Every day there are more and more adults who undergo orthodontic treatment to improve their smile. In these cases, we may find that the patient has a dental implant, a cap or crown on one of his teeth or has a dental bridge placed in the mouth; and other times, in which he has a The patient is also considering dental implants due to the lack of a dental piece.
This raises two questions:
- Orthodontic treatment can be performed if you have dental implants, crowns or bridges.
- If you are missing a tooth and want to get dental implants, which treatment should be done first, orthodontics or implant placement?
Each situation will require a previous study that will allow to approach both treatments in the best possible way, because it is very likely that orthodontics and dental implant placement are two compatible procedures.
In addition, adult patients often have periodontal problems (gum problems) and cavities, before orthodontic treatment must “heal” the mouth so that we can then put the teeth in place without losing bone support. In this phase we usually perform a good periodontal treatment, fix the cavities and extract the teeth that cannot be saved or that have to be extracted for orthodontic reasons.
Can I wear orthodontics if I already have implants?
Performing orthodontics with implants already in place is not ideal, but it can be done. As we said at the beginning of the article, orthodontics with implants is currently a very common practice, as more and more adults are encouraged to start orthodontic treatment to correct their smile.
If the patient already has a dental implant Orthodontics is more complex because the implants, integrated into the bone, have no possibility of moving, like the rest of the teeth, from their initial location. This means that the orthodontist must make precise calculations to fit the dental alignment in the right place. It requires more planning, but it is often an advantage because the implants serve as an anchorage system for moving other teeth.
Can I wear braces if I have caps or crowns on my teeth?
If the patient wear crowns or caps on their own teeth, orthodontics is performed in the usual way. The crowns are on the natural tooth itself, which maintains its ability to vary its position with orthodontic treatment, unlike what happened with dental implants.
In these cases, invisible orthodontics is usually recommended instead of braces, and the type of adhesive applied may be different, but this difference will be imperceptible to the patient.
Can I wear braces if I have a dental bridge?
Dental bridges are an alternative to implant treatments. If you have a dental bridge, we can also perform orthodontic treatment, but it is important to know that it may have to be modified at the end of treatment, as the position of nearby teeth may change.
Can I have orthodontic treatment if I am missing a tooth?
When a patient requires orthodontic treatment and is missing one or more teeth, the orthodontist and the implantologist will study all the options. On the one hand, whether it is necessary to place implants or whether this space can be occupied by other teeth. This decision will be made taking into account the number of implants needed and the healthy teeth you have in your mouth.
If they make the decision to place an implant, they will assess whether it is possible to do so before starting orthodontics, in which case a temporary crown will be placed to serve as an anchor to move the other teeth.
Placing the implant earlier or later is a decision that will also depend on the number of dental implants that need to be placed and whether the specific space where the implant should be placed is available from the beginning in order to achieve the expected results.
In cases where many teeth are missing and the orthodontist does not have anchor teeth as support to move the other teeth, that is, when several molars are missing and only anterior teeth remain, the orthodontist will need implants with temporary crowns to be able to make the necessary orthodontic movements.
Which should come first, the orthodontics or the implant?
There is no unanimous professional agreement on this question, some say that implants are better before and others say after. The best decision on whether orthodontics is better before implants or after, considering that the implants, once placed, have no ability to move and that the orthodontist need braces to achieve the desired dental movements, will depend on the number of missing teeth.
It is quite common to start with orthodontics with the method of choice (invisible orthodontics or braces) if there are any missing teeth so that the teeth are in the correct position and when the orthodontist decides that it is the optimum moment, either at the end of the treatment or at a certain point in the treatment, the necessary dental implant or implants will be placed. The main advantage is that we will place the implants in an arch that is completely aligned.
Orthodontic pre-treatment facilitates the redistribution of space for implant placement. The recommended procedure for a person who needs both treatments is as follows.
If the patient needs several dental implants because many teeth are missing, the use of intermaxillary elastics becomes difficult, coordinating the width of the arches becomes difficult, this means a lot of time lost in the treatment and sometimes the impossibility for the orthodontist to achieve an accurate result. This is why it is better to place implants before orthodontics, as they will serve as a guide or anchor to move the other teeth.
Which orthodontics is better, brackets or clear aligners?
Both techniques are perfectly feasible to use to correct the position of your teeth. What really determines the success of your treatment is the experience and knowledge of your orthodontist and not the tools he or she uses to achieve it. Invisalign brackets and clear aligners are one of the elements, along with rubber bands or micro-screws, with which the orthodontist carries out the treatment plan.
When the patient wears caps, veneers or crowns, invisible orthodontics is usually used.
If you don’t know which orthodontics to choose, don’t worry. In our dentalclinic in Barcelona our orthodontists will help you choose the best option based on your needs and lifestyle.
As you can see, if you want to undergo orthodontic treatment or have dental implants and need to improve the position of your teeth, each situation requires a rigorous and individual study. It is important to approach each case in an interdisciplinary way, that is why at Raslan Dental Clinic we have exclusive specialists in each area of dentistry that guarantee you the best results.
Do not hesitate to consult us, we are specialists in dental implants in Barcelona, request your appointment at 669 154 020 to assess the state of your oral health and analyze the different factors that may influence the treatment: the amount of jawbone, the health of the gums, the state of the dental roots, dental malpositions, … so that the orthodontist and the implantologist draw the most convenient and effective treatment plan to get a perfectly functional, beautiful and healthy mouth.
You can also read:
17 Frequently Asked Questions about dental implants answered by an implantologist
Dental implants price. How much does a dental implant cost in 2024?
Dental implants with guided surgery. 5 Advantages
Immediate load implants. What they are and their advantages
Miembro de la Sociedad Española de Prótesis Estomatológica y Estética (SEPES) y del American College of Prosthodontics (ACP).
Colegio de Odontólogos y Estomatólogos de Catalunya
Profesor colaborador, Departamento de Restauradora Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC) Barcelona.
