What are the long-term risks of not replacing a missing tooth?
The jawbone can weaken in the area where the tooth is missing. The gums where the tooth is missing are more exposed to bacteria and plaque, which can lead to gum disease and infection. Missing teeth can also change the shape of your jaw as the other teeth move to close the gap. They can make speech and chewing more difficult. We highly recommend you replace missing teeth as soon as possible.
Missing Teeth Orthodontics in Rogers, AR
Missing teeth don’t have to be an obstacle to a healthy, beautiful smile. Smith & Davis Orthodontics will work with you and your dentist to ensure you can get the best results either through orthodontics or through a combination of orthodontics and dental appliances.
If you’re ready for a new smile, contact Smith & Davis Orthodontics for Invisalign or braces treatment in Rogers, AR. Let’s see how great your smile can be!
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