Can I Get Braces If I Have Missing Teeth?

Good oral health is a crucial aspect of your well-being, and as some people wonder about beginning their orthodontic treatment, some doubt their effectiveness when they have missing teeth. So, can you have braces with missing teeth? What are some solutions available to you? Does having missing teeth affect your dental alignment?

Orthodontics is not just a cosmetic treatment. Sure enough, a well-aligned smile is a beautiful sight to see, but dental alignment does much more. Well-positioned and perfectly aligned teeth also contribute to your dental health and, by extension, your overall well-being.

Some patients may not have needed orthodontics for most of their lives until recently, as some lose teeth due to periodontal disease or direct trauma to their mouths. Let’s take a closer look at what solutions are available for everyone who wishes to have a beautiful smile.

Is It Possible to Get Braces With Missing Teeth?

The short answer is yes. Fortunately, you can still wear braces if you have missing teeth. Orthodontics is a field that aims to correct problems with your dental alignment, and the most reliable way to do so is with a set of traditional metal braces. These braces work thanks to a simple principle: we can move your teeth when we apply sufficient force over them in a specific direction. To do so, braces translate force from an archwire to your teeth through the anchored brackets. Even if you have one or more teeth missing, your braces will still work to align the remaining teeth.

You should set up an appointment with your trusted orthodontist to learn more about the various types of braces available for your treatment. Here at Silver Lake Orthodontics, you can find conventional metal braces and ceramic braces to fix your smile with comfort and ease.

Could I Wear Invisalign With Missing Teeth?

We’re glad to say that the answer is yes! Invisalign clear aligners are sets of custom-made, BPA-free plastic trays that go over your teeth and work to realign them gradually. Fortunately, because they are custom-made thanks to a highly accurate 3D model of your dental structures, these aligners can still work to achieve your goals of a beautiful smile even when you have a few missing teeth.

Clear aligners are an increasingly popular option among patients who wish to realign their teeth because of how convenient they are. The sole fact that they’re removable appliances means that patients won’t have to stop eating their favorite foods to avoid damaging anything. Likewise, patients can remove the aligners to brush their teeth and use dental floss as usual, which means better oral hygiene upkeep throughout their orthodontic care.

Originally, many patients had to avoid wearing Invisalign clear aligners because they couldn’t fix the more complex cases of orthodontic problems. Fortunately, though, the aligners are now more durable and efficient than ever before, so it usually comes down to personal preference whether to use aligners or braces. Even with missing teeth, you can use clear aligners to fix your smile.

What Should You Expect About Fixing Your Smile With Missing Teeth?

Missing teeth can negatively and severely impact your dental health. This is especially true for young children who prematurely lose a primary tooth and whose parents don’t think it warrants a visit to the dentist. Because of our teeth’ natural tendency to move, any gaps between teeth contribute to accelerating these movements and result in crooked smiles. As a young child’s permanent teeth begin to erupt, they do so in directions that aren’t in harmony with the expected alignment, which can lead to severe dental health complications and have undeniable effects on the child’s social development.

These alignment problems have real consequences in your life that go beyond cosmetic concerns. Missing teeth lead to problems with dental alignment and, in turn, functional problems related to biting, chewing, speaking, and breathing.

This is why we highly recommend that you set up an appointment with an orthodontist and fix your smile even if you have missing teeth. The treatment is still highly efficient, and the results can lead to added ease in daily activities, such as eating and speaking.

Finally, you might consider having a more in-depth conversation with your orthodontist about pursuing cosmetic dentistry solutions, such as a bridge or dental implant, and how these can make your orthodontic care much easier and more successful.

Why Would You Need an Emergency Tooth Extraction?

Nobody wants to come to the dentist to get a tooth extracted, but some situations require you to come to a dental health professional for that very purpose. Here are some signs you might need an emergency dental extraction:

• Severe tooth pain that you cannot manage with over-the-counter pain medicine;
• Considerable swelling around the jaw area;
• An ongoing dental infection that comes with fever, redness, tenderness, or bleeding of the gums.
• Difficulty opening your mouth or swallowing solid food.

Any of those signs are a worrying symptom of an underlying problem, and it is essential that you seek immediate emergency help. Perhaps a dental extraction will be the determining factor in making you feel much better.

Get Help from the Best Orthodontist Everett Has Available.

We’re thrilled to invite you to our Everett orthodontic office and review your dental health status. Together, we will work on a personalized orthodontic treatment plan that helps you achieve your goals of a beautiful and well-aligned smile. We hope to see you soon, so don’t think twice and set up an appointment with our team!