If you’ve lost one or more teeth and you’re looking to transform your smile, you may be wondering if you’ll need orthodontic treatment. Can you straighten your smile with a treatment like Invisalign, even if you’ve lost some teeth?
The answer is “yes!” And in fact, Invisalign can be a great first step toward restoring your smile and your bite. In this blog from Skylyn Dental Associates in Spartanburg, we’ll discuss everything you should know.
Invisalign can be used to straighten your teeth in a variety of situations, and tooth loss doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not eligible for treatment. In fact, tooth loss can cause serious tooth alignment issues, which should be corrected by orthodontic treatment.
This is because after tooth loss, your remaining teeth will tend to shift toward the gaps left by your missing teeth. This can change the position of your teeth and ruin your bite alignment. Dr. Paul Gibas can use Invisalign to move these teeth back into the proper position.
Then, once your bite and the alignment of your teeth have been corrected, you can replace your missing teeth. Getting orthodontic treatment before replacing your missing teeth will help improve the appearance of your smile and will keep your bite healthy, too.
In order to get treatment with Invisalign, you must have a healthy mouth. So if your tooth loss was caused by a problem like gum disease, you’ll need to work with Dr. Gibas to resolve and control your gum disease.
This is because gum disease can damage the gums, teeth, and jaw bone. If these tissues are not healthy, it may not be possible to treat your mouth with Invisalign. In fact, Invisalign could make the problem worse. As your teeth shift during your treatment, this could put further stress on the tissue, leading to further damage to the jaw bone, teeth, and gums.
Before you get Invisalign at Skylyn Dental Associates, Dr. Gibas will perform a comprehensive oral exam to make sure that your mouth is healthy, and that you’re a good candidate for treatment.
Before you commit to Invisalign, you should also be committed to replacing your missing teeth once your treatment is complete. Why? Because unless you replace your missing teeth, your teeth will just shift again, and ruin your Invisalign results.
Whether you’re interested in partial dentures, dental bridges, or dental implants, replacing your missing teeth is the best way to preserve your Invisalign results. You’ll also be able to eat, speak, and smile with confidence once again, and feel proud of your bright new smile.
So before your Invisalign treatment begins, we recommend discussing your options for tooth replacement with Dr. Gibas. He can suggest a treatment that’s right for your budget and your situation, and make sure your teeth are replaced as soon as possible after your Invisalign treatment is concluded.
Dr. Gibas is a certified, experienced Invisalign provider in Spartanburg. Whether you have all of your teeth or you’re missing a few teeth due to past oral health problems, he can help you find out if Invisalign is right for you. So don’t wait. Contact us today or call (864) 573-9255 to schedule your orthodontic consultation right away.
